Lake Como, Lake Lugano, Lake Maggiore, Lake Garda - the Italian Lakes

By Catherine Richards

This is based on our larger book, Milan & the Italian Lakes. Here we zero in on the lakes themselves, with abundant extra illustrations showing all the sights, hotels and attractions. We travel to grow – our Adventure Guides show you how. Experience the p

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hunter Publishing
• Release date: Aug 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9781588437709

Catherine Richards

Catherine is Head of English at a secondary school in Rotherham and has been writing since she could hold a pen. She met Luke and began writing this novel on the BBC Get Writing Forum.

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Lake Como, Lake Lugano, Lake Maggiore, Lake Garda – the Italian Lakes

Catherine Richards

Hunter Publishing, Inc

www.hunterpublishing.com

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Maps by Kim André, Lissa Dailey & Toni Carbone,

© 2010 Hunter Publishing, Inc.

For complete information about the hundreds of other travel guides offered by Hunter Publishing, visit us at www.hunterpublishing.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Brief extracts to be included in reviews or articles are permitted.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is correct, but the publisher and authors do not assume, and hereby disclaim, liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential problems caused by information in this guide, even if such errors or omissions are a result of negligence, accident or any other cause.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities contain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and companies disclaim any responsibility for any injury, harm, or illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every effort was made to insure the accuracy of information in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any liability for loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential travel problems caused by this guide, even if such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.

The Lakes

"  History

"  What to See

"  What to Do

"  Where to Go

"  When to Go

Lago Maggiore

Location/Geography

Economy

Tours

When to Go & What to Pack

Public Holidays

Getting Here

Practicalities

Getting Around

General Markets

What to See & Do

Adventures

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Lago Orta

Location/Geography

Economy

Getting Here

Practicalities

What to See & Do

Adventures

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Lago Lugano

Location/Geography

Economy

The Climate

Getting Here

Getting Around

Practicalities

What to See & Do

Adventures

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Lago di Como/Como Town

Location/Geography

Economy

The Climate

History

Practicalities

Getting Here

Getting Around

Shopping

What to See & Do

Como Town

The Villas

Around the Lake

Cernobbio

,,,Bellagio

Adventures

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

The Food of Lombardy & Como

Regional Cuisine

Nightlife

Lago d'Iseo

Location/Geography

Economy

The Climate

Getting Here

Tourist Offices

Getting Around

Tours

What to See & Do

Excursions

Adventures

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Lake Garda

Location/Geography

Economy

The Climate

Getting Here

Tourist Offices

Getting Around

Tours

Markets

What to See & Do - Western Shore

Excursions

Adventures

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

The Lakes

Perennially popular, a visit to one of Northern Italy's lakes never fails to delight. With views that inspired Roman poets and Renaissance painters, a host of 18th-century writers and 19th-century composers, the Italian and Swiss-Italian lakes are not to be rushed. Forget about doing the lakes in a week. These are places to savor, to discover and, above all, places to unwind. A week on one lake alone would never be sufficient, and it's no surprise that visitors return year after year to discover just a little more. If the beauty of the lakes were not enough, with their glass-like surfaces and the brightly-painted fishing villages huddled close to the shore, there's the backdrop of snowed-capped mountain peaks to inspire.

Then there's the climate each lake is blessed with a micro-climate that allows palms, figs, olive trees, lemons and pomegranates to flourish. Lake Maggiore is known worldwide for its spring display of camellias, Lake Iseo for its olives and for the Franciacorta and its wines, while Lake Garda is famous for its lemons and olive oil. The gardens and parks on every lake delight garden-lovers and horticulturists the world over. The gardening heyday was undoubtedly the 18th and 19th centuries, as European aristocrats, royalty, composers, writers and a fair share of simply the very wealthy, escaped to the lakes for health or pleasure.

History

The Italian lakes lie across the ancient trade routes through the Alps, their geographic importance making them strategically vital for thousands of years.

After the Romans came the Franks, then the Hungarians. In the 10th century much of Lombardy fell to the great Otto I, King of the Saxons. The Middle Ages saw battle after battle, as Milan, Como and Venice fought it out. The 12th to 15th centuries was the era of the city states: Milan, under the Viscontis and the Sforzas, Verona, under the Scaligeri, and Venice. They slugged it out continually. After the feuds and intrigues of the early Renaissance, much of Lombardy fell to the Spanish under King Charles V in the early 16th century. In 1713, after the Spanish War of Succession, the Austrians took control of Milan and most of Lombardy. For the next 80 years or so, under the cultured Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II, Lombardy underwent great economic and cultural reform. Theaters, streets, parks and villas were built, the majority of which survive today. Then it was Napoleon's turn to dominate the region, a brief period at the turn of the 19th century, followed by the Austrians again, though this time with none of Maria Theresa's culture.

In the middle of the 19th century, the unification of Italy began, and the areas around the lakes saw bloody battles with tremendous loss of life. It wasn't until the latter half of the 19th century, and the early 20th century, that tourism took off. The lakes and the valleys beyond were discovered by the traveling British, and the Austrians and Germans, who flocked there for rest cures. Grand hotels were built and the railway came, villas were remodeled, gardens laid out, and golf arrived one of the earliest courses was at Menaggio, developed by a Britain who had retired to Lake Como.

What to See

Which lake to visit is the question. All, is the answer, though which you do first depends on what you are looking for. Each lake has its own character, from the sophistication and glamor of Lake Como, with its elegant 18th-century villas and luxury hotels, to the tranquility of tiny Lake Orta, with the most beautiful lake island in the whole of Italy, as yet undiscovered by most travelers. Lake Maggiore is an altogether quieter, more natural affair, aside from the fantastical Isole Borromei at its southern tip, but one with splendid vistas and the opportunity to head into Switzerland for yet more stunning landscapes and great walking.

Lake Como seen from Mt. San Primo

Lake Lugano, most of which sits in Switzerland, is sophisticated and moneyed, though it also has tiny lakeside villages that are inaccessible by car. And then there are the Eastern lakes: little Lake Iseo, with a backdrop that inspired Leonardo's Mona Lisa and the Franciacorta wine-growing area to its south, or Lake Garda, the biggest, the warmest and busiest of the lot, with its sunshine, olive and lemon trees and fabulous views.

What to Do

You can happily spend a vacation at any lake doing very little. Swim in the lake, as the locals do, lie on the lake beaches, stroll through pretty medieval villages, and watch the sun go down with a glass of local wine amid the scent of jasmine and bougainvillea.

All around the lakes, particularly Garda, Maggiore, Lugano and Como, are mountains with trails and treks to be enjoyed. Those looking for easy routes will not be disappointed, while experienced walkers will be able to climb to more than 6,000 ft and enjoy stunning views. The tourist boards are increasingly aware of the demand for this type of vacation, and many have brochures describing recommended trails.

Mountain biking is also popular. Renting a bike is easy, and the tourist boards have information on routes all around the lakes. There are companies that organize guided cycling trips or who provide transport to take you to the start/end point of a trail.

As for water sports, the lakes will not disappoint. The best for windsurfing is Lake Garda, though the north of Como is also good. Learn to sail here, dive, water-ski, or simply rent a boat and strike out. Many boats do not require a pilot's license.

Some lakes prohibit fishing to protect local stocks, though in others, buying a day's license is easy just contact the tourist board. If you can't fish in the lake, there are no end of rivers where you can enjoy the sport.

Given the mountains that surround the lakes, it is little wonder that paragliding is a popular sport. If you've never done it, consider a tandem flight after some basic safety instruction, up you go to do nothing but enjoy the view. Rock-climbing, pot-holing and abseiling are also popular. The Ticinesi valleys (near Locarno on Maggiore) are well-established destinations for climbers, though these activities are easily available around all the lakes.

The golf courses by the lakes are enough to inspire most people to take up the sport. They range from simple local courses to very well-designed, internationally famous courses, many with superb views over the lake. Prices vary, but Swiss green fees are almost invariably more than Italian.

Families are also well catered for on the Lakes. Italians and their northern neighbors have been vacationing here for generations. Though you might occasionally wish that certain lakes weren't quite so popular Lake Garda and Lake Como in particular it is relatively easy to avoid the crowds by getting off the beaten track. If you rent a car to explore the hills and the countryside beyond the lake shores, not only will you get a better feel for the people and the region but you will leave the day-trippers behind.

If you're on a budget or with a family, consider camping or trying the very Italian agriturismo, a kind of farm-stay vacation, where you often help with some of the farm tasks. Your experience will be more authentic, often of excellent quality and at half the price you would pay in a hotel. Camping, on the other hand, is a fun, budget option that should prove a hit with the kids. Many campsites are right on the lake shore, with the best views in town. Many offer chalet-type accommodation as well or caravans to rent.

Where to Go

Almost inevitably, there are areas on most lakes that seem over-popular, over-hyped or just over-priced. Bellagio on Lake Como, Stresa on Lake Maggiore, Sirmione on Lake Garda can be heaving with visitors in the summer season. You can do two things: stay elsewhere and enjoy them as day-trips, or pay the prices, stay there and enjoy the relative peace that descends when the day-trippers go.

On Lake Garda, the south and the east of the lake seem much busier more sun, more package tours, and Gardaland. The north of Lake Como is quieter, most visitors not having the inclination or the time to venture farther than Bellagio. The southern tip of Maggiore is busier, the resorts of Stresa, Arona, and Baveno attracting hordes, particularly day-trippers from Milan, or tourists doing the lakes. Lake Iseo is pretty quiet whenever you go, even in