June 02, 2009
The picturesque town of Garda...I can't emphasise enough what a wonderful town this is! It's a fantastic base to stay for exploring all the other fabulous towns around the Lake. It is considered the 'jewel of the Lake', and it's easy to see why when you see the setting: It is tucked away below the prominent Punta San Vigilio and the mighty cliff Rocca on the bay of Garda, which stands out as one of the most memorable on the Lake.
It has many shops that meander throughout the quaint streets of the town, as well as romantic squares and beautiful Venetian villas. The lake-side promenade with its lush vegetation is fantastic, one of the best of the towns on the lake. There are many lovely restaurants & ice cream shops, as well as live entertainment and markets all along the promenade.
You may assume, like I did, that Garda was named after the lake. But actually, the lake used to be called 'Benaco'. It was renamed 'Garda' after the town during the 12th century! What's also interesting is that Garda is only 32 km from the city of Verona, and is one of the smallest towns in the whole province.
Although Garda can be a busy town with tourists (during the summer months especially), it is a great base for seeing lake Garda as there are lots of ferries and buses you can catch that go between it and most of the other towns on the lake. We tend to go on the ferries, as they are very reliable generally, unlike the buses, which can often be late. However I do reccommend that you go on the free local bus that goes around the town every half hour. It's a good way to see the town and it's very handy if you're staying at a villa or hotel that's a good distance away from the main part of the town.
And what's close by? Well, just 30 minutes on the bus takes you to Gardaland which is Italy's largest theme park, and is great value for money. The bus to Gardaland is free and leaves the bus stop in Garda at 8.30 SHARP (one of the few buses that leaves on time!). You can find out some more about Gardaland as well as a few other theme parks within easy reach of Garda on our webpage on themeparks.
Another nearby must-see place is Bardolino. This is the nearest town to Garda and is well worth a visit. There is a walk along the edge of the lake to Bardolino that takes about 45 minutes. If you intend to do this walk, we'd advise that you go later in the day, otherwise it can be very hot during mid-day! You can also catch the bus or ferry to Bardolino. Again, we have loads of info about the town of Bardolino as well as all the other towns around Lake Garda here.
Main Events
In most towns around the Lake, you'll find many things going on throughout the year, including art exhibitions, festivals, wine and food tastings, theatre events and sports events.
If you'd like to know about any events in particular for this month, then please contact us, as we only cover the main events each month.
Asparagus festivals
These are taking place in the area of Lake Garda, 19 April to 7 June.
Rock Junior 2009
The world's biggest climbing festival dedicated to the young generation of climbers aged between 5 and 13 scheduled for Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2009 in Arco, Lake Garda.
Radio Incontri di Riva del Garda
Italian radio world national event taking place at Riva del Garda, 19-21 June 2009
"Olympic" Triathlon
The first and most crowded Italian triathlon event celebrates its 26th anniversary on the 20th of June in Bardolino.
There are, of
course, all the usual markets that are definitely worth going to. To find out more about when and where they are,
click here.
This Month's Featured Hotel
Every month we feature a Hotel in the Lake Garda area so you can get an idea of the accommodation there. We always feature a hotel with a "guest rating" of 8 or more (out of 10), so they are always all-round great quality places.
Hotel Benaco is ideally situated in the historic centre of Garda, just 50 meters from Lake Garda and is an ideal base from which to discover the all the charming small towns spread throughout the area.
This charming family run hotel is the ideal place to relax and unwind in a peaceful and cosy environment, where the friendly atmosphere and hospitality will make you feel right at home. You can click on the link below the photo to discover more info and photos.
Here is one of many good reviews from Andrew: "The hotel exceeded our expectations. The staff were absolutely lovely and made our stay very pleasurable. We would definately recommend this hotel to friends and family."
Your Stories
We really want to hear about your Lake Garda experiences and stories, even if it's just a sentence or two. Get your story in a future newsletter and share your experiences with others!
Whether you want to share your favourite
hotel,
town,
family outing,
or sport
you've experienced at Lake Garda, we'd love to
hear all about it.
To Conclude...
If you're going to Lake Garda this summer, make sure you visit the town of Garda if you're not staying there. You'll discover that it really is the "jewel" of the lake!
See you next month!
Marcus and Sylvia