Lake Garda Italy

[Newryrep]

heading there for my honeymoon in May. Any tips/advice (on the destination only please probably Bardolino)

[strangeirish]

heading there for my honeymoon in May. Any tips/advice (on the destination only please probably Bardolino)
Congrats on the honeymoon, watch out for the Garda.:D

[paul_oshea]

newreyrep, i am going there cos the birds mates are getting married over there, so let me know how it goes and what advice you can give afterwards. i know its expensive enough even with a wedding rate on the feckin rooms.

[Newryrep]

newreyrep, i am going there cos the birds mates are getting married over there, so let me know how it goes and what advice you can give afterwards. i know its expensive enough even with a wedding rate on the feckin rooms.


Will do, have heard nothing but great reports

[A face]

Its expensive lads, very much so. Beautiful place alright it has to be said. Past it on a train once aswell going to Lausanne and it was seriously unreal views, views you dont notice when you are there.

Seems to be a popular stop for honey mooners, i have a wedding there this summer aswell.

[SÓC]

I was in Pesceria (sp?) Del Garda.

Lovely place but not exactly the most happening place in the world. Everything usually shut there by 12.30 or so.

Pricey too.

Big theme park there called Gardaland, worth checking out. Also nice and near to Milan and Verona and even Venice on the train so very handy that way.

[daithi]

Went there in May of last year, and it really is a nice place. But the weather can be unpredictable. One day at the end of may it was only 10 degrees and the next it was 22.... So bring a jumper. If you can hire a car and drive about an hour north of the lake and the mountain scenery is unbelievable. Gardaland is really good for all ages. I didn't think it was that expensive, the wine is cheap! And i recommend the ice cream! We spent 3 nights in Verona which is a beautiful city especially for honymooners, Romeo and Juilet and all that...... All in all it's worth the trip, if it wasn't full of cocky Italians it would have been even better!! ;)

And everywhere closes between 1pm and 4pm....

[Newryrep]

Paul/A face

Diathi had some pretty good advice which i will add to

Good Points

Bardolino - stayed there for the week, nice town not to big and not to small ,located in the south of the Lake, pretty handy for getting everywhere eg Verona 1 hr, Riva Del Garda 1.20min both by bus, Sirmione.

Malcesine - 2 hours by slow ferry but great scenery along the trip as the lake narrows and the mountains rise. bit bigger than Bardolino. A trip to the top of Mount Baldo on the cable car is a must but check with the weather before hand - views are spectaular and there are a couple of restaurents up at the top - bring a jacket it is noticable cooler

Riva Del Garda - furtherest north we went, picturesque town with cliffs surrounding it. Windsurfing centre.

Sirminone - cycled down to it from Bardolino, very pictureque

Verona - spent the afternoon in it quite nice,lots of tourists

Weather - great weather 24 deg + for the 7 days although it had rained the week before so we got lucky

Shopping - i was informed that the shopping was great by her in the know, stuff and quality you wouldnt get back home

buses seemed pretty punctual and in good condition - didnt pay on the return trip from Verona as the driver seem to indicate it was free ??

Eating out - 2 course meal for 2 with 10E bootle of wine about 50E athough there are set meals fro 15E

Bad Points

Very few and relatively minor

choice of food - the didnt appear to be much of a choice of food eg chinese, indian etc - I know it is Italy but a lot of the restaurents had pretty much the same menu, 1st dish second dish etc

Busy - We went at the start of the season when some of the other hotels were not quite open and the holiday camps are still quite empty. The towns were good and there was practically no queing wherever we went. I suspect in the high season however certain towns/attractions eg Mount Baldo would be packed.

summary - wouldnt hesitate to recommend Lake Garda as a destination we had a ball. Our hotel was also a bit special and with a Lake View it was perfect

[paul_oshea]

what was the name of your hotel?

cheers newryrep, would you recommend hiring a car?

[Newryrep]

what was the name of your hotel?

cheers newryrep, would you recommend hiring a car?

It was the Color Hotel in Bardolino, i found it via Trip Advisor (i have used them on the last few trips/holidays)who rated it No 1 in Bardolino. We got a pretty good deal, 7 nights for the price of 5 and 5% off for cash about E940. They couldnt guarentee a lake view but we ended up with one, champagne and all in the room as we were honeymooners. Also they rescheduled the taxi pick up as we missed our connecting flight in Frankfurt. Thoroughly recommend it the hotel only 5 min from town centre. Bardolino only 40mins by taxi rom the airport (Verona)

A Car ? we were only there for 7 days and got to where we wanted to by ferry/bike or bus. buses have AC, Ferries are pretty regular and they have a bar which also helps and the scenery esp in the north of the lake is great. If we were staying any longer i probably would hire one and head north as recommended.

Sitting in the Italian sunshine with a German beer watching the world go by - couldnt be beat

[paul_oshea]

A Car ? we were only there for 7 days and got to where we wanted to by ferry/bike or bus. buses have AC, Ferries are pretty regular and they have a bar which also helps and the scenery esp in the north of the lake is great. If we were staying any longer i probably would hire one and head north as recommended.

we stayed at teh top, down by riva del garda, and I would recommend everyone to get a car to be honest, simply because it works out cheaper than having to get a taxi, which can be the only mode of transport out of this area to ensure you get your flight.

We had a nightmare getting back to the airport to get to bratislava. Taxi driver tried to convince us that we were better off going to verona to catch the train as we would get there quicker, and told us it was only 10 minutes extra than going straight to brescia ( which he told us we wouldn't need to change trains which was also a lie. Anyhow ended up paying about 300 euro after getting fined on the train ( hadn't time to buy a ticket ) and then getting another taxi from brescia. So again if staying down at the top end and flying from bergamo or milan hire a car. Plus there are lots of things to go see by car.

Anyhow good place alright, but a week is long enough, its limited ( very really ) to what you can do there and the sights can be seen in a couple of days really. Unless you love wind-surfing then you dont have much to do. Was a good week though as we were at a wedding and beering and relaxing all of the week.

[dcfcsteve]

I tried to go for a swim in Lake Garda with a turban on. But they wouldn't let me.....

[paul_oshea]

i heard a new term for someone like you at the weekend, it was funny.

i didnt see any people swimming in lake garda, maybe that was it steve ;)

[a.a.d]

I just got back from Lake Garda yetserday. We went over for a friends wedding, Stayed in Riva Del Garda on the northern shore of the lake. Fabulous little town, Drinks weren't too expensive the views of the lake were briliant and unlike Steve I actually went swimming in the lake. It's a lot warmer than you would think.

We stayed in the Grand Hotel Liberty 4 star hotel with Health spa and two swimming pools, one indoors the other out. Our room was like an appartment with a living room downsatirs and the bedroom and bathroom upstairs. We got the a deal from the travel department for the wedding €500 per person including Flights,Transfers to and from the airport as well as transfers to the Wedding by bus and return by Boat, Double room in the Hotel for Five nights and breakfast and Dinner in the hotel each day.

Went on a trip to Venice as well €99 per person included The bus Journey,Guided tour of Venice,Lunch with as much wine as you wanted, Gondilla ride and Cruise around the lagoon.

Absolutely broke now but it was worth every penny I tell ya

[paul_oshea]

I just got back from Lake Garda yetserday. We went over for a friends wedding, Stayed in Riva Del Garda on the northern shore of the lake. Fabulous little town, Drinks weren't too expensive the views of the lake were briliant and unlike Steve I actually went swimming in the lake. It's a lot warmer than you would think.

AAD thats where I was, Thats the exact hotel I stayed in....funny one of the girl theres father was the kitman for Derry City!!

Everyone seemed to come from Dublin. I was at a wedding of people from quigleys point too so not too far from yerself either.

You got a way better deal than I did too I might add. If we had transfers to and from the hotel I might not be so broke now. 300 euro from the hotel to get too bergamo because of that C yoU oN Tuesday of a taxi driver.

Those harvery wankbangers are savage as well.

[a.a.d]

Paul you were hardly there while I was were you????

We arrived last Tuesday and as my room was beside the Garden terrace everybody ended back on teh terrace for drinks and we were nearly kicked out Tuesday night.lol

The wedding I was there for was a Dublin wedding, we basically had most of the hotel to ourselves. Great crack with sessions everynight in the lobby. One of which ended with a groom from another wedding leaving his own wedding party to join in.

[paul_oshea]

Paul you were hardly there while I was were you????

We arrived last Tuesday and as my room was beside the Garden terrace everybody ended back on teh terrace for drinks and we were nearly kicked out Tuesday night.lol

The wedding I was there for was a Dublin wedding, we basically had most of the hotel to ourselves. Great crack with sessions everynight in the lobby. One of which ended with a groom from another wedding leaving his own wedding party to join in.

ya, i remember that, some dublin lad playing the guitar and stuff. That was the wedding I was at! The reason we came out was cos they started trying to clear up and stuff where the wedding was which was annoying. I remember the group you were in so. Were you by any chance by the pool when we lifted the (big ) lad on the deck chair and threw him ( deck chair and all ) into the pool?

[a.a.d]

Yep I was there sitting on the other side, Fair play to the couple of you he wasn't the lightest of fellas to throw in as the Sun Lounger found out. One of the lads throwing him in banged his ankle bad as well which got a bit of a laugh. Good times eh. I believe the old Prest wasn't the best during the mass.

[paul_oshea]

Yep I was there sitting on the other side, Fair play to the couple of you he wasn't the lightest of fellas to throw in as the Sun Lounger found out. One of the lads throwing him in banged his ankle bad as well which got a bit of a laugh. Good times eh. I believe the old Prest wasn't the best during the mass.

ya his limp got progressively worse later on that day and the next day it was really bad. Ya i know that group so. Face would be familiar.

The priest was a right prat, i sorta thought it was funny in a way though the way he was going on, but its mean on those getting married. Did ye get to watch the Ireland match then on the saturday? was it on in the "irish pub"?

[a.a.d]

Ehh No, The "Irish Pub" around the corner didn't have it so it showed the Italy v France game. The English Pub The Covent Garden was closed at seven and the other "Irish Pub" had no telly. So we ended up in the main square watching the Italy V France Bore draw.

[dcfcsteve]

and unlike Steve I actually went swimming in the lake.

But did you do it wearing a turban....? :D

[stann]

Just resurrecting this to see if anyone was there February, March, early-April time and if so what was the weather like.
Not expecting miracles but if it's not too wintrish there then it could be on the cards.

[Newryrep]

Just resurrecting this to see if anyone was there February, March, early-April time and if so what was the weather like.
Not expecting miracles but if it's not too wintrish there then it could be on the cards.

Stann

we went 5th May -12th May last year weather was great but the week before it had rained - it could be very hit and miss at that time especially with the mountains close by

[stann]

Cheers Newryrep, yeah I think it'd be a bit too hit and miss there for the next couple of months so it looks like it could be back to Amalfi with us instead. Such hardship!