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Travel guide: Lake Garda

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Author:
Article No.: 6244
Published: 07/13/2011
Language: English
Number of pages: 96
Destinations: Italy, Lake Garda

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DIN A3 map: Lake Garda
Map sections in the travel guide: 2x Lake Garda
Status: Travel guide published

Abstract: This guide contains reliable background information as well as numerous interesting Sightseeing, Entertainment, Food & Drink, Hotels & Accommodation, Nightlife and Shopping tips – for all price levels and tastes. All pieces of information have been thoroughly investigated on the spot and are always up to date. If you visit a place for the first time or if you already know it well – this travel guide will be a good companion for your journey. Further contents: practical informationTravel map. We wish you a great journey. Your inzumi team!

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Italy

Practical information

Embassy of the United Kingdom
Via XX Settembre 80a
00187 Roma
Phone +39-06-4220-0001
http://ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk

Embassy of the United States
Via Vittorio Veneto 121
00187 Roma
Phone +39-06-46-741
Fax +39-06-4882-672
http://italy.usembassy.gov/

Embassy of Australia
Via Antonio Bosio 5
00161 Roma
Phone +39-06-852-721
Web http://www.italy.embassy.gov.au
Email: info-rome@dfat.gov.au

Embassy of Canada
Via Zara 30
00198 Rome
Phone +39-06-44-598-3937
Fax +39-06-44-598-3750
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/italy-italie/

Electricity supply in Italy is mainly 220 volt, sometimes 125 volt. Some earthed plugs require an adapter, which can be bought either before traveling or upon arrival.

1 January (New Year's Day), 6 January (Epiphany), Easter Monday, 25 April (Liberation Day), 1 May (Labour Day), 2 June (Republic Day), 15 August (The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin), 1 November (All Saints Day), 8 December (Immaculate Conception), 25 and 26 December (Christmas and Boxing Day). Good Friday and Whit Monday are not public holidays. Whit Monday is a holiday only in South Tyrol.

Women traveling alone do not need to take any special precautionary measures. Typical danger situations such as hitch-hiking or solitary evening walks in streets or parks should be avoided, as in other European countries. However, in the main tourist centers you should be prepared for certain reactions such as wolf-whistles, gestures, stares and shouts, especially if you conform to the Italian male cliche of the tall slim blonde.

Homosexual men and women are still discriminated against by the majority of people in Italy and are often described in insulting terms. Only a few homosexual intellectuals have managed to achieve understanding and respect for their orientation. Expressions of affection in public such as holding hands and kissing are taboo and are considered unacceptable. Official transvestite and gay scenes are to be found only in major cities such as Milan and Naples.

EU emergency number: 112
Rescue services, first aid: 118
National police: 113
Fire brigade: 115

Post offices: Mon-Fri 8.30 am-2 pm, Sat 8.30 am-1 pm. Banks: Mon-Fri 8.30 am-1.30 pm, sometimes one additional hour in the afternoons and Saturday mornings. Shops: Mon-Sat 9 am-12.30/1 pm and roughly 3.30-7.30 pm in Southern Italy half an hour later, many shops in the city center are also open on Sundays and in the evening. Large shopping centers are often open all day Mon-Sat 9 am-10 pm. Museums: Tue-Sun usually 9 am-5 pm; usually closed on Mondays. Churches: usually closed over lunch, no visits during services.

For all services in Italy, a receipt indicating payment of value added tax must be given. You should keep these receipts and show them to the tax authorities if you are asked to do so.

In many service sectors it is customary to leave a tip in Italy, e.g. for room staff, porters, taxi drivers and guides. In restaurants, you usually add up to 10% to the bill.

In Italy Central European Time applies. In summer the clocks go forward one hour.

Medical provision in Italy is very good. Emergency and accident services provide free services, but it is recommended that you take an EHIC card and take out travel insurance to cover the cost of medically necessary return transport.

Non-EU nationals traveling to Italy require a valid identity card or a passport. EU citizens also require an identity card and/or a child identity card.

The currency in Italy is the Euro (EUR), which consists of 100 Cents. There are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Cent, 1 and 2 Euro coins, and 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euro notes. Up to 250 euro per day may be withdrawn from ATMs using the EC-card. Currency can be changed in banks, cambios and major hotels. The main credit cards are widely used.

Most public telephone boxes only accept telephone cards. Telephone cards (scheda telefonica) can be obtained from kiosks, post offices, telephone exchanges, petrol stations and tobacco shops. Direct calls abroad can only be made from telephone boxes with the orange telephone receiver sign. The code for Italy is 0039; when calling Italy or calling within Italy, the initial zero of the town code must always be dialled. However, Italian mobile phone numbers do not have an initial zero. There are no problems about using mobile phones. You should ask your provider who their roaming partners are and what prices they charge.

Non-EU citizens: 200 cigarettes, 1 l of spirits, 2 l of wine, other goods up to a value of 270 €. EU citizens aged over 17 may bring in and take out the following maximum amounts without paying customs duty: 800 cigarettes or 200 cigars, 1000g of tobacco, 10 l of spirits, 90 l of wine, 20 l of liqueur, sherry etc., 110 l of beer. In Italy, purchasers of imitation brand items (jeans, handbags, sunglasses, etc.) can expect to pay heavy fines. The customs authorities are now taking much stricter measures against forgers of brand products.

Lake Garda

Description of destination

Lago di Garda, situated between the edge of the Alps and the Po Plain, is over 50 kilometres (31 miles) long, and with a surface area of 370 square kilometres (142 square miles) is the largest lake in Italy. It is also the most popular amongst holidaymakers. Even Goethe raved about it: "The warm air, the scent of lemon gardens, a stroll along the friendly lake promenades, the first breath of the south for all those coming from the north".
How true. So many people succumb to these charms, which include not only the rugged cliffs of the north and the sweeping beaches of the south but also culinary delights in the form of delicious fish, wine and olives, that some turn up their noses at it and retreat into the valleys and remote hamlets of the hinterland. There is no doubt that Lake Garda, and primarily the eastern shore, is firmly in German hands and thanks to attractive promenades and the nightlife, the pavements are anything but quiet.
Athletes are rarely bothered by the hype in the alleys of the old town. Their stomping ground is the north, the region around Riva del Garda, Torbole and Arco - a unique giant piece of gymnastic equipment made of water and stone: the winds and walls are some of the best. Lake Garda is seen as the top spot in Europe amongst surfers and the steep faces of the Brescian Alps attract climbers from many countries.

Background information

Climate and travel season

The climate of the Lake Garda region is sub-mediterranean, i.e. the summers are hot and the winters are quite mild. The average annual temperature is 57 °F (14 °C). With an average daily temperature of 79 °F (26 °C ), July and August are the warmest months. Sailers and surfers appreciate the winds at the northern lake. The best time to travel is from May to September.

Entertainment & Nightlife

Lake Garda does not just offer huge variety during the day and on the lively lake shores, but also has something in store for the evening. Early evening as the sun slowly goes down people meet before dinner for an aperitif in one of the many small bars. Later on, the pubs and wine bars fill up and are generally open until 2 am. From midnight, the nightlife mainly relocates to the numerous discotheques where you can party on till the early hours. There is a particularly high concentration of discos in and around Bardolino and Desenzano.

Festivities & Events

July / August The Musica Riva Festival is held in Riva del Garda. Mainly classical music is performed by young talents (http://www.musicarivafestival.com).
September In Bogliaco, the Centomiglia sailing regatta takes place. Participation is open to monohull boats and yachts of the Maxilibera class, monotype yachts and cabin boats (http://www.centomiglia.it).
September / October Grape harvest is celebrated in Bardolino with the Festa dell’uva e del vino. Along with the wine, specialties of the region like fresh fish, grilled meat with polenta or risotto, are offered at the stands along the promenade of Lake Garda. Shows, concerts and parades are part of the program (http://www.festadelluvaedelvino.it).
November In Bardolino, the annual wine festival Festa del Novello takes place.

Food & Drink

Lake Garda offers a large variety of dishes and recipes which are as much influenced by the traditions of the Alps as by those of the Po Plain, Trentino, and those of Lombardy and Venice. You will find both meat dishes from the valleys of the high mountains and fine cheeses on the menu. The most famous products from Lake Garda are, however, cold-pressed olive oil, wine and freshwater fish. All three are joined together in a saying: the fish must swim three times, first in the water, then in oil and finally in wine. The most expensive of which is Lake Garda trout, because it is extremely rare.

Getting around

Those traveling in their own car like most of the Lake Garda holidaymakers should leave the Brennerautobahn, which is prone to traffic jams and subject to tolls, either at Rovereto Sud/Lago di Garda Nord or at Affi/Lago di Garda Sud. The roads around the lake are well designed, although due to the numerous sections through towns and increased tourism (primarily between June and September) you need to allow plenty of time for a round trip. The western part of the lake has narrow, winding sections of road with many unlit tunnels where you can only stop at specific points. Driving experience is essential here.
Those wishing to shorten the route round the lake can use the motorway from Torri del Benaco to Toscolano-Maderno. Generally all the important places on the lake are connected by ferry lines, at least for people. Rovereto and Verona are connected by train, and the car-sleeper train also stops here. Verona can also be reached by plane. You can order a hire car in advance and pick it up there. Alternatively, there are also public buses. The towns around Lake Garda are well serviced by APTV scheduled buses. Information: http://www.apt.vr.it.

How to get there

The closest airport for Lake Garda is Aeroporto di Verona-Villafranca (http://www.aeroportoverona.it). Aeroporto Internazionale Orio al Serio is located in Bergamo, about 46 mi (75 km) from Lake Garda (http://www.orioaeroporto.it). From both airports and the train stations below, you can reach your desired destination via shuttle service (or http://www.torboletour.com http://www.lakegardatransfer.com).

From various European countries, there are daily and often direct trains to Lake Garda (http://www.bahn.de / http://www.oebb.at / http://www.sbb.ch). The northern region can be reached from Rovereto train station, the southern regions from Desenzano and Peschiera del Garda.

Local tourist information

Comunità del Garda
Villa Mirabella, Via dei Colli 15
25083 Gardone Riviera
Phone +39-0365-290411
Fax +39-0365-290025
Email: info@lagodigarda.it
http://www.lagodigarda.it

Profile

Official language: Italian
Population: 160,000 inhabitants
Area: 369,98 km ² (lake), 6206,90 km² (Trentino), 206,63 km² (Verona) and 90 km² (Brescia)
International dialing code: 0039
Currency: Euro
Timezone: Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) +1 hour, summertime +2 hours

Shopping

Those who enjoy rummaging through souvenirs and bargains of all kinds stand a good chance around Lake Garda. On the one hand, people are attracted to the charming clothes and food markets which take place in several places one day a week on a rotational basis. They offer a huge range of typical regional specialites, primarily olive oil and wine, but also regional cheese, dried porcini, delicious sausages and types of grappa, as well as clothes, shoes and everything you would want to buy. On the other hand, art collectors can forage around the scores of antiques shops or search for treasures in the flea markets at Desenzano, Gargnano and Torri del Benaco. Ceramics lovers will find a good range in Riva, Garda, Bardolino and Sirmione.

DIN A3 map

Note: You will find the Lake Garda map in DIN A3 format enclosed with your printed travel guide. The Lake Garda travel tips will be shown on the map.

Map Sections (2)