Family Holiday to Peschiera, Lake Garda

Margaret Ramm on 14 February 2018
In June 2017 I ventured from Dublin to Lake Garda with my four children in tow! Ages 18, 17, 13 and 10 it is never without heated discussion and some funny jokes!

We are a fairly independent and open-minded bunch and like to try different foods and experiences so I opted for self-catering south of Lake Garda in a town called Peschiera. The "complex" is called Bella Italia, and it really catered for everyone, from static mobile homes to campervans and apartments to self-catering bungalows and a lovely hotel all on site. On the Lake shore there were ample pools with slides, restaurants to suit all budgets and even onsite supermarkets.

I had booked a two-bedroom Oleandro Bungalow and it was a really pleasant surprise - so spacious. We all had space and weren't under each other’s feet, which was a blessing with so many teens! We arrived in the evening and wandered through what I can only describe as a mini village, to the pizzeria. Fab pizzas, lots of choice and reasonably priced and just what we needed after a day’s travelling. It set us up for a night’s sleep.

Over the period of the week we managed to enjoy the pools and have some chill out time, but we were keen to get out and about and see a bit more of the lake itself.

Top of the list for us was definitely hiring a boat, which was only €80nfor a couple of hours. We are all used to boats and myself and my 17-year-old Sea Cadet Melissa both have powerboat licenses, so we were quite comfortable driving across the lake past Sirmione and anchoring just off Bardolino! We all took the plunge for a swim and the whole experience really was worth the money, to have the freedom on the lake and watch the other immense boats drive by. It was a bit of a different perspective than most people would try. I took the advice of a client who sails and avoided being on the lake in the afternoon as the wind whips up and it can get a bit choppy!

The sun definitely exhausted us, but we managed the short walk that evening along the shore into the town of Peschiera itself, a traditional lakeside Italian town with beautiful buildings and lots of restaurants to choose from. We opted for a waterside restaurant that served pizzas, pastas and lots of fish options, it certainly didn't disappoint.

If there is one thing you do when you go to Lake Garda then it is cycling! We aren't very sporty - or rather I'm not - but I love to hire a bike no matter where I am. It was expensive in Bella Italia itself, but there are a few spots in Peschiera where you can hire, and it is a bit cheaper. Along we went, paid our money and got our bikes. There were a few faces pulled at the idea of this mostly by Rebecca my eldest, but once we got going it was fantastic. There is a lakeshore path most of the way up to Lazise and it is relatively safe, up past beautiful marinas with little spots to stop for a coffee or cold drink. You could throw a towel down and soak up the sun for a while or go for a swim, lots of people were doing this. It took us about two hours gentle cycling to get to Lazise which was also a gorgeous town and really surprised me! Lots of shops and again places to eat and drink. It is definitely a town I would consider going back to someday.

Having had so many clients stay around Lake Garda there were a couple of other towns I knew I wanted and needed to visit such as Sirmione and Malcesine. Half way through the week we decided to use the lake ferries - though I would definitely advise checking the timetable or you could find yourself having to get the bus or a taxi back to base! I didn't find the ferry particularly economical, but I enjoyed stopping in the other towns we weren't getting off at such as Garda and Gardone Riviera (which looked really beautiful from the water). Malcesine is exceptionally popular and I can tell why - with the stunning castle to visit (which hosts lots of weddings), Monte Baldo to go up to the top of, lots of winding cobbled streets and little eateries, it is also somewhere I could see me spending a week!

Sirmione was everything I expected it to be, romantic and intriguing! Having had lots of honeymoon couples stay here I am even more sure that I made the right choice for them. It is a little bit pricier to stay in than other places, but well worth it. When we were there the weather became insane. With crazy wind and torrential rain, we found ourselves waiting for the ferry, huddled under towels failing to stay dry, though we were all roaring with laughter at how ridiculous we looked! It didn't deter from our enjoyment of Sirmione itself, with its plethora of ice cream shops, I think we were all a few pounds heavier leaving Sirmione.

I won’t say much about the ferry other than its very efficient but if the lake turns rough it is very unpleasant and I didn't enjoy it, which my children found very amusing since I spend so much of my life on boats!

If you do venture as far as Lake Garda, depending on where you stay, Venice is a really short and cheap train journey away - though only cheap if you pre-book. The day before we were coming home, we headed to the train station in Peschiera Del Garda and got the train to Venice for the day and for my daughters 17th birthday. I had been here many years ago and really wanted the children to see it. It was jam packed with tourists as it was the height of the season, but it didn't deter us from just following the winding streets and exploring. I expected them to be tired and not like it, but they all loved that it was so different to anywhere they'd ever been. I had pre-booked a lovely traditional Italian trattoria I had been to before as somewhere special to celebrate Melissa’s birthday, and it was just as good as it was all those years ago! Even the "Papa" owner came out to say hello and wish her a Happy Birthday, it was a really memorable day.

All in all, a fantastic weeks break that felt like so much longer than a week cause we packed so much in. I didn't even mention the various foods we tried - too much to get into!

Lake Garda is a stunning place to visit and really does offer something for everyone from couples to families, adventurous to chill seekers and of course there is no shortage of culture and history in Italy. If you think Lake Garda or anywhere in Italy might be for you then you should definitely get in touch with me, I would love to help you organize a trip as memorable as mine.