Lago di Garda - Italy's Biggest Lake
There is a long history of tourism for this region as numerous towns and settlements along the banks of the lake have sprouted only as summer residences for the rich. Today, the cities continue their pastoral way of life but also specialize in providing quality services to tourists who come here drawn by the beautiful landscape.
Sea & Coast
High up in the Alps of northern Italy, at half the distance between Venice and Milan there a place of untold beauty where Yacht Charter tourists and locals flock to for its serene landscape, quality services and unforgettable memories.
The place is called Lago di Garda, or Lake Garda in English and it’s one of those places people dream and talk about visiting. It’s a glacial lake, Italy’s biggest, with a surface of just under 370 sq km and made up of 2 distinct regions: one in the north, which is narrower and flanked by steep mountains, and one in the south which is broad and shallow.
There are a couple of islands on the lake, perfect for the Yacht Charter sailors to explore: the Garda Isle (near San Felice), San Biagio (near Manerba Rock), Trimelone (near Cassone), Sogno and Olivo (near Marcesine) and Altare and Stella which are rocky and smaller than the rest.
On the estern shore of lake Garda the Yacht Charter skipper will be able to see the high Mount Baldo rising at over 2000m and connecting with the body of water by means of a series of steep limestone cliffs covered with anything from pastures to olive groves and vineyards.
The western shore is also lined with cliffs but the altitudes here are smaller, less than 2000m and the relief is more rocky. That doesn’t mean that the Yacht Charter boatman won’t have anything to see.
Culture & History
There are 3 communes (provinces) that meet here at Lago di Garda: Trento, Veneto and Lombardy, each with a number of settlements, close to or right by the lake’s waters. Each of these offers a pastoral look to the landscape, in addition to the lemon trees, oleanders, magnolias and bouganville that thrive here thanks to the Mediterranean climate. Also, the region is often used as a starting point for Yacht Charter excursions to the cities of Verona, Brescia, Mantua and Venice.
In all the numerous cities that border the lake, there are castles, town squares, and old harbors to be seen, there are even Roman ruins of a spa called Grotte di Catullo, there are sulfur springs and near the town of Gardone a Yacht Charter visitor might want to check out the house of Italian writer Gabriele d’Annunnzio.
The whole region is known for producing quality marble, wine and olive oil so be sure to sample the local produce at least once during your trip. Every town has a market day and it’s definitely worth taking your Yacht Charter group to get the complete Italian feel by experiencing the tastes, smells and textures, not just the sights.
Seamanship & Experience
The lake is famous throughout Italy for its sailing potential and there are many events all year long related to sailing and boats in general. Being an inland body of water, the sailing conditions are far less difficult than out on the open seas. There are no tides and no storms or high winds. Air temperatures have a medium of 15 degrees in the cold season and 23 degrees in summer, while the water is warm enough for bathing only between June and August.
Sports like windsurfing and kaiaking are practiced on the lake's waters religiously during the warm season, a time also perfect for Yacht Charter who come here to sail their boats