Choosing the Best of Italy’s Lakes
Which of the Italian lakes is perfect for a dream trip?
Mar 24, 2007
Italy’s mountain-ringed lakes may look alike in pictures, but each has its own distinct personality, and its own following of travelers who wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else. While it’s hard not to have a good time at any of them, choosing the right one to match personal tastes and style can make a trip even better.
Lake Como –The most romantic of the lakes, with elegant villas, candy-colored towns hugging the steep shore, and a sheltered climate where tropical gardens thrive year round, it’s also the priciest and the most upscale. Choose Lago di Como for a secluded romantic retreat, and take advantage of its sophisticated pleasures, luxury lodgings and fine dining in towns like Bellagio and Cernobbio. Budget travelers shouldn’t be put off, though, since the less chi-chi towns of Menaggio and Como have lower priced lodgings.
Lake Maggiore – Choose this lake for an international trip, taking the boat or driving between the Swiss and Italian towns. Dedicated shoppers will like its discount outlets and the smart shops of posh Stresa. The Borromean Islands are worth an entire day, with an over-the-top palace, gardens and a quaint fishing town on its own little island. Ernest Hemingway relaxed and wrote on Lago Maggiore.
Lake Garda – Travellers with children and those looking for active sports should choose the biggest lake. Even if they skip the inevitable theme park, kids will love the castles at Sirmeone and Malcesine, and the revolving aerial tramway up Monte Baldo. Wind surfing in the north, campgrounds in the south, a vibrant buzz in its lakeside towns and the nearby wine regions of Valpolicella and Bardolino are added attractions on Lago di Garda.
Lake Orta – Tiny Orta is a low-key gem. A medieval town and a single island where silence is almost assured are its quiet attractions, but active travelers can rent a kayak, stroll lakeside trails and stay in a former convent-turned-luxury-hotel. The Allesi factory store in Omegna, at the northern end of Lago d'Orta, is a major draw for design mavens.
Lake Iseo – Few foreigners choose this smaller lake, whose southern shore is marred by industrial complexes. But elsewhere it’s lovely, and its island is the biggest lake island in Europe, with a church atop its central mountain. Prehistoric inscriptions cover entire ledges in the Val Camonicia, just north of Lago d'Iseo.
Whichever lake a visitor chooses, they’ll find lodging, dining, car rentals and boat trips. Trains run from Milan’s Centrale station to towns on Garda, Como and Maggiore, and getting around the three larger lakes is easy by the regular lake steamers and faster hydrofoils.
