A-Z Blogging Challenge - Garda

No, not the Irish police, but Lake Garda, in Northern Italy, which is Italy’s largest lake, about 50 km (30 miles) long, and 17 km (10 miles) wide at its widest part in the south, but only about 3 km (2 miles) wide in the north.

The northern part of the lake is surrounded by mountains, which rise steeply from the lake. In many places the road alongside the lake goes through tunnels or ledges cut through the rock face.

 

Villages like Limone seem to cling to the steep cliffs, while Riva del Garda, at the northern tip, is nestled at the foot of the mountains.


Limone



Riva del Garda

 

 

The cafés and bars along the waterfront at Riva are perfect for sipping a cappuccino or a glass of wine (or beer), and watching the lake ferries come and go. The clock tower in the town square dates from the 13th century but I have to confess we didn’t climb the 158 steps to the top, even though it was right outside our hotel!

The land around the southern end of the lake is much flatter, and here there are tourist resorts with wide sandy beaches. Sirmione has thermal baths as well as a medieval castle, and there is also the Grotto of Catullus, the remains of the villa owned by the family of the Roman poet in the first century B.C.

Malcesine, on the east bank of the lake, is a picturesque little town, with a castle and small harbour, and also a cable car up Mount Baldo. It was a hot day when we were there, and we traipsed through the town and up the hill to the cable car terminus - only to find it was closed for maintenance that week!

 

Never mind, we could always console ourselves with one of these ice-creams!