Italian Lakes

[KeepCalm]

For a family of 5! Who's been and where should we stay? What should we not miss.

I'm about to book flights for next summer but accommodation & plans can follow.

Depends what you like to do. Gardaland and waterparks are at the south east end and greater opportunities for beaches and shorter transfer from Verona. Riva and north east end better for watersports and mountains.

We're not hard to please. A pool or similar and somewhere to wander/relax. We had quite a full on holiday this year so some time to relax and hang out would be welcomed.

We'll be flying into milan and hiring a car to travel a little so happy to take recommendations even if it means a bit of a drive.

We stayed at the Hotel Poiano in Garda a few years ago, one of our best family holidays ever. You can self cater or have meals, we just did BB. We hired a car and went into Garda for dinner most evenings, although the hotel do have a shuttle bus if you both fancy a drink. We did lots of day trips in the car, cable car up Monte Baldo, trip across the lake, Sirmione, Verona.

We booked flights with EasyJet, car separately and hotel direct.

If you are staying near the south end of Lake Garda you would be better off getting a flight to Verona. We have been to Lake Garda twice and never felt the need to hire a car. We just used the ferries to get around. The bus service is pretty good as well.

We can only get flights to Milan because of dates/timing....................

There is £1200 difference between flights to Milan and flights to Verona

We flew home from Milan when we went to Lake Garda as it was much cheaper than flying from Verona. We flew into Venice for a few days then stayed in Peschiera at the south of the lake. We didn't hire a car but travelled by train with our children. The train service was fantastic and we actually booked some of the tickets from home before we travelled. We stayed at Camping Del Garda and had a great time. We would love to go back!

Thank you Elizabethcharlotte! I'll have a look at that tonight.

Have checked all flights and timing wise, due to work constraints and family wedding it has to be the Milan flight....

We did Garda last year and travelled via Milan, it's an easy drive and well worth it for the huge savings on price!!! We loved it so much we booked to go back as soon as we were home, the apartment owner did us a great deal for an early booking.
Lots of great places to visit although it can be busy in August with a lot of traffic on the road around the lake. Have a read of the trip advisor lake garda forum - I found it very helpful when planning our trip.

Thanks CwtchesAndCuddles. Do you mind me asking where you apt was and how you found it? I've found a couple on AirBnB but because I'm not familiar with the area I'm not sure if they're good ones of not!!

We'll be going in July. Hopefully.

This is where we will be staying www.tripadvisor.co.uk/VacationRentalReview-g950408-d10568345-Garda_Lake_above_Toscolano-Toscolano_Maderno_Province_of_Brescia_Lombardy.html

Last year we booked via trip advisor but we have booked direct with the owner this year.

That looks lovely! It's a shame it's just too small for us I 'think' I've found one though but swithering with a few days in Milan before we head to the lakes as that's where we fly into.................

We're also flying in to Milan - so much cheaper!!!! I would have loved to spend a few days there but ds has autism and wouldn't cope with it, wouldn't be fun for anyone!
Which airport? We use Linate, its small and easy to navigate.

We flew to Milan last year, hired a car, stayed at Gardaland for a couple of nights, then went on to just south of Bologna, then on to the Venetian Riviera for a week and a night in Bergamo (flew into Milan Bergamo) on the way home.

Gardaland - so much nicer and not as busy as UK theme parks - amazing rides, children and me loved it. Lake Garda is beautiful. lovely restaurants.

My top tip for accommodation would be to look at booking.com - there are quite a few apartments / hotels on there but also quite a lot of agrotourismo places too - we stayed in one in Bologna and it was stunning. Just out of this world.

We are going back to Italy next summer also for a family wedding (are we related OP ??) in Tuscany and I'm really looking forward to it.

I'd stay south of lake Garda. We booked direct with a site advertised on Thomson al fresco and it was half the price of Thomson. Visited Verona and would have done Venice too but it was too hot. Great holiday!

We did lake Garda a few years back and stayed in Pescheira in Camping Del Garda. We made it a road trip and drove making it a mixture of Eurocamp and hotels on the way.
Day one...drove to Dover stayed overnight.
Day 2 Dover to Paris ( stayed in Camping Maisons Laffite for 2 nights). Did central Paris and Disneyland. Campsite is on train RER direct to Disneyland.
Day 4...drove to Black Forest Germany (Herbolzheim)...one night 4 hrs from Paris ( approx)
Day 5 Switzerland ( Interlaken) Manor Farm. Had a luxury tent.( 3 hr drive through Alps...stunning.
Day 6 Camping Del Garda. Did Verona on bus, drove to Venice for day ( we got told its easier to drive and park and get waterbus.
Day 13...Drove to Innsbruck, Austria ( about 2 hrs max). Stayed in a beautiful hotel halfway up an Alp)
Day 14..Back to Germany via Liechenstein and Switzerland( same place for two nights). Explored black forest.
Day 15...Luxembourg...stayed in Birkelt campsite.( aboyt 2 hrs)
Day 16...drove to Campsite just outside Amsterdam. 3 hrs approx)
Day 17.. Amsterdam city. Stayed in some Budget hotel chain, got bus to city centre and did Anne Franks Haus, Canal trip etc.
Day 18...home, quick stop in Bruges for chocolate.
It was an amazing trip, but only ok if you have two drivers. Roads are easy to drive.. once you get used to Autobahn in Germany. Italy surprisingly easy to drive on.
And you need a fab Satnav. Cost in total about £1500 inc diesel , tolls and accommodation. If I was doing it again, I'd cut out most of France where I could and go via Germany as French tolls are a rip off. No tolls from Calais to Belgium.
Just an alternative to flights...