It is one-third smaller than Lake Constance, but still the largest lake in Italy and is the dream spot of many holidaymakers from up north for decades: Lake Garda or “Lago di Garda,” as the locals call it. The 150 km long coastline is shared by three Italian regions, Lombardy in the west, Veneto in the east, and the region of Trentino-South Tyrol in the north. The year-round mild climate make this lake feel so predestine along the southern edge of the Alps as a holiday destination. Mild winters, hot summers and an annual average temperature of 15°C (~63°F) are also the reason why there are some very well-known wine-growing areas around the lake. To the east of the lake, known as the ‘Riviera degli Olivi,’ the Bardolino and Soave area, in the southeast towards Verona the Valpolicella, and in the south near Desenzano del Garda the Lugana are all many vast growing areas.

Lake Garda looks back on a long and eventful history, from the pile dwellings in the area of ​​today’s Torbole (now a World Heritage Site) to the Romans, who defended themselves against invaders from the north during the time of the Great Migration, to the Middle Ages, as the Lords of Verona who have built Scaligeri, castles in the eastern and south-eastern areas. The struggle for supremacy between the Doges of Venice and the Milanese Visconti, when the former had a series of galleys transported from the Adige Valley over the mountains and ultimately won the day, became legendary at the beginning of modern times. The French and Habsburgs later fought here, and the decisive battle of Solferino in 1859 near the south bank paved the way for the unification of Italy. It only became politically explosive shortly before the end of the Second World War, when the deposed fascist leader Mussolini founded the “Repubblica Sociale.” Now, since the 1950s, “conquerors” have been coming from abroad with much more peaceful intentions – as vacationers.

A large part of the visitors to Lake Garda come in July and August, the choice of the routes therefore makes it possible to slow down and relax behind the wheel of our vintage cars at the start of the “Mille Miglia 2026” in June. Panoramic routes such as the “Gardesana” on the “Riviera dei Limoni” alternate with remote mountain routes around Monte Baldo, which are mainly for mountain bikers and climbers. Visits such as the “Vittoriale” in Salò or tastings round off the program, which comes to an end in neighboring Brescia with the start of the “most beautiful race in the world”, the “corsa più bella del mondo”.