Lovely Lake Garda

| Tue, 07/14/2009 - 05:36

Words by Gillian Price – Pictures by Cubo Images

Your first view of Lake Garda never fails to take your breath away. You happen upon the lake unexpectedly as the foothills of the Alps separate momentarily to reveal a shimmering crescent of water. The beautiful southern shores dotted with villas and castles spill out onto the Po plain.

Lake Garda was shaped by a mammoth glacier and is a world unto itself, with a unique micro-climate. Northwards, it is squeezed between towering limestone cliffs which channel stiff breezes, to the delight of windsurfers and yachtsmen. Beyond are the spectacular heights of Monte Baldo, deﬁned the ‘garden of Europe’ for its rare endemic ﬂora which escaped the chill of the ice ages.
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy with a surface area of 370 sq km.

For centuries it has been a summer playground for northern Europeans and is now a ‘must-visit’ for visitors from the UK, thanks to convenient airports with low cost ﬂights.

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It has been appreciated since at least Roman times – the poet Catullus described it as a ‘pearl’ – and generations of writers, artists and musicians have found inspiration and romance here. D.H. Lawrence eloped in 1912 with his beloved Frieda, and they spent two ecstatic years there.

He had probably learned of it from the writings of Johann Goethe, who sang its praises in 1786: ‘How I wish my friends were here for a moment to enjoy the view I have before me!’ Byron was unlucky, in 1816 commenting grumpily: ‘Terrible weather. Poured with rain. It would have been better not to have come.’ An excellent starting point for a holiday is Sirmione in the south, set on the tip of a slender peninsula. No private traffic is allowed (with the exception of hotel guests).

You enter across a narrow bridge via a curious 13-15th century fortress, Rocca Scaligera (left), complete with drawbridges, a moat, dizzy walkways and bird’s-eye views over the town. Follow the signs ‘passeggiata panoramica’ leading along the lakefront shaded by graceful pine trees and cypresses to a small beach, Lido delle Bionde.

Here vast rock slabs extend into inviting turquoise waters and you could easily imagine you were in the Caribbean! A path turns left uphill to a 1st-century Roman villa known as ‘Grotte di Catullo’ in a spectacular setting.

Singing its praises

On your way back, keep an eye out for a prominent yellow villa. Throughout the 1950s this was home to legendary opera diva Maria Callas, shortly before passing away in 1977 conﬁded, ‘I am yearning for Sirmione’.

A frequent guest at the Grand Hotel Terme was celebrated tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano, who declared: ‘Singing in Verona and living in Sirmione: the ultimate!’ The great conductor Toscanini spoke of ‘an oasis of peace’. Exhausted after the walk? Take a therapeutic break at the nearby Terme for everything from a warm bathe to a massage.

Though the sulphurous water was discovered in the 1500s, it was not until 1889 that a diver succeeded in piping it from a depth of 20 metres to Sirmione and a spa was ﬁnally inaugurated in 1921. Needless to say, spotless modern premises have since replaced the old facilities. In striking contrast, 36 km north as the crow ﬂies or a relaxing 2 1/2hours by ferry is Malcesine, perched on a rocky promontory

Here too the settlement grew up around a picturesque castle erected by the lords of Verona, the Scaligeri. Goethe risked arrest here in 1786 when his innocent sketching generated suspicions that he was spying for the Austrian Hapsburgs! A ramble along the ramparts and the laborious climb to the tower are rewarded by exceptional vistas.

Mountain Retreats

However the most awesome views are from Monte Baldo, a forbidding rock barrier that backs the town. Treat yourself to a ride on the ultra-modern cable-car with revolving cabins that glides up to a dizzy 1760m. A whole day can easily slip away in the wonderful alpine world as you contemplate the magniﬁcent vistas, enjoy a Tyrolean-style lunch at one of the open-air restaurants, or take a stroll to a local dairy farm to taste their delicious creamy cheeses.

But be warned, Lake Garda is subject to light mists, the bane of photographers who hope for award-winning shots of the lake backed by the Alps! However, it makes for soft light and a romantic atmosphere down at lake level.

Here a stroll at sunset on the pedestrian-only promenade is rewarded by the memorable sight of Malcesine on its headland jutting out into the lake. Here in the summer of 1913 the young Austrian artist Gustav Klimt hired a rowing boat to paint the town of Malcesine from the water in inspiring pastel hues.

Information

Sirmione Tourist Office is located at the entrance to the pedestrian zone: www.bresciaholiday.com
The Malcesine Tourist Office is near the port: www.malcesinepiu.it. While the friendly hotel booking service is at the bus stop: www.malcesinebooking.com

Getting There

‘Valerio Catullo’ airport at Villafranca (Verona) and Montechiari (Brescia) www.aeroportoverona.it Shuttle buses to lake resorts. Further west is Bergamo’s ‘Orio al Serio’ airport www.sacbo.it with good bus and train connections.

Getting Around

Ferry information: www.navigazionelaghi.it
Buses around the lake tel. (+39) 0458057911.
For the handy Brescia-Desenzano-Sirmione-Peschiera-Verona bus: www.trasportibrescia.it

This article was originally published in the print edition of Italy Magazine.