A luxurious holiday

Last year I spent a luxurious holiday on beautiful Lake Garda at the boutique hotel Villa Sostaga. 

Originally built in the 19th century as a hunting lodge it was transformed into a gorgeous summer residence and most recently into an intimate 4 star hotel with 11 well appointed double bedrooms. My spacious room offered a panoramic view of the lake and had all the quality facilities you would expect of a luxury hotel from a mini fridge to a free internet connection.

The buffet breakfast was absolutely delicious and the restaurant offered tasty and authentic dishes for lunch and dinner, which I enjoyed on the terrace. Afterwards to burn off the extra calories I took a dip in the outdoor pool with its glorious lakeview setting. Use of the solarium and turkish bath were included in the room rate and was a wonderfully indulgent experience followed by a therapeutic Ayurvedic treatment. 

There was so much to see in the local area and fortunately Villa Sostaga was within easy reach of local tourist spots like Brescia and Verona. Located just a few minutes from the Gardesana State Road, it couldn't have been easier to enjoy everything Lake Garda had to offer.


Boutique Hotel Villa Sostaga

Salò

Salo is one of Lake Garda's lesser known destinations but is now becoming an increasingly popular stop for any visitors to the area.

Stepping off the ferry at the Piazza Dal Vittoria, the visitors to Salo are greeted with restaurants, cafes, shops and hotels. The area is very picture postcardy!

Salo has the longest promenade on the whole lake offering glorious views up to the northern half, flanked by the magnificent mountains. Being positioned in the south also makes Salo an ideal base for visiting Verona and Venice within a day.

However, most people visit Salo for the lake, and it's link to the remainder of Lake Garda via ferries and water taxi's makes it highly desirable for visitors to both travel to or to stay at.

Shopping is a pleasurable experience in Salo, with the main street running parallel to the promenade and ending at the ancient city gates.

One possibility to see Salo is to camping near this city.

Fornella Camping

Eating on Lake Garda

Having just returned from a fabulous holiday on Lake Garda I can confidently say that Italian food is the best around! Although Italy is best known for its pasta and pizza, there is so much more to Italian cuisine.

We were lucky enough to sample some excellent Italian specialities in some beautiful and authentic locations. From lakeside trattorias with panoramic views to rustic bistros hidden in picturesque back streets we found that they all offered a true Italian dining experience.

Fish from the lake itself featured heavily on menus along with delicious spit roasts and  locally raised beef, often using the excellent locally produced olive oil. Of course for the less adventurous there was always the traditional pizza and pasta and with over 500 varieties of pasta to choose from it never got boring! Even the lasagna tasted better when eaten in the country of its origin.

Some of the greatest treats of our holiday were the delicious desserts that we sampled. Local lemons were used to create fantastic sweets and the creamy gelato was to die for! Not to mention the rich, dark Italian coffee and limoncello liqueur - the perfect end to the perfect meal.

Hotel Baia D'Oro Gargnano

Our vacation on Lake Garda

We visited Lake Garda in northern Italy this summer. It is the country’s largest and one of the most beautiful lakes. We stayed at a hotel called Villa del Sogno for five days. The place was recommended to us by friends who stayed there for their honeymoon a few years ago. 

The Lake Garda hotels is in a secluded location on the hillside next to the lake. It is a very classy, tranquil place with excellent food and service and an incredibly helpful and friendly staff. We had a stunning view of the lake both from our balcony and from the restaurant on the hotel’s terrace, where we had breakfast every morning. There are many small restaurants in the area, so we would try different foods every night. Next to the hotel, there was a large, very old park with gardens, where we went for a walk in the evening. We also went on a couple of boat trips to see more of the lake and the surrounding region and had a great time on the Garda Island Tour. 

All in all, it was probably the most restful vacation we’ve had in years. I hope we can do it again next year.

Booking Tebaide