We arrived at our next pre-booked camp site only to found a now familiar “Italian issue” – pitches that are far too small, despite us asking for space that is at least 90 sqm!  We wedged onto this pitch, to the amusement of many and stayed just one night and used to time to find another camp site around the corner which was bigger and better.  We moved the next day to Camping Bella Italia, it’s huge, full of fabulous facilities and right on the edge of the lake.

Lake Garda, well, what a sight!  Its huge.  Its beautiful.  Its blue and green at once. Its clean and clear and warm.  Its paradise in disguise.  The small villages are bustling with tourists, even in October, and full of reasonably priced restaurants, stylish villas, museums, hot springs, castles, forts and endless activities.  The water is just a wonderful colour of turquoise and green, azure blue and dark blue.

Lake Garda at its best!

Whilst here, Samson was given a make-over, new decals imported from America.  They are originals that came with the trailer.  It kept the neighbours busy for a few hours, watching us!!

The walkway from our campsite to the town.

Peschiera (south coast of the Lake)

We based ourselves in Peschiera, an old Roman fortified town, divided up by old battlement walls and surrounded by “canals” within the lake.  The military history is evident everywhere, although we could not understand why the town felt the need for this, and who they were defending it from. 

The town also seems to be where you can find the most tourists – past the port on the opposite side of town to us are adventure parks (similar to Disney) and huge funfairs, aquariums and water parks.  Thankfully they were all closed in October and only re-opening for Halloween, as I envisaged me dragging David over there!!  

Our first weekend here, we watched a display of 1950 – 1960 racing boats, powered by Alfa Romeo 2 litre twin cam engines.  The dozen boats were craned onto the water in the small marina and took turns to go out onto the lake 5 or 6 at a time and do ten laps of some strategically placed buoys.  Sometimes the boats would not start at all.  The ten laps were sufficient to smell the fumes, watch the water splashing up as they raced through the water, experience the thrills as the drivers battled with heavy steering and then were cheered by the crowds as they came back into the marina.  The smells, sounds and images were truly memorable.

We face timed my Dad when one of the displays were on and he and David both agreed, they sounded as though they were running on 3 cylinders only, ropey!  Nevertheless, it was more about the spectacle than the engines….

Sirmione (south)

This peninsular shaped town with its gatehouse is an island with one entry point to a fabulous magical place.  The 13th Century castle is a rare example of medieval port fortification with three corner towers built in pebbles alternating with courses of bricks. The walls of the rooms inside were finished with plaster simulating blocks of stone, what we would call ancient graffiti. The castle stands at the entrance to the peninsular, surrounded by a moat and only accessible by two drawbridges.  

It has several natural hot springs coming out of the rocks, at about 65C, I can vouch for the heat!!  I dipped my feet into it and it was a tad warm!  The sulphuric smell is not too great but acceptable (pic below shows it emerging from the shoreline…)

There is walkway all around the coastline and at the very end the soft flat rocks head out onto the lake with just a few inches of water covering them.  The area is called Jamaica Beach, spelled Giamaica!!!

Also at the end of the peninsular are the remains of a Roman Domus, an ancient villa with a cave complex below, closed the day we visited.  The town was also home to the famous opera singer Maria Callas, during her Italian career, picture below.

Lazise (east)

This small fishing port is simply beautiful.  Again an old Roman town, the city walls were built with three portals (doors) all fitted with both gates and drawbridges.  The castle was built by the Scaliger Lords of Verona, and is currently owned and managed by a noble Italian family.  The small church on the quayside (behind David to the left) has frescos on the walls inside dating back to the 14th century but sadly it was being renovated when we visited.

 

Salo (west)

This lakeside town is known for having the longest promenade as the town is in a cove or inlet on the lake.  The day we visited there was a small regatta of 8 man rowing boats taking place in the bay as well as a “vintage” market so we had a lovely mooch around this pretty town which is on the west coast.  The image below shows how clear the water is.

We also found a road that went up a mountainside, called Via Panoramica!  Stopped once or twice to take some scenic photos of Isola del Garda, an island on the Lake.

Bardolino (east)

Bardolino, a Roman fishing village with first recorded activity dating back to 1000, is a comb shaped village, houses are built one behind the other starting on the shoreline.  This was popular with fishing villages, the perpendicularity of the street to the coast offered fishermen easy and safe transportation of the boats in front of houses.

Oil and wine production also flourished and soon the ruby red wine from this area took the same name.  The town is home to a Wine and Oil Museum.

This villa was built by a man from Verona who in 1860, came here on holiday.  He loved the place so much that he spent all his time here building the villa.  After 13 years of being away from home, his wife turned up, only to find he was running the villa as a guest house and was building a second villa next door.  She was so angry that she promptly installed both mothers to run the guest house and she helped the husband in the bigger hotel next door.  The grandmothers gained fame quickly due to their fabulous cooking so they were promoted to chefs at the Hotel next door, hence the Hotel Riviera was created, still a Hotel to this day and run by grandchildren of the same family.