Garda Lake is quite impressive by itself - situated in Northern Italy, not far from Austrian border, it stretches for several tens of kilometers along the valley, with mountains rising on both its sides. Due to the location, Garda is much favored by windsurfing enthusiasts from Austria, Germany, Northern Italy and other countries. Various sailing races, not only windsurfing, take place there once in a while, too. Steep mountains surround the bluish-green water, add some nerve-tickling moments, as sometimes it seems that you are just about to smack into the sheer stone wall! Surfing in Garda Lake is a magic experience. A specific feature of the area is thermal winds - it may be completely still at noon, yet just a half an hour later perfect wind sets in! The shores of the lake are dotted with small hotels and authentic Italian restaurants. As to my own experience, I usually stay at the village of Torbole, however, just 5 kilometers farther is a small town of Riva del Garda, which, perhaps, is a very good choice as well. As to hotels, it is quite difficult to recommend - just pick any of numerous 3 or 4 star hotels close to the lake, and you will not go wrong. All of them offer cozy and comfy lodging.
ENG LAT