Where to stay and what to do in the Italian Lakes
Spring and summer are the best times to visit the Italian Lakes – flowers are in bloom in the beautiful gardens and boat trips and outdoor activities can be enjoyed in the warm weather. Summers at the Lakes though can be exceptionally busy – make sure you book ahead. Below is a guide to the best places to stay and what to do, eat and drink in the area.
STAY
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni
Lake Como, Italy
8Telegraph expert rating
This opulent villa is one of Lake Como's grandest hotels, nestled among lush gardens with camellias and magnolias, in an enviable location on Bellagio’s waterfront. Interiors feature stucco work and intricate frescoed ceilings, while rooms have classic-style furnishings. There are plenty of facilities here too, including a large pavilion in the park housing a gym, sauna, steam room and squash court. There’s a tennis court and two swimming pools (one outdoors, one indoors), a spa and a private stretch of beach. Read expert review Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels on Lake Como
Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli
Lake Garda, Italy
9Telegraph expert rating
This historic 19th century villa is set within eight tranquil acres of grounds on the western shore of Lake Garda. Interiors have been lavishly restored and feature frescoed ceilings, Venetian mirrors and Art Nouveau lamps. The 21 rooms are decorated with antiques and custom-made furnishings. There’s an outdoor heated swimming pool and a croquet green. With a staff ratio of 3:1, the service is outstanding. Tailor-made boat trips around the lake can be organised, as well as guided tours of attractions nearby. Read expert review From £957per night
• The best hotels on Lake Garda
Grand Hotel Majestic
Lake Maggiore, Italy
7Telegraph expert rating
Located on a promontory with wonderful views of the Borromean islands, the hotel is set in a Belle Époque villa among well-manicured grounds. Facilities include a sauna and heated indoor swimming pool with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and lake views, but the attractive garden is the hotel’s real draw, with its small stretch of sandy beach from which it is possible to swim in the lake - it’s also a pleasant spot to unwind with a book in hand. There’s also a gym and tennis court. Read expert review Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels on Lake Maggiore
L'Albereta
Erbusco, Lake Iseo, Italy
8Telegraph expert rating
This attractive hotel is housed in a 19th-century residence overlooking the vineyards of Franciacorta, and Lake Iseo beyond. The property’s main draw is the state-of-the-art health and medical spa, which offers wellness and dietary programmes as well as beauty and relaxation treatments. There’s a tennis court, indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym and fitness trail. Franciacorta Golf Club is three miles north. Vineyard tours can be organised and mountain bikes are available. Read expert review From £248per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels on Lake Iseo
Villa Crespi
Orta San Giulio, Lake Orta, Italy
9Telegraph expert rating
Located in its own private grounds, this fine historical residence was built at the end of the 19th-century in Moorish style. Surrounded by verdant gardens, the villa has its own minaret, while the interiors resemble an emir’s palace, with intricate handmade stucco motifs and marble columns. The villa’s extensive garden with lake views has a relaxation area with sunbeds, and is a lovely spot for an aperitivo. There’s a sauna and a comprehensive range of Ayurveda massages and beauty treatments can be organised on request. Guests can even rent the villa’s own Maserati GT. Read expert review From £312per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
• The best hotels on Lake Orta
DO
The Italian Lakes are scattered with historic villas backed by magnificent gardens, where varieties of azaleas, rhododendron, wisteria and magnolia tumble down towards the lakefront. Not to be missed are the 14-acre gardens of Villa Carlotta on Lake Como, with a lush fern valley and Japanese-inspired bamboo garden, and Villa Taranto on Lake Maggiore, home to a maze of geometrical flowerbeds, fountains, statues and terraces. The Lakes are a haven for outdoor activities, too. On Lake Garda it’s possible to windsurf, sail and free-climb, while on smaller Lake Iseo keen trekkers can hike the Via Valeriana, an ancient trading route that stretches 15 miles (24km).
EAT
Mountain cheeses, cold cuts, wild game and lake fish feature heavily in lake cuisine. Vineyards run along the shores of Lake Garda, producing excellent wines such as Bardolino Chiaretto, while Franciacorta, south of Lake Iseo, produces some of Italy’s best sparkling whites. In a beautiful forested setting a short drive inland from Cannobio on Lake Maggiore is Ristorante Sant’Anna, offering an excellent choice of local and national dishes. It has an attractive terrace overlooking a rocky gorge. For dinner, the Michelin-starred Due Colombe south of Lake Iseo offers gourmet cuisine that makes the most of local ingredients, with the likes of yellow potato soup with Monte Isola dried sardines, candied tomatoes and herbs featuring on the menu.
• The best Italian Lakes and where to stay when there
DRINK
Pan & Vino in the medieval village of Orta San Giulio is an excellent café and deli with tables spilling out onto Piazza Motta, the town’s pretty waterside square that looks out onto Isola San Giulio. There’s a small but good selection of wines scribbled on the blackboard and a delicious aperitivo of cold cuts and local cheeses to be enjoyed while soaking in the lake views. Located in the old Venetian town of Salò on Lake Garda, Bar Italia offers seating on the town’s lakefront promenade. It’s a lovely spot to sip on a refreshing Aperol Spritz, a wine-based cocktail, while looking out at the moored boats bobbing in the water.
