So much to see and do
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. With brightly colored towns, castles, Roman ruins, beaches, vineyards, and historical sites, there is plenty to keep you busy for days. The list of things to do in Lake Garda is long and I will only touch on a few of my favorites. This long, narrow lake is located in northern Italy. It spans three Italian provinces: Verona in the southeast, Brescia in the southwest, and Trentino in the north. In the north, the lake is surrounded by mountains, as this part of the lake sits at the foot of the Alps. The southern area around Lake Garda is flatter and less dramatic and can be several degrees warmer than the northern end of the lake.
Small towns dot the shorelines of Lake Garda. It is possible to drive around the entire lake, so you can tour it by car and by boat. There are ferry services and private boats that can get you from point to point without ever needing a car. One om my favorite towns is Sirmione which is the most popular sight on Lake Garda. This small town, with its medieval city center and stunning castle, is perched on the tip of a long, narrow peninsula. Exploring the town, visiting the castle, going to the spa, and cruising around the peninsula by boat top the must-do list for Sirmione.
A very traditional restaurant in the middle of a square surrounded by trees is Ristorante Pizzeria Al Braciere. Originally opened in the mid 80's just for the adjoining Riel Hotel guests, today it is a popular local and regional culinary destination open to everyone. It specializes in very locally sourced foods to include fresh lake fish. The restaurant has focused on healthily choices for patrons to include gluten-free foods and pizza. We split the Diavolo pizza (spicy salami and pepperoni), and it was nothing short of wonderful. We also had the Gnocchi with sausage and artichokes. It too was delicious. Sitting out on the terrace was a real experience, the ambiance of the tree -shaded tables was special. What also was amazing was the number and organization of the servers. They had one or two spotters that made sure every table was attentively managed. Although Sirmione has been more than discovered by tourists, it is well worth the time to visit and there is ample parking around the Lake and near the old town. See it, you won't be disappointed. Corte San Matti is an Agriturismo. It is special. If you're planning a trip to Italy and looking for lodging, you'll likely come across the word agriturismo—a combination of the words for "agriculture" and "tourism" in Italian. An agriturismo is a farm stay, or a style of vacationing in farmhouse resorts. There are many all over Italy and designed to meet the needs of families and couples. San Matti is beyond charming offering breakfast (included), lunch and dinner. Most all of the food and wines are produced on the farm and the meals are pretty diverse and very tasty. Its sits atop a small mountain that provides a stunning view over Verona. San Matti also provides a great homebase to explore Verona and Lake Garda. When we travel to Italy there are a small number of places we stay every time. San Matti joins that exclusive list. We visited in late April and early May at it was perfect in very way. We were told by management that it gets crowded from mid-May to the end of September. Whenever you visit, I'm sure you will find it special like we did.
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