The Italian Lakes have attracted tourists since the days of the Grand Tour, when they became the playgrounds for wealthy Europeans during the 17th and 18th centuries. With their sumptuous villas, lemon groves, vineyards and cinematic scenery, they offer a taste of the Mediterranean in the foothills of the Alps.
Explore Lake Como by private boat, taking in such sights as Villa del Balbianello, Isola Comacina (the only island on the lake) and beautiful Bellagio.
Enjoy a cruise on Lake Iseo and visit Monte Isola, Europe’s largest lake island, home to olive groves, vineyards, a 14th-century fortress and popular hiking and biking trails.
If staying on Lake Garda, be sure to visit the pretty town of Gargnano, where D.H. Lawrence stayed from 1912 to 1913, gathering material for his book, Twilight in Italy.
Also well worth a visit is Lake Maggiore, famous for its aristocratic charm, views of the Swiss Alps and three beautiful Borromean Islands.
Make a day trip to Milan to admire da Vinci’s The Last Supper or venture to Verona to declare your love beneath Juliet’s balcony.
Lake Como is perhaps the best known of Italy’s great lakes. Its deep blue waters, wooded hillsides and elegant villas have been a place of respite for the high at heel since the 17th century. Shaped like an upside-down Y, the three arms of the lake converge on the attractive town of Bellagio, with its cafe-lined waterfront, gardens of bright flowers and lively fishing port. Other lakeside towns such as Tremezzo, Varenna and Menaggio are perhaps even more picturesque, boasting luxurious lakeside villas, some available to hire.
Garda is the largest of Italy’s lakes and for many the most beautiful, with the 13th-century castle Rocca Scaligera and the unspoiled town of Gargano both must-see attractions. It’s also a great base for visiting Verona or the celebrated vineyards of Soave, Bardolino and Valpolicella.
Sandwiched between Como and Garda, little Lake Iseo is often overlooked in favour of its neighbours, but if you’re looking to escape the crowds then it’s just the ticket. Be sure to visit nearby Franciacorta, home to some of Italy’s finest sparkling wine.
This enchanting, ivy-clad Relais & Châteaux hotel looks out across the rolling hills and vineyards of Franciacorta, a sparkling-wine-producing region in the Italian lakes, just south of Lake Iseo and less than an hour’s drive from fashionable Milan.
If you’re looking to escape, detox or recharge, you can’t do much better than Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda, a secluded mountaintop retreat set in 27 acres of woods and olive groves with breathtaking views down to magical Lake Garda.
Situated on the western shores of one of the world’s most famous lakes, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is one of Lake Como’s most prestigious properties. Refined, chic and grand in every way, the hotel offers guests lavish accommodation, world-class amenities, a lakeside private beach and truly majestic views.
Dating to the 16th century and one of Lake Como’s most lavish and spectacular properties, Villa Sola Cabiati was formerly the summer residence of the Dukes of Serbelloni and is available for exclusive-use hire through next-door Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Guests in the villa’s six majestic suites benefit from full access to the hotel’s facilities, as well as a full compliment of villa staff, including a villa manager, butler, chamber maid and housekeeper.
Accolades come and go but pick up the title of ‘best hotel in the world’ – as judged by a team of industry experts in 2023 – and people start to take notice.