Lake Garda offers a rich cultural scene on its banks which date back to Roman Times and beyond. Attractive cities such as Brescia, Verona, Vicenza, Mantua, Padua and Venice can be reached within one or two day’s journey. Numerous cultural centres can be found directly on the lake: The Roman Villa of Sirmione, the Salinger’s fortresses, Torri and Malcesine, luxurious castles and villas such as Bettoni and Feltrinelli, the self-made monument of Vittorio d’Annuncio and the spectacular Punta San Vigilio. Besides, the region Parco Alto Garda provides all imaginable leisure time opportunities from mountain biking and riding to golf and canyon canoeing. The Lake itself is suitable for windsurfing, sailing and swimming. The near shore between Riva and Campione is a famous Mecca for surfers. A well-cultivated system of steamship-lines allows pleasant trips along the whole coast. The Lake’s low position (only 70 metres above sea level) creates a Mediterranean climate, which means that it is pleasantly warm. Even in winter, the sun shines; olive groves, figs and citrus fruit grow by the Lake as well as on mountain-side terraces. The most beautiful months are May, June and September. It gets very hot at the lake in July and August. Above the lake, i.e. in Navazzo, too, temperatures tend to be rather warm due to the good mountain air.
