Around Lake Garda
With our free "Cartina delle passeggiate ed escursioni" (walking map) given to us by the Tourist Bureau, we set out for a hike up to the summit of Monte Baldo. The European method of hiking/walking in mountains is take a cable car up and then explore the trails around the top and walk down but we have always done the opposite. Hike up and take the cable car down...hoping to elevate our heart rate and burn more calories (a losing battle). The map detailed the walking options with numbers and, supposedly, it would take three hours to reach the top. There were at least nine different options for walking on Monte Baldo alone.
We worked our way up on an excellent foot path, sweat flying in all directions, "Buon giornos" to all the people strolling down, watching out for the multitudes of mountain bikers, also on their way down, sharing the path. You can even book a mountain bike and have it delivered to the top of Monte Baldo, receive a map with an itinerary and either descend or explore paths around the mountain. How much simpler could they make it!
A little mountain hiking/walking primer. We always carry backpacks with filled water bottles, rain jackets and pants, hats, gloves (for me...my hands get cold fast) and some small snacks just in case. You never know if the weather will change or someone becomes injured. We once hiked up a mountain in the Pyrenees of Spain (a group tour)...where the day started out sunny and beautiful...then the rains came...which rapidly turned to lots of snow...the group stopped, and put on every piece of clothing in our packs over t-shirts and shorts! Be prepared. It doesn't take long for hypothermia to set in. That said...
The day stayed beautiful, we reached the top and took the cablecar DOWN! There was also a Cablecar (Funivia) middle station (S. Michele) and restaurants/refuges at the top of Monte Baldo and middle station.
Another day, we hiked up Monte Baldo from another direction and route. The bus stopped on the road about two blocks away from our hotel which made it easy to get around Lake Garda visiting Limone and Riva del Garda, and take the public bus back to Peschiera and catch a train to Milan Centrale and the end of our trip.
Lake Garda is Italy's main lake and an important water reserve in Europe. With mountains on the North, a mild Mediterranean climate and many sporting activities, it was an excellent active vacation destination. However, most of the people at our hotel occupied themselves by sitting around the pool or down by Lake Garda, reading books, perfecting their suntans, eating and drinking vino.
Some of the other sources I used in planning this trip were:
Best Western - believe it or not many European hotels belong to the Best Western and Choice chains - Save Now on Hotel Rooms Worldwide!
Choice Hotels® can be found at over 5,000 locations open and under development around the world.
I have never met anyone who doesn't enjoy traveling around Italy. After visiting the important "must-sees"...Rome, Florence and Venice, branch off into the Lake District (Como, Garda, Maggiore, Orta), Sicily, Tuscany (of course), the Italian Alps (Cortina, Merano - not the glass-blowing Merano around Venice, Selva, Bolzano, etc.) and Ligurian Coast... Anyplace you visit will have gorgeous, ancient towns, give you a chance to walk or hike, eat wonderful food and enjoy that renowned Italian ambiance. Ciao...ciao...
