Go explore The Grand Hotel Gardone
The
Italian job
Limone sul Garda
Verona Duomo
PIC: GARDALOMBARDIA.COM
All aboard: Siora Veronica
ABOUT OUR WRITER ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD was a
Adam Jacot de Boinod takes to the waterfront of glorious Lake Garda: where the Med meets the Alps ‘
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researcher for the first BBC television series QI, hosted by Stephen Fry. He wrote The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World, published by Penguin Books.
Verona Arena
Isola di Garda is utterly dreamy with its
mini-marina with orange trees outside, was
slopes offer a dramatic contrast in temperature
cormorants and heron colony, its pines,
the Savoy Palace. It welcomed me from afar
to the sun and wind below.
silvery olives, pink oleander, cypresses
with its elegant pale blue and white shutters. I
and bougainvillea. It has a heavenly calm
swished through the fronds of the palms on its
A MAJESTIC FAÇADE
perhaps from the possibility that St Francis
ground level instead of descending the hotel’s
Along the shore I walked to a hamlet called
spiral staircase to enjoy a delightful dinner.
Villa, where the Alps are at their clearest and
HERE THE MEDITERRANEAN
Palazzo del Capitano and a perfect promenade
corridors leading to a traditional and homely
himself once visited the island when it was a
meets the Alps’ is a fair claim for
along which to stretch the legs, going as far as
suite of rooms: a sitting room, reading room,
monastery. And, on the eastern side of the
the neighbouring town of Bardolino.
dining room, a music lounge, billiard room
lake, sticking out on a promontory, is Punta di
to stay at Villa Giulia. Once a private family
and a charmingly slow old-fashioned lift. The
San Vigilio.
summerhouse, it’s now a beautiful, large house
Lake Garda, as its sub-tropical climate thrives under the sunshine and is protected
I came to Gardone Riviera and listened
Named after a bishop who brought
by the energetic and cultured Barbara Bianchi
been like arriving by boat to dock beside the
it is still divine. The sand-coloured plaster is
Bombardelli.
majestic façade of the length of the building.
Alpine foothills. Lemons grow here and
shores, while watching the range of watercraft,
with 2,400 candles as the great and the good
people came historically to convalesce.
from pleasure boats to ferries.
flocked here with guests including Nabokov and Somerset Maugham and more recently
harmonious with its natural setting of rocks,
Schwarzkopf and Schroder; Churchill himself
trees and water.
small, steep terrain. The lake is 200 feet above
it was from the lack of lights.
stayed in room 310.
the monumental garden with its terraces, fountains and even a ‘nymphaeum’. The villa is
embellish the beauty. Under a vine-coloured
Ciccio and Gas, Barbara’s miniature Schnauzer
like a private, informal museum and booking is
pergola there’s a café and nearby a boutique
dogs. The gardens and terraces slope down to
mandatory; choose the right day and you’ll be
the lakeside.
accompanied by a member of the family.
while the softer hills are southwards.
I stayed at the town’s historic Grand Hotel
TAKE TO THE WATER
Gardone. The characterful tower with its
At the neighbouring jetty I enjoyed a bespoke
and further along straight avenues along which
similarity, with long waterfront boulevards
‘Grand Hotel’ in gold mosaics is very much
outing from Lake Garda Boat Trips. I imagined
to walk in silent reverence.
dotted with cafés, bars, churches, coloured
the symbol of the hotel and is often
myself house hunting as I explored two
houses and little marinas. There’s picturesque
reproduced in old posters.
beautiful villas, whose private ownership lent a
INTO THE PALACE
special sense to the epicentre of the lake. With
I disembarked to enjoy an evening walk along
the engine off the stillness was mesmeric.
the promenade where, right at the end of the
and bustling Garda, with its lovely ochre 86 WWW.GROUPTRAVELWORLD.COM
It’s now a combination of six buildings that stretch forever along the waterfront with long
Crossing the road by a bridge took me to
welcomed me through the gate, along with
Indeed, with its neutrality there’s no need to
THE GREAT AND THE GOOD
Salò, the ever-popular Sirmione peninsular,
It’s clearly her personal and cherished dream. Peonies in full fragrant bloom
sea level and the rugged cliffs are in the north, The lakeside towns have a pleasing
Here I reached Villa Bettoni. On the lake
Christianity here in as early as the 4th century,
large drawing room originally was effulgent
really know how to make the most of often
eight boats and two restaurants. side terrace I imagined what is must have
to the sound of bobbing boats and rippling
At night, I could see how under-populated
where there’s a magical little marina hosting
with Gothic and ‘Liberty’ architecture, owned
from the northerly winds by the high
With their imagination and eye, the Italians
And it was in Gargnano that I was next
There are palm trees, nacreous olive
I left the next day to go to the northern tip
trees and clipped box hedges. All is pristine,
of the lake and, after a number of impressive
measured and exquisite. Fringed umbrellas
tunnels, I came out at Limone. Her abundance
dance in the wind. It all looks out at the
of citrus trees is meant to be why the locals
majestic Monte Baldo, whose snow-capped
have the longest life expectancy. They grow WWW.GROUPTRAVELWORLD.COM
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Go explore an enormous species called ‘cedro’ lemons,
In reference to the lemons and deep blue
ceilings. It’s fifth floor panoramic terrace looks
which they protect in winter months with glass
lake with its ‘yellow cross on blue’ flag is the
down on the uniform brown-tiled rooftops of
panels assembled on the tiers and boards that
city of Verona, my final destination an hour’s
the city centre and here there’s a rooftop bar.
are laid across the beams.
drive away. I knew it was going to be rather
Here, I boarded the wonderful yesteryear boat Siora Veronica and walked up and down the long teak gallery beside the beautifully
The city centre is mercifully unspoilt, not in
special, it being the setting for no less than two
a theme park way, just respectfully preserved
of Shakespeare’s plays.
with no rubbish or adverts. It is all highly walkable along its maze of streets bordered
maintained tackle and knots and leather
CLOSER TO HEAVEN
apparatus as the boat effortlessly glided up to
Fantastically situated, yards from the river
frescoes acting as a status symbol as are the
the top of the lake to Riva del Garda where a
Adige and bang opposite Sant’ Anastasia,
raised outdoor tombs of the great and the
flotilla of sailing boats was out at play.
one of Verona’s larger churches and, minutes
good, believing themselves to be buried closer
away from all the sites, was my last hotel, the
to heaven.
I was experiencing the here and now on a grand scale in a boat that sent me back to a
delightful Hotel Due Torri.
previous era, transported yet present, along
Originally a 14th century antique inn, it
tranquil water that was so still and sensual.
has a large castle-like interior with frescoed
by old crenellated buildings with colourful
I wandered down via Filippini, part of a picturesque, quiet and unspoilt neighbourhood with its colourful houses and laundry-drying balconies. It was the setting for my lunch at the charming Osteria Dogana Vecia, which offers
Get me there:
Verona from £912 per person. Price
authentic meals, full solely of locals with all the
n Adam
based on two adults sharing a classic room
cooking and serving done by its two owners.
Gardone (grandhotelgardone.it/en/);
on a B&B basis and includes return flights
I marvelled at how the Italians make such
Savoy Palace (savoypalace.it/en/);
from London Gatwick to Verona and
delicious meals out of sometimes the most
Villa Bettoni (villabettoni.it/?lang=en);
private transfers.
basic ingredients as I savoured the peas in my
Siora Veronica (sioraveronica.com/en/);
n Adam
‘pappardelle coi bisi’.
Villa Giulia (villagiulia.it), and Hotel Due Torri
gatwickexpress.com and holidayextras.co.uk,
(hotelduetorri.duetorrihotels.com/en).
who offer airport lounges at all major UK
All adjectives that undeniably apply to the
n Classic
airports and many international destinations.
Italian way.
stayed at the Grand Hotel
Collection Holidays (call them on
had further support from
0800 047 1064 or classic-collection.co.uk
n For
offers three nights at Due Torri Hotel,
beeboatservice.com
A bird’s eye view of Duomo
88 WWW.GROUPTRAVELWORLD.COM
more on Lake Garda Boat Trips, see
Dreamy, exquisite, refined and measured.