Gardone Riviera Holidays

Its 19th-century heyday may be over, but subtropical Gardone Riviera on the western shore of Lake Garda still has a lot to offer. 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.

Gardone Riviera's subtropical climate's great for tourists but even better for the flora that thrives here. The Heller Botanical Gardens house around 2,000 species of plants and a peppering of sculptures. There's more culture to be had at Il Vittoriale, an intriguing complex of squares and waterways designed in 1921.

Take a bus to the mountain village of San Michele for a taste of rural life in northern Italy, plus some panoramic walking trails. If shops and cafés are more your thing, lively Verona – and Juliet's famous balcony – can be reached in an hour.

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