With a mild climate, romantic waterfront views and lush vegetation, the lakes have long been a favoured haunt. Add sports, culture, fashion and gastronomy, and it is little wonder that they remain one of Italy’s most popular tourist hotspots.
The deep glacial lakes of northern Italy lie between the southern foothills of the Alps, near the Swiss border, and the low-lying plains of the Po Valley. The famous trio are Lake Como, which lies north of the great metropolis of Milan, Lake Maggiore to the city’s northwest and Lake Garda to the east. Although the lakes extend over four regions – Piedmont, Lombardy, Trentino and Veneto – the area is comparatively small and easily covered by car or public transport. The A4 autostrada provides a quick way of getting across the region, and for those who want to explore the shopping delights of Milan, the city is no more than an hour away from Stresa or Como by car or train.
It was glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age that gouged out the ribbons of water that are now the lakes. For over 10,000 years inhabitants have also left their mark on the region, from the prehistoric rock engravings in the Camonica Valley to the remains of Roman villas to the castles and palazzi of the ruling dynasties. The Lombard plain was hardly ideal terrain on which to settle: the marshes needed to be drained and the water channelled into canals. Yet by medieval times it was domesticated and dotted with castles, churches, abbeys and palaces. The transformation, from bog to economic powerhouse, was thanks largely to the industriousness of the lakeside towns’ natives and the advent of a prosperous local mercantile class.
The lakes region’s complex culture can be divided into discrete mini-cultures. The four different regions of the lakes area all have clearly separate identities. But it is the bond with, and loyalty to, their home town that many Italians feel most deeply. The Comaschi (natives of Como), for example, live in close proximity to Milan, one of Europe’s great cities, and yet, far from embracing the cosmopolitan life of the city, they identify only with their own town. Members of Como’s old commercial families have known each other since infancy and do business together in a relaxed way. The strong sense of regional identity is also reflected in the host of different dialects and – of more interest to travellers – cuisines within the region.
Twilight over Bellagio, Lake Como
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The lakes have long cast a spell over visitors. The Romans were enamoured of the lakeside spas – Catullus owned a villa at Sirmione and Pliny the Younger built two villas at Bellagio. Travellers on the Grand Tour, after a treacherous journey over the Alps, were awestruck by the sudden vision of the sublime lakes and the Mediterranean flora that flourished on the shores. Shelley, Wordsworth and other Romantic poets were bewitched by the dramatic natural beauty of the deep-blue waters and mountain peaks. Henry James was almost, but not quite, lost for words:
‘On, on into Italy we went – a rapturous progress through a wild luxuriance of corn and olives and figs and mulberries and chestnuts and frescoed villages and clamorous beggars and all the good old Italianisms of tradition.’ The sight of sluggish steamers and snow-clad peaks still stirs visitors. But as James said of Lake Como, ‘It’s the place to enjoy à deux – it’s a shame to be here in gross melancholy solitude.’
Rich, royal and famous
By the late 19th century, the lakes had become a pleasure ground for the rich, royal and famous. In 1879 Queen Victoria stayed at Villa Clara at Baveno on Lake Maggiore. In the same decade, Lake Garda – notably the resort of Arco in Trentino – became a retreat for Austrian grand-dukes. While the aristocracy of Mitteleuropa flocked to the sanatoria around Lake Garda, the lake was also appreciated by writers and politicians: the Grand Hotel in Gardone Riviera was patronised by Vladimir Nabokov and Somerset Maugham, and it became Winston Churchill’s base for painting holidays.
The picturesque village of Bardolino on Lake Garda
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The citizens of Limone sul Garda on the northwest shore of Lake Garda have one of the highest rates of life expectancy in Europe, with a large number of healthy residents over eighty. The absence of heart disease here has been studied by many scientists, who variously ascribe this exceptional healthiness to climate, diet or genes. The village was isolated until the 1930s – only accessible by boat or by crossing the mountains – so the secret may lie in a limited gene pool and rare blood group. A mystery protein in the locals’ blood, known as Apolipoprotein A-1 (or Apo A-1 Milano), appears to purge fat from the arteries and give a much-reduced susceptibility to heart attacks and strokes. All the carriers are descendants of a couple who married in 1644. Genes aside, a mild climate, stress-free lifestyle and cholesterol-free diet of lemons, lake fish and olives all contribute to the fine health of Lake Garda’s residents.
Getting wet. Take a towel and head down to the lake for a swim. Choose from hundreds of kilometres of shoreline and many different lakes. Tiny Lago di Mergozzo is the cleanest of them all. .
Rewarding yourself with an ice cream. Discover the delicious delights of Italian ice cream at a local gelateria. See page 37.
Indulging in wine tasting. Experience the local wine culture by visiting vineyards and wineries around the Italian lakes, where you can sample exquisite wines produced in the region's fertile hills and valleys. See page 22.
Partaking in aperitivo hour. The after-work happy-hour aperitivo has become very much a way of life across much of Italy, and especially around Milan. Stylish bars and cafés serve a sensational range of cocktails, with stuzzichini (snacks) and elegant canapés. .
Sightseeing by boat. Arguably the best way to appreciate the glorious scenery around the lakes is from in the middle of them. Choose from fast or slow options, with the possibility at hopping on and off en route. .
Reaching the dizzy heights. Take the pain out of climbing the mountains of the lakes by taking a cable-car (funicular). All you have to do is enjoy the views as you go up. .
Sampling some fish from the lakes. So fresh it’s almost still flapping, lake fish can be tried as an antipasto, in risottos and pasta, and, as a secondo, perhaps simply grilled, baked or fried. .
Learning about silk. The manufacture of silks, velvets, brocades and damasks began in Como in the 16th century. Although silkworms are no longer bred around the lake, Chinese thread is woven and dyed here to the exact specifications of leading Milanese fashion houses. On the outskirts of the city is the Museo Didattico della Seta (Museum of Silk; Via Castelnuovo 9; www.museosetacomo.com; charge), which documents the story of Como’s silk. .
Celebrity status
Today the lakes provide a weekend or holiday retreat for Milanese industrialists, Russian tycoons and a handful of fashion designers and celebrities. The ‘Clooney Effect’ (George has a 25-room villa at Laglio) has sent property prices rocketing on the southern shores of Lake Como. The Villa del Balbianello, also on Lake Como, has acquired celebrity status by featuring in a number of blockbuster movies (see page 137). The lakes also featured in the James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace which opens with a dramatic car chase in the tunnels along the eastern shore of Lake Garda, culminating in a spectacular crash.
Vineyard in Franciacorta
Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications
There are six main holiday lakes, all quite different in character: Orta, Maggiore, Lugano, Como, Iseo and Garda (from west to east). German-orientated Lake Garda is the largest of the lakes and receives the most tourist visitors; its beaches, theme parks, sports and nightlife attract a younger crowd as well as families.
Lake Maggiore – famous for its jewel-like Borromean Islands and mountain-girt northern shores – is the second-largest lake, with its northern section lying in the Swiss canton of Ticino.
Stendhal was one of many literati who sang the praises of Lake Maggiore. In a letter to his younger sister in 1811 he wrote, ‘When a man has a heart and a shirt, he should sell the shirt in order to see Lake Maggiore.’
Lovely little Lake Orta lies to the west and is noted for its spiritual air and excellent small hotels, while romantic Lake Como, north of Milan, offers dramatic scenery, quaint ports and belle époque villas. Captivating and tranquil Lake Iseo, between lakes Como and Garda, is the region’s best-kept secret.
Autumn in Lake Varese
Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications
Castle at Arco
Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications
The Baroque period was a golden era for construction; ostentatious villas and gardens embodied the aspirations of ambitious owners. With its landscaped hillside gardens, Villa Carlotta on Lake Como exudes panache, while Lake Maggiore’s Isola Bella, its grounds full of statuary, fountains and grottoes, is a triumph of lofty terraces. For the wealthy, there are palatial villas converted into luxury hotels, such as the Villa d’Este at Cernobbio and the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni at Bellagio. Wherever you go, the gardens are always sumptuous, with exotic flora that thrives in the benign spring-to-autumn climate.
If you are planning to tour a number of lakes, renting a car is certainly the most convenient form of transport. However, driving along the lakeshores is not as leisurely as it may sound. Long stretches of the lakesides, including Como’s eastern shore and much of Lake Maggiore’s western one, are spoilt by heavy traffic along narrow and tortuous roads. Beware, too, of the dimly lit tunnels along the lakeshores. Cycling is hugely popular in the region; bikes are widely available for hire and can normally be taken on ferries. An increasing number of hiking routes have opened up, many with ravishing views of the lakes.
Lake trips by boat
Travelling on ferries is the most relaxing way of seeing the lakes. The first steamers on the lakes were launched in 1826, and boats have been ferrying passengers around ever since. In the early days most towns were without a landing stage, and rowing boats used to shuttle passengers and goods to and from the ferries. Today you can cruise around all the main lakes, stopping at almost every village. This is the best way to admire the fine mountain scenery and Riviera-like shores although rising prices are making it something of a luxury. The enclosed hydrofoils (aliscafi), which bypass the smaller ports, are the faster and more expensive means of travel, enabling you to cover the entire length of the larger lakes in two to three hours.
Getting high
Mountain cable-cars, whisking you from lakeside towns to mountain summits or ridges, provide another entertaining form of transport with truly spectacular views. You can take these from Como, and from Malcesine on Lake Garda. Bergamo has two funiculars, both well worth a trip: one connects the Città Bassa to the Città Alta, climbing 100m (330ft) from Viale Vittorio Emanuele II to the Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe – and taking you five hundred years back in time. The other links the Città Alta, beyond the Cittadella, to Colle San Vigilio. From here, you can climb to the top of Colle San Vigilio for the Castello, a ruined ancient stronghold, and a public park with fabulous views of Bergamo.
Few visitors to the region can resist a day’s shopping trip to Milan. The city is synonymous with fashion and packs all the top designer stores in one very exclusive quarter near the centre of the city called the Quadrilatero d’Oro (Golden Quadrangle). But Milan has artistic and architectural treasures as well, among them Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, the masterpieces in the Brera Art Gallery and one of the largest and most sumptuous Gothic churches in Europe.
The southern stretches of the region are also home to artistically rich cities, such as Bergamo, Brescia, Mantua and Verona. With the exception of Verona, which is internationally renowned for its summer opera festival, which attracts massive numbers of visitors, these historic cities are comparatively free of crowds and commercialism, being bypassed by tourists making a beeline for Italy’s more famous destinations. Easily accessed from the lakes, they make ideal destinations for day trips.
View of the castle in Malcesine, Lake Garda
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Trentino logo. When in Trentino, keep an eye out for the ‘Osteria Tipica Trentina’ signs, indicating restaurants that only serve seasonal local cuisine. These have to offer at least five Trentino cheeses, as well as local wines, grappa and mineral water.
Activities on Como. To take the effort out of arranging your own sports on Lake Como, contact The Orizzonti (www.orizzontilakecomo.com), which organises hiking, cycling and boat tours, horse-riding, caving and many more.
Ticket tip. Note that you can buy a combined entry ticket for both Isola Bella and Isola Madre from either Borromean island; it is cheaper than paying separately to visit each one.
Reserving for lunch. Restaurants in the region typically tend to be very busy, especially at lunchtime, so to avoid having to queue and, at worst, the disappointment of having to miss out altogether (especially if you have your heart set on eating at a particular restaurant), it’s recommended to book a table in advance. To dine at one of the area’s many Michelin-starred restaurants, be sure to book very well in advance. Note that Milan is a business city, so many of its restaurants close all day Saturday and at Sunday lunchtime. If in doubt, check before setting out.
Catching the ferry/ferry timetables. It may sound obvious, but when you consult ferry timetables, do make sure you pick the right ferry for the right day. Unless you are familiar with the timetables, the differentiation between weekday and Sunday/holiday travel is not immediately obvious, so do ask if you are unsure. To study timetables online in advance of travel see www.navigazionelaghi.it for Maggiore, Como and Garda, and www.navigazionelagoiseo.it for Iseo.
On your bike. Monte Isola is inundated with visitors in summer and at weekends but is a delight off-season. You can walk or cycle around the entire island on the lakeshore path (9km/5 miles), or hike up to the island’s summit, which commands wonderful lake views. Bikes can be rented from Peschiera Maraglio or Carzano.
Restorative waters. The Italian medical profession insists that the lake climate is beneficial for ‘the stressed and neurotic, the arthritic and the asthmatic, the elderly and young children’. As a result, the spas in the region are highly valued, especially those in Sirmione.
Dress appropriately. Remember to dress respectfully if you are visiting churches or other holy places. In some cases, this can mean no shorts, mini-skirts or vest tops.