Slow down with a holiday to Gardone Riviera, where you'll spend lazy days pottering around gardens and historic sites.

Mountain setting

Its 19th-century heyday may be over, but Gardone Riviera still has loads to offer on the western shore of Lake Garda in northern Italy. Bordered by mountains, it's known for the Il Vittoriale complex, a tiny chapel and a pretty piazza, as well as verdant parks surrounding opulent villas and waterfront cafés.

Out and about

Gardone Riviera's subtropical climate is great for tourists but even better for the flora that thrives there. The Heller Botanical Gardens house around 2,000 species of plants and a peppering of sculptures. Take a bus to the mountain village of San Michele for a taste of rural life, plus some panoramic walking trails.

People watching

Snag a spot on the lakefront promenade – creamy gelato in hand – to watch passersby on a low-key afternoon. The weekly market that pops up every Friday morning is another good shout for people-watching. You might go home with a cool trinket or two as well.

Out and about

Here are some ideas of things to do when staying in Gardone Riviera:

• Lakeside promenade
• Boat trips
• Botanical gardens
• Museum
• Public villas and gardens
• Markets

At a Glance

  • Smell the blooms at Heller Botanical Gardens
  • Mosey around the palace on Isola del Garda
  • See the home of Italy’s most eccentric poet

TOP THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN GARDONE RIVIERA

BEACHES

SHOPPING

NIGHTLIFE

FOOD & DRINK