Mon 15th – Thurs 18th June
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Mirravale booked through Booking.com.
Mon 15th June
It was a glorious day for our 3-hour drive from the Dolomites down to our next accommodation at Riva del Garda where we were staying for the next 3 nights. The scenery on the way was just stunning as we wound our way along and down through deep valleys with almost vertical limestone (dolostone) walls.
We were all very glad to finally arrive and delighted with the accommodation as it was comfortable and well located, being just a short walk from the old town and the lakefront, and had a lovely outdoor dining and pool area. The latter being an huge plus in this heat! Even though we were all quite exhausted from our travels, we decided to head out to explore the local area but we didn’t get too far. We’d only walked a few minutes when we reached the lakefront and were absolutely wowed. I knew this part of the world was pretty but Riva del Garda was just stunning. Mark and I stopped to have an aperitivo at one of the bars just so we could sit and enjoy the absolute splendour of the vista in front of us. I’ve since learned that Riva del Garda competes with Sirmione for the title of ‘Pearl of Lake Garda’. Well, I’m no expert but I’ve been to both places and this place wins hands down!
It had been a tiring day for us, moving location and driving along the narrow and winding roads from Ortisei, so we opted to dine at the hotel restaurant, Villetta Annessa, which was a Michelin regarded venue; particularly for their sizzling steaks. The outdoor setting was lovely and our steaks were quite delicious but Coll’s chicken was only just ok. It was almost 9 pm by the time our dinner finished and we were all quite tired so we parted ways for the evening.
Tue 16th June
It was another beautiful day for our first in Riva del Garda; we had been so lucky with the weather on this trip. The boys went out early for a bike ride and Colleen and I took a walk along the waterfront and we all caught up for coffee later at one of the lakeside beaches. We discussed our options for our two full days over coffee and decided to take a boat trip today and to attempt a cycle activity tomorrow.
Our boat trip was a tour of the northern part of Lake Garda from 11 am until 5 pm that made two stops at Limone sul Garda and Malcesine with a 2-hour stay at each port. Limone was a picturesque village on the northwestern shore of Lake Garda and famous for its steep, cobbled streets, colorful houses, and historic lemon groves. One theory regarding the origin of the town’s name is that it was named for the lemons that have been grown around the lake for centuries. Others claim the name of the town comes from the Latin “Limem”, which means border, as it was once on the border between Italy and the Austro-Hapsburg Empire. So, take your pick. We visited Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Benedetto, the Castèl lemon house and we even managed to find a seat in a cafe, despite the huge crowds, to enjoy some lemon gelato.
Our next stop was at Malcesine, across the lake from Limone and on the eastern shore, and this was a very pretty medieval village, considered by many as one of the prettiest in Lake Garda. The most striking feature as you approach from the water is the Castello Scaligero which also happens up be the town’s main tourist attraction. The town/village seemed more compact than Limone and also had narrow cobbled lanes, but these were festooned more with bougainvilleas than lemon trees. There were also a multitude of shops, cafes, restaurants but we did little other than have a late lunch and stroll the shops as we were all castled out.
The boat ride home was very entertaining as there was several sailing regattas on as well as some very talented young guys out kites-sail boarding and paragliding. The guys kite-sail boarding kept crossing the wake of our boat and it seemed they were going to collide with our boat only then to flip their sails at the last minute and zoom off in the other direction. It was all happening on the lake this Tuesday evening! It was a great day out and an ideal way to explore and enjoy Lake Garda and to see the lake-side villages from the water as well as being able to explore two of them.
We got back to shore just before 5 pm and parted ways but regrouped again for dinner at 7 pm down at Ristorante al Volt. This was a most surprising and delicious evening of dining that we had not expected. The food was amazing, some of the best we’d ever had, and this family-owned restaurant is definitely a ‘must visit’ if you’re ever in Riva del Garda.
Wed 17th June
It was beautiful and sunny for our last full day in Riva del Garda day. The main activity for the was a cycle out to Arco which was about a 15 km round trip. It was a most scenic journey as the path ran around the lake for a section and then along the river out to Arco and of course the spectacular mountain backdrop was ever present.
Coll and I went back to the hotel to spend the early afternoon by the pool but the boys went on an extra ride on their hired mountain bikes. Afterwards, David went to have a swim in the lake but Mark joined me by the pool.
We all met up again later for aperitivo at our hotel and then dinner at Ristorante Leon d’Oro. This was a pick by Mark as he was impressed that it had a google rating of 4.4 from 8,800 reviews! Also, we noted the place was absolutely packed each night so that seemed a good sign as well. It turned out to be an excellent choice as the ambiance was great and the food delicious.
It was too early to go home so Mark and David did a little bit of shopping that filled in the evening nicely before we headed back to our terrace for a final drink before bed.
We had loved our time in Riva del Garda and all agreed we could easily have had another couple of days. This is a destination that I would definitely try to return to if I was ever in the north of Italy again. Our hotel was well located and very comfortable but I would definitely try to book a room with a balcony or terrace.
