Advice on holidaying in italy - Venice and the lakes

[uptowngirl]

My husband and I would love to go to Italy this year (never been). I'm looking at maybe 10 nights and would love to split this 3 nights in venice and at week at Lake Garda.

What I'd like to know is....does anyone have any recommendations on hotels, also can anyone advise me on getting from Venice to Lake Garda.....I think train might be best......but how/where can i book tickets!?

Thanks in advance lovely people....

[Jeremy]

We did something similar last year, we stayed in Lazise on Lake Garda. We hired a car from Venice, and I'd recommend doing the same if you're interested in seeing a few of the towns around the lake. We dropped it off at Verona airport for a small extra fee.

[maxxi]

You could try Italia Nel Mondo, a travel agent in Palace Rd (just behind Buck House). When we booked a trip to Venice through them we ended up in a small place near Ca D'oro run by a very nice local family so they may be worth a ring.

[uptowngirl]

Thanks guys. I'll definitely look into the hotels and the travel agent.

I know that driving is the eaay and sensible option - but we don't tend to drive when we are abroad (nervous of other local drivers and getting lost!).

[womanofdulwich]

Sermione is at the botton of lake garda and has fast trains to Verona and venice. It is very pretty- but might be a bit pricey. You can get boat trips around the lake.

[TillieTrotter]

Agree with W O D, Sermione is stunning.

[womanofdulwich]

If you go in the summer you really ought to try and go to the open air opera house in Verona. The atmosphere is amazing.Its not cheap but it is So ITALIAN. God love them all.

[njc97]

We went a few years back to Milan/Como/Verona/Venice, via train. I think we just got tickets on the day, otherwise I'd use the DB timetable website which then usually links through to ticket sales. Trains were cheap, fast and comfortable. I assume Garda is like lake como - once you get to sermione, you can get a boat up to whatever village you're staying in.

We hired a car for one day, the italian drivers lived up to their reputation.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Echoing the positive comments re Semione. Nice place for dinner beside the lake. Beware of swans on the beaches of Garda, or to be more accurate, their poo. Alot of them and alot of it.

Getting to Verona is easy and the Garda boat trips well worth it. The boats travel from lakeside town to lakeside town, quite easy to get around.

For anybody looking for a cheap place to stay, I was in a Keycamp mobile home on a very nice campsite about 15 minutes walks along the lakeside from Semione.

[Ruffler]

The only two towns with stations on Lake Garda are Desenzano and Peschiera. Desenzano is on the west side of the lake and Peschiera's at the south east. Peschiera is nice, but you could also consider Lasize, Bardolino or Garda just a little further up the lake. They are all easily accessible from Peschiera rail station by bus, the furthest, Garda, about 30 mins. Both Bardolino and Garda have lots of hotels and restaurants on the lakeside. We stayed at this hotel in Garda a few years back. Highly recommended! http://www.hotel-perla-garda.it/en/index.php

[absentminded]

My parents in law own an apartment in Garda Resort Village in Peschiera del Garda.

The apartments are available to rent if you fancy going self catered, although there is a really good restaurant on site.

We hired a car when we went, and drove to Verona, Sirmione, Desenzano and Garda. We also went to Venice for the day, we got a boat over from one of the 'park and ride' carparks. It's a special place for me as my husband proposed there!

The opera festival in Verona is also a definite must if you're there at the right time. We saw Carmen conducted by Placido Domingo! Was an incredible experience, but I would suggest taking a very very fat cushion with you if you're on the un-numbered stone steps like we were!

Have a fabulous time wherever you decide to stay! I can't wait to go back!!