Located in the northern part of Italy, Lake Garda is the largest lake in the country. By its origins it is a glacier lake. In the southern part it is surrounded by hills (morainic hills left in the area after the glacier recession), while in the northern part it is enclosed by mountains with a fjord-shape landscape. The imposing mountains are not just augmenting the dramatic views of the landscapes, but they are also protecting the lake area from cold winds and air from the north and enable a very mild Mediterranean climate around the lake.
Very nice and mild climate contribute to flourishing vegetation that is very Mediterranean – a lot of olive trees, palms, cypresses, oleanders, citrus trees (lemons and oranges), ….which is very surprising taking into consideration the geographical location of the lake.
In the combination with the great surroundings and clear waters of the lake, Lake Garda is a very popular tourist destination. What we loved about the are is just that, a small Mediterranean paradise in the middle of mighty mountains, that offers great views and numerous activities for a short (or longer) vacation. All around the lake you will find remarkable historical and cultural remains and charming small villages. We’ve managed to visit a few of them.
Our first stop was in Sirmione (the most popular tourist resort on the lake), but we’ve made a stop in the historic centre of the town. We’ve tried to avoid the peak hours and we visited it in the early morning. The small historic town is located at the tip of a quite long peninsula in the Sothern part of Garda Lake. The area of the old town is a pedestrian zone, with charming narrow streets.
Without doubt the most iconic part of the town is the castle.
But since it was a hot summer day my look stopped on a street stand with big, juicy lemons! They were making fresh lemonade which was so perfect on that hot morning.
After a few sips I was able to think again clearly and to finally admire the fairy-tale castle. The Rocca Scaligera of Sirmione dates back to the 13th century and is surrounded by a moat and a long wall. The castle was in fact a fortress built to protect the town from intruders and the small harbor was protecting the Lake Garda fleet.
We wander along the charming streets of the old town, refresh ourselves with delicious Italian ice cream – gelato and took a panoramic walk around the promontory from where there is a great view over the lake and towards the mountains in the north.
Our next stop was in the small town of Malcesine, located on the eastern shore of Lake Garda. A small town, with cobbled lanes and a castle, lies below the mountain ridge of Monte Baldo. Malcesina is a good staring point for ferry rides to other lakeside resorts and to take the cable car to Monte Baldo. We’ve walked around the town, along the medieval lanes, up to the castle and just enjoyed the lively atmosphere. There are many pretty little squares, cafes, restaurants, shops etc..
A little bit longer drive, all around the northern lakeshore brought us to the town of Limone sul Garda. The word “limone” in Italian means “lemon”, and since the town is strongly connected with lemon growing, I mistakenly thought that the name deviates from the name of the fruit. Then I found out, that the name derives from limen, which means border, or lima, which means river.
In my head the name will remain connected with this sunny yellow fruit but also the history of the town is strongly connected with it. In the 15th century the town was part of Venetian republic and developed into the most northerly centre for the cultivation of citrus fruits such as lemons. For this purpose, they built lemon groves called “Limonaia”. The groves also have wooden rafters that in winter transform the grove into a greenhouse. The construction of these groves was very demanding since they have to import also good soil (since the original one was to poor for citruses) and to develop a proper irrigation system.
The groves also impressed J. Wolfgang Goethe who traveled in the area in the 18th century and described them in one of his arts. The groves are well preserved today and conserved as important heritage sites.
When we arrived in Limone we were welcomed by a nice lakeshore promenade, with a few benches where you can rest and have a look at the lake and the surrounding mountains. There was a refreshing breeze all around town and wandering through the narrow streets was very pleasant.
In the old port we’ve visited small shops and bought some lemon treats – some candies, biscuits and of course, limoncello (liquor from lemons). The colourful houses of the old port, ornated with flowers were the perfect scenario to relax on a bench, taste some gelato (lemon gelato of course) and admire the lake and the swans.
The Garda lake is famous also for the amusement parks in the area. We’ve visited the Zoo, which has a funny part where you can enter the Zoo in your own car, while the animals are walking around you.
There is also a very popular amusement park called Gardaland – I visited it first when I was still a child and later as a teenager. It was my first visit now as a parent but I still enjoyed all the rides very much and will have to return in the next couple of years.
In the vicinity there is also a nice aquarium. Lake Garda is really a great location that offers a lot for a family vacation, from fun and amusement to interesting culture and history but all in a marvelous natural environment.
We’ve combined all this with a stay at a campsite along the lake and it was just great.
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