Eurocamp Bella Italia review: family-friendly fun at the edge of Lake Garda

Our verdict 

At the edge of Lake Garda, a 25-minute drive from Verona Airport, Bella Italia is ideal for a low effort, no frills holiday with a huge array of on-site entertainment and a good dose of La Dolce Vita. It features in our guide to the best Eurocamp sites and is one of the easiest Eurocamp sites to get to from the UK. 

I visited with my husband and two boys (aged two and five) for a week in August and, as Eurocamp newbies, we were pleasantly surprised. With four large pools featuring colourful tunnel slides and Italy’s largest lake on the doorstep, there’s plenty to see and do in the immediate area and we liked that we didn’t need a car to get around. 

We found the accommodation pretty basic but we appreciated the air conditioning and Nespresso machine in our Premium holiday home. And we loved that we could pre-order a travel cot, a bed rail, a changing mat and a highchair via Eurocamp’s free baby and toddler equipment hire service so we didn’t have to max out our luggage allowance. 

Our kids adored the cute little train that runs from the site to Peschiera del Garda. And we were all thankful for the site-wide ‘quiet time’ from 1pm to 3pm which tied in nicely with family naps: turns out water slides are absolutely exhausting! 

Note that it’s a busy site, especially in peak season. My hot tip would be to avoid arriving on a Saturday as the check-in queues are immense. And to plan a late afternoon check-in as we couldn’t get into our holiday home until 4pm (although we could use the facilities). 

All in all, it’s a fun-packed site with plenty going on and it makes a great base for exploring Lake Garda’s stunning southern shore.  

How we tested

Hanging out on our outdoor terrace

I stayed at Eurocamp Bella Italia for one week in August with my husband and two kids, aged five and two. We flew from Gatwick to Verona and took a taxi from the airport which took 25 minutes and cost around €50. We stayed in a Premium holiday home and made use of the pools, on-site activities and food outlets, and we used public transport to explore the local area. 

What’s the accommodation like?

Our home for the week

We stayed in a three-bedroom Premium holiday home which was clearly very new and in great condition. The design is very much no frills and pretty compact, but we found it really comfortable and spent most of our time on the large outdoor decking on the comfy L-shaped sofa and had breakfast at the outside dining table every day. 

The lounge and kitchen area

Having air conditioning was a welcome relief in the 32-degree heat and this would be a non-negotiable element if we booked another Eurocamp holiday. 

The lounge and one of the single bedrooms

Space in the bedrooms is very tight and there really isn’t much room to move around. My DH had to army roll across the bed at night as there wasn’t enough space for him to walk around the side!

The bathroom was very modern and thoughtfully designed, with enough space to put several toiletry bags - something of a rarity in compact dwellings and very much appreciated. 

The bathrooms feature handy storage shelves

We found the kitchen adequately stocked for making easy meals like pancakes and eggs. Amenities included a microwave, a dishwasher, a coffee machine, a kettle and pans, but if you’re driving and have space in your car, I’d recommend bringing a tea towel, a chopping board and some sharp knives - especially if you plan to cook quite a bit.

My main gripe was with the bedding, which we pre-booked as we were flying (from £16 per pack for sheets and duvet covers). A couple had stains and ripped edges and they were flat sheets so they moved around when we slept. I’d definitely bring fitted sheets if we booked again. 

What activities and facilities are on offer? 

Some of Bella Italia's fun, colourful waterslides

There are four pools to choose from; three with enormous slides and water buckets that tip intermittently. There’s one slightly quieter pool (swimming caps required) and one splash park that my two-year-old adored.

One of the pools and the splash park; a huge hit with our kids

They were all incredibly busy, with kids (and adults) bumping into each other, and queues to use the slides. Most days we struggled to find a single sun lounger to put our stuff on so it felt pretty hectic but the kids absolutely loved every minute.

There's direct access from the site to Lake Garda

There’s direct access to Lake Garda which is calmer and more picturesque and there are pedalos, stand-up paddle boards and kayaks to hire. Seeing the swans stretching out and the ducks trotting over beach towels amused the kids no end, and swimming alongside ducks was quite the novelty. The water is warm and you can walk at waist-height for around 50 metres so it felt very safe for young children. The ‘beach’ is pebbly (and rocky in parts) so beach shoes are essential. 

Seeking shade at the crazy golf course

Back at the site there are tennis courts, volleyball nets, archery and football pitches, and a daily ‘football school’ of organised football matches which looked ideal for kids aged 7+. There’s also a free daily kids' club from 10am to 12pm and 3pm to 5pm where the kids did arts and crafts with a couple of staff members. I couldn’t get mine out of the water for long enough to sit down for either of these sessions, but the kids looked happy.

There are two amusement parks: Bel Park (8+ years) and Bel Park Junior that open in the evenings from 5pm to 10pm (€5 per child for 90 minutes). Our kids absolutely loved these and we were grateful for the opportunity to let them burn off the last of the gelato-induced energy. We also tried crazy golf (€5 per hour), and the bungee trampolines. 

A couple of bouncy castles at the Bel Park Junior, open every evening

What’s the entertainment like?

There’s a mini disco every evening from 9pm which was a little late for us so we only went along once, but the staff were very enthusiastic and spoke to the kids in multiple languages. 

The main strip offered different entertainment each night including DJs and live music which created a nice atmosphere for after-dinner strolls. There’s a firework display every second Thursday which wasn’t on the week we stayed, but I’m sure would be spectacular.

The site feels relaxed and family-friendly. There are kids of all ages on bikes, scooters and on foot, making their way casually around the site, with or without parents, enjoying their independence. I can totally see how, once our kids are a bit older, the site would be a safe place for them to roam free between the pools and activities. 

What are the food options?

Lake views from Le Terrazze restaurant

We got off to a rocky start on day one when we tried lunch at one of the pool bars and the kids burgers were microwaved and the tuna melt focaccia was pretty basic. Combined with one bleeding finger and one child desperately trying to find a toilet, suffice to say we weren’t hopeful about the week ahead. 

Fast forward to that evening when we discovered Le Terrazze - an oasis of calm amongst the chaos. We loved the panoramic lake views and the friendly, warm service and were able to properly relax over pasta, pizzas and Aperol spritzes.

We also tried the excellent Corte Riga one evening which is set in an ancient courtyard. Both restaurants had kids menus with lots of choice and, more importantly, their food arrived quickly.

It’s worth noting that we never had an issue getting a table at 6pm-ish, but when leaving the restaurants at 7:30pm there were always queues outside.

The on-site Bella Takeaway is very popular for pizzas (€12 to €15) to enjoy back at the lodge. Overall we found the food very reasonably priced, with beers between €3 to €7 and Aperol spritzes at €6. Bottles of wine at the on-site supermarket start from €5, and we ended every night with obligatory gelatos which cost around €10 for the four of us.  

Further afield, we walked along the lake to Vecchio Mulino restaurant which was excellent. I highly recommend the tuna tataki!

The on-site supermarket had absolutely everything we needed for breakfasts and lunches, and we mainly dined out in the evening. 

Fresh bread and pastries at the well stocked on-site supermarket

What is there to do nearby?

Our kids loved the cute yellow train to Peschiera del Garda

The nearest town is Peschiera del Garda and there’s a cute yellow train that runs from the site to the beautiful UNESCO-listed spot (tickets from €2.50 per person). We spent an afternoon wandering around the cobblestone streets and fortified walls. 

Exploring Lake Garda's shoreline and gorgeous towns

From Peschiera, you can get a ferry to neighbouring towns and we went to Sirmione for the day which was incredible with its medieval castle and stunning views over the lake. Word of warning: make sure you get the high-speed ferry which takes 30 minutes (the slower ferries take 1 hour and 45 minutes). And high-speed means a breezy crossing so hold on to your hats (and your toddlers).  

Verona, with its Roman amphitheatre and iconic balcony is 35 minutes away and Gardaland theme park is only 10 minutes away.

About the author 

Sarah Murray-Muncila is a Brand Partnerships Manager at Mumsnet, with a particular focus on travel. She’s previously worked at The Times and the Sunday Times, Immediate Media and BBC Magazines. 

As mum to two preschoolers, she’s well aware that holidays now hit differently, and she loves discovering brands that really understand the challenges that families face and working with them to help make parents' lives easier. 

About the editor

Rachel Erdos is an Editor at Mumsnet where she commissions, edits and writes content with a focus on family travel.

She has written hotel reviews, features and destination guides for top publications including the Guardian, Four Seasons Magazine, Travelzoo, Visit Britain and Visit London. She loves nothing more than researching and writing about fun things for families to do in destinations near and far, as well as trawling the Mumsnet holiday forum for inspiration for her next trip away with her husband and two kids.

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