Lake Garda

I was lucky enough to be invited on a trip hosted by Topflight to experience a few days in Lake Garda. In the past I’ve seen a lot of this beautiful country, however Lake Garda was always somewhere I wanted to experience for myself and what a whirlwind few days it was! After an early flight to Milan we made our way to the lovely town of Bardolino, with a distinctly Italian feel, this lovely lakeside resort dates back to 800 AD. Full of chic boutiques and cafes, it was a great introduction to our Italian adventure. After a hearty lunch, it was time to visit Cantina Zeni winery where we were treated to some excellent local wine, whilst we were being told about the wine making process and exploring the museum.

Our home for the first few nights was The Savoy Palace in Riva, set on the northern shore of Lake Garda, it was a great base to enjoy the local breath taking scenery. We took a boat which runs regularly from Riva to other towns on the northern shores of the lake. My favourite town was the stunning Malcesine, with the imposing medieval Scaliger Castle at its centre and beautiful vistas as far as the eye could see, it was a haven for tourists eager to explore the quaint little streets with their colourful boats with some passing the time away in the lovely waterside cafes and restaurants. We were told this would be an active trip, but little did we realise that we would be climbing a mountain! Climbing the Via Ferrata was not for the faint-hearted, however it was well worth the effort and the views from the top were amazing.

The following day we visited Gardaland, I was very impressed with the park, having been lucky enough to experience theme parks around the world, this was one of my favourites. With everything from Peppa Pig Land for the little ones to huge roller coasters, it had something for everyone in the family. Afterwards we got a tour of the lovely town of Peschiera before checking into our hotel Mayer & Splendid, located in the heart of Desenzano.

On our last morning we enjoyed a sailing lesson and we were blessed with great weather, this was the perfect end to a wonderful few days. Lake Garda has so much to offer, whether it’s a family holiday, a group of friends or a couple travelling, there is an amazing range of accommodation and so many beautiful places to see, made easy by the efficient boat service. There is also an excellent waterpark and day trips to Verona and Venice can be organised, as well as the possibility to extend your holiday with a few days in Lake Como or Milan.