Trip notes
Getting there
The town of Desenzano, a central launch pad for Lake Garda exploration on the southern shore, is on the train line between Milan and Venice. The lake towns of Salò, Gardone, Toscolano-Maderno and Gargnano are all within 90 minutes’ drive of the international airports at Verona and Bergamo, and about two hours’ drive from the airports at Venice and Milan.
Stay
Grand Hotel Fasano This classic 19th-century hotel has history and atmosphere in spades. Also in the grounds is the historic Villa Principe, a hunting lodge once used by the Austrian emperors. Corso Zanardelli,
190, Gardone Riviera, ghf.it
B&B Villa Vittoria This boutique lakefront property has a pool and eight elegant guestrooms. Corso Zanardelli, 176, Gardone Riviera, bnbvv.it Villa Sostaga A few kilometres up the hill from Gargnano, this 19th-century villa has 19 guestrooms and welcoming hosts. Via Sostaga, 19, Gargnano, villasostaga.com
Eat and drink
Alpe del Garda cheese factory Via Provinciale, 1, Tremosine, alpedelgarda.it La Terrazza bar and Il Fagiano restaurant Grand Hotel Fasano, Corso Zanardelli, 190, Gardone Riviera, ghf.it Trattoria Riolet Via Fasano Sopra,
17, Gardone Riviera
Trattoria Marietta Via Montecucco,
78, Gardone Riviera, trattoriamarietta.it Frantoio del Bornico Via Oleificio,
11, Fasano, frantoiodelbornico.it
Grasselli vini Corner Via Oleificio and Via Resola, Fasano
Panetteria Perolini Via Benamati,
26, Toscolano-Maderno
Lagomar Via Giordani,
11, Toscolano-Maderno
Spirito del Garda Piazza S. Bresciano, 3, Salò, spiritodelgarda.it
La Casa del Dolce Piazza Duomo, 1, Salò Osteria di Mezzo Via di Mezzo,
10, Salò, osteriadimezzo.it
Ristorante Canottieri Via Canottieri, 1, Salò, canottierigarda.it
Banco Salumi Piazza Vittorio
Emanuele II, 58, Salò
Osteria al Porto Piazza di Villa,
1-2, Gargnano
Bignotti Via Roma, 13, Gargnano
See
Popular sights include Vittoriale degli Italiani (Via Vittoriale, 12, Gardone Riviera, vittoriale.it), the Roman ruins at Sirmione and Desenzano, and day trips to the Isola del Garda and Isola dei Conigli islands. There are great day trips, too, to the DOC wine-producing area of Valtenesi surrounding the towns of Manerba and Desenzano, where
Garda’s native grapes, groppello and chiaretto, are grown. In the winegrowing town of Picedo, Taverna Picedo serves local specialties and wines including an excellent Olivini Lugana (Via Sotto Raso, 7, Picedo di Polpenazze, tavernapicedo.it). Don’t miss the restaurant’s tempura-style vegetable antipasti and house-made pasta with porcini – sourced in season from the nearby alps. The Due Pini winery has an impressive selection of organic wines (Via Novaglio, 16, Picedo di Polpenazze, viniduepini.it). Agriturismo del Pratello is a fun barn of a place serving big plates of pasta, fresh antipasti, salads and grilled meats; it’s a farm-stay as well
(Via Pratello, 26, Villaggio Dante Alighieri, Padenghe, pratello.com). Agriturismo Dalie e Fagioli serves dishes based on produce from small local growers and has an on-trend regional wine list (Via Campagnola, Manerba del Garda,
45, dalieefagioli.it).