When I first saw the Garda Lake it's view took my breath away and it still does. If you arrive on the top of a mountain and see these huge blue lake in front of you nestled in the mountains it is hard to discribe ! It is Italy’s largest lake (370 km2) and located between Venice and Milan. It is said to be the most beautiful lake in all of Europe and certainly true to me. It is in an alpine region and was formed by glaciers at the end of the last ice age. The transparency and intense blue of the water and the luxurious vegetation add to its natural beauty.
The northern part of the lake is narrower and its scenery differs from mountainous and very rocky in the North to gently hilly in the South. I always have stayed at the Northern part because I love mountains the southern part is too flat for me. Although it is warmer there and not so windy. The Garda Lake has a long history dating back to ancient time, when it was home to various Celtic tribes and was also the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. Riva del Garda on the top of the lake, belonged to the republic of Venice and later to the Austro-Hungarian empire until 1918. Since 1918 Riva del Garda has been a part of Italy. Elderly people, now mostly dead still could speak german as my mother in law did. There are also a lot of typical Austrian family names and some of Austrian food specialities still prepared in this region.
The panoramic visions of Garda have seduced many poets and artists such as Goethe, Stendhal, Foscolo, Corot, Byron, Heine, Kafka, Carducci, and Ezra Pound.
The lake varies in character and has many different faces, each unique in its presentation, from sweet and smiling to rough, wild and threatening but always imposing and spectacular. The eastern shore of the lake is dominated by the Monte Baldo that rises over two 2000 m above the lake. The climate is mild because the lake acts as a gigantic solar panel and the ring of mountains retains the heat. Cypresses, laurels, vineyards, olive trees and other many varieties of flowers and trees grow there.
You can consider the Lake Garda as the entrance to the south, the first tasting of the Italian way of life behind the Alps.
The Northern part of the Lake is also worldwide known as a paradise for Windsurfing and sailing The mountains trap the warm air which causes a strong wind around Torbole, Riva and Limone.
It has always amazed me that the wind comes up each day at the same time. Always around 11 in the morning and 3 to 4 in the afternoon. Local people call this wind "Ora" which means "hour". Before these hours the lake looks like a mirror and is flat. But when the wind starts to blow there are suddenly waves and the water isn't calm any longer. I have seen surfers from Canada, Australia, USA and of course the European countries. On weekends it is crowded by people from Verona and Milan or other big cities around. For swimmers it is not so easy to go in the water at these times, but for people who don't like water sports, the wind keeps the environment fresh on even the hottest days. You don't realize 30° when the wind is blowing.
Since I came here for the first time in 1968 the number of surfers has increased tremendously. For years we could swim whenever and wherever we wanted to. Today it is not possible any more there are too many surfers and it would be very dangerous. There are only limited spaces now for swimmers.
I think it is not necessary to comment the following pictures of the lake !
Until the middle of the Lake you are driving most of the time in tunnels, especially on the left side of the lake. There was no room to built streets, people had to go over the lake to reach another city. Until the 1940's only Riva was reachable through the mountains, with the road to Riva being built only 1932. Under the Mussolini regime tunnels were built and a road constructed all around the lake.
Torbole
We have always stayed in Torbole because it is the closest town at the lake to Rovereto where my husband is coming from only 18 km far from the lake. So we were able to combine family and friends visits with our holidays.
A street in Torbole
Torbole is a very small town with only a few streets but now a lot of hotels, holiday appartments and many camping places. There are mostly specialized shops in surf equipment a few souvenir shops, jewelery and leather shops and one super market. Once these items were very cheap in Italy but now it's almost the same price than in other European countries.
Even Goethe lived in Torbole, here in this house and wrote his impressions. He loved the Garda lake very much
The house
There was a grape cure going on all around the lake where you could taste grapes and wine for free.
A variety of pasta in all colors and forms ! Click on picture it is worthwhile !
This has been and still is "my" beach. My son used to play here and behind you can see the hotel where we stayed the very first time. It is still called "Lido Blu" but is not blue anymore but brown yellow and has become a Surf center. After the birth of my son we used to camp for 17 years just besides this hotel. And this time we rented an apartment just behind the camping place !
Brussels Time
