Lake Garda is a top holiday destination in Europe offering beautiful scenery and surroundings, a cultural richness, Mediterranean climate and wealth of activities and local attractions. For a luxury holiday in Italy, Lake Garda is one of the best Italian holiday spots to visit. Locally known as 'Lago di Garda', the lake is the largest lake in Italy and is situated between the Alps and the Po Valley. While the northern shore of the lake is surrounded by two thousand metre peaks, the southern bank lies on flat plains. Lake Garda is renowned for luxury European holidays as the charming landscape and nature, the wonderful climate, friendly people, and not least the culinary delights of the region draw guests in from all over the world!

Where to Stay on Lake Garda

For a luxury retreat in Brescia, one of the provinces of the Lombardy region, then the west shore offers some of the best towns to stay in at Lake Garda. The historical and culturally rich towns of Salò, Gardone Riviera and Limone are some of the best waterside towns on Lake Garda to make the most of a luxury villa holiday in Italy. Offering, leisurely promenades on the shoreline, sprawling restaurants and many shops and boutiques, they are characterful and beautiful villages. In Gardone Riviera, you will find magnificent palaces, picturesque villas and luscious green parks, rich with vegetation. Gardone Sopra – the actual centre of the village, is lined with colourful and quaint houses, balconies lined with plants and pots and charming village squares inviting you to take a stroll and explore. An exclusive destination for the rich and wealthy in the Belle Époque, it attracted hordes of the wealthy bourgeoisie toward the end of the 19th century and has remained one of the most exclusive locations on Lake Garda to this day. One of the more popular local sights on Lake Garda worth visiting is the famous “Vittoriale degli italiani” – showcasing the pompous lifestyle and legacy of the eccentric national poet Gabriele D’Annunzio. The Vittoriale features an open amphitheatre, hosting many musical events and theatre performances, beautiful gardens, and a museum, allowing for a cultural enrichment on your holiday to Lake Garda.

Things to do on a Luxury Holiday to Lake Garda

If you are wondering what to do in Lake Garda during your holiday visit to the Italian lakes, then rest assured, your choice is plentiful! The possibilities for using the lake and its surroundings for sporting activities are almost unlimited. Luxury boat charters across Lago di Garda for a spot of sightseeing and relaxing is a regular way of passing the time on holiday to the region. For the more adrenaline seekers, windsurfing and sailing are the most popular activities on Lake Garda, especially in its northern half. This is because of a constant wind blowing in from the 2,000-metre-high peaks surrounding the lake, making prime conditions for the sports. Being one of the clearest lakes in Europe, there are also many idyllic bathing spots, and it remains a great diving destination too.  

On Lake Garda’s western and southern shores, there are a dozen good golf courses if you are looking for a luxury golfing holiday in Italy. These are including Gardagolf Country Club, Arzaga Golf Club and the Bogliaco course. 

Thanks to the mountain backdrop to Lake Garda, luxury holidays in Gardone Riviera can also include many mountain sports and activities.  The steep, alpine mountain slopes around the lake are perfect for hiking, canyoning, abseiling, climbing, horse-riding, road or mountain biking. Lake Garda has some of the best activities to keep a group entertained on a family villa holiday to Italy.

Access to this region is straightforward, with a selection of airports close to Lake Garda to choose from. You can also easily reach many of Italy's most visited cities, including a day trip to Milan for a spot of shopping, a visit to the historical city of Verona from Lake Garda, or even an excursion from Lake Garda to Venice to visit one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. 

If you are looking to explore the region and need a luxury villa holiday in Lake Garda, then our collection of luxury private villas in Gardone Riviera are sure to fit the bill. The Gardone Riviera luxury villas within our portfolio will put you in a prime location to make the most of your visit to Lake Garda and luxury holiday in Italy!