Tips for Lake Garda please!
Jun 15th, 2005, 02:02 AM
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Tips for Lake Garda please!
Good morning to everyone from a new 'Fodorite'. We're off to Lake Garda next week, staying in Garda town itself. Does anyone have any tips for great places to eat and especially if there are any good antique/flea markets around the lake or nearby (inc. Verona). We will be using public transport and doing a LOT of walking. Thankyou in advance!
Jun 15th, 2005, 03:10 AM
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We loved Ristorante Ai Beati which is just up the road from Garda - on the way to Affi. I imagine you could walk or bike there. Check out the lovely view:
http://www.ristoranteaibeati.com/
I would also recommend taking the ferry from the Garda waterfront to Torri del Benaco and stroll that lovely town. There is a fun pizza restaurant on an open air dock directly over the water. Just be careful not to get wet.
And for the intrepid traveller, our favorite is Ristorante da Corrado in Pazzon di Caprino. You would need a car. It is difficult to find - nestled in a small village near Garda, but there is no signage. Its just someones home, with no set menu. We have gone twice and it has been a highlight of both trips.
Jun 15th, 2005, 08:07 PM
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This is from an ancient trip report I posted here during/after the 2001 Fodorites' (Italy) trip report - - ultimately removed by Fodors because of "satirical" trashing by... well, I won't try to use descriptive language of that nature...
Anyhow... here it is... Graspo's is right in the "heart" of Garda (it's not a big town)
===============================
The night before, we had been intrigued by a place we couldn’t get in - - the Trattoria/Enoteca of Graspo - - and so, had made reservations there for the following night.
What an intensely bittersweet experience it was - - for me, at least. Graspo’s proclaims its uniqueness at the front door with a sign that explains in Italian, German and English its history and philosophy. Graspo’s is all about Luca, the chef, proprietor and host - - and “I am the menu”, he proudly proclaims. It changes every night, and is based solely on what he finds freshest to prepare. I don’t think we fully understood that this means that there IS no menu on any given night - - you simply eat what he brings out. He gives only a minimal overview description - - and this is enough to signal a problem for two in our group - - one allergic to shellfish, and the other who says that she really does not like fish (though she will eat shrimp and some other types of seafood). No problem, declares Luca - - there IS a meat choice (something involving turkey from the oven - - though I swear I was never sure where that course was).
That’s because it got lost, no doubt, in the ELEVEN different course they brought out (if I counted correctly) - - the most incredible seafood extravaganza I have ever encountered in my life. Octopus, squid, herring, three different preparations of shrimp, mussels - - literally by the hundreds, sardines (much larger than any sardine I have ever seen - - not at all briny, and served cold in an oniony-sweet marinade), a trout-looking fish they called “bronzino”, incredible langostinos (from Sicily - - and Luca seemed especially proud that they were caught and shipped north to get to him in less than 16 hours), and something like a “scallop popper”.
But the bittersweet part was that - - what I enjoyed as an exotic fantasy feast did not appeal to the others nearly so much. And starting with the very first course - - sea snails in a garlic-rich broth - - Claye became quite ill, and simply had to leave the restaurant. He came back once to ask for the car keys, and was apparently struggling to contain nausea on that re-entry into the restaurant. Background that others might not know: Claye came down with full-blown pneumonia about two and half weeks before the trip. In retrospect, his recovery was still not complete. Moreover, he had to (or chose to) give up smoking during this recent illness, because of how short of breath and weak the pneumonia had made him at the peak of his symptoms. He now says that he is amazed at the return of his sense of smell - - and ascribes his problems in the restaurant to a torrent of aromas that he simply could not take.
=================================
I found this a few current references (the first one with picture) online...
http://www.netbikers.net/locali/scheda_locale.asp?Id=1
You can see the <<sign that explains in Italian, German and English its history and philosophy>> in this picture!
And this gives a few more details...
http://www.ibutei.com/ano/doveandiam...veandiamo.htm# - - click on "Al Graspo"... or here is a summary...
INDIRIZZO
Piazzetta Calderini 12
37016 Garda
Verona
PER INFORMAZIONI
Tel: 045 7256046
E-MAIL
[email protected]
CHIUSURA
Chiuso il martedì
ABBIAMO SPESO
Spesa fissa 30 €
=============================
Best wishes,
Rex
Anyhow... here it is... Graspo's is right in the "heart" of Garda (it's not a big town)
===============================
The night before, we had been intrigued by a place we couldn’t get in - - the Trattoria/Enoteca of Graspo - - and so, had made reservations there for the following night.
What an intensely bittersweet experience it was - - for me, at least. Graspo’s proclaims its uniqueness at the front door with a sign that explains in Italian, German and English its history and philosophy. Graspo’s is all about Luca, the chef, proprietor and host - - and “I am the menu”, he proudly proclaims. It changes every night, and is based solely on what he finds freshest to prepare. I don’t think we fully understood that this means that there IS no menu on any given night - - you simply eat what he brings out. He gives only a minimal overview description - - and this is enough to signal a problem for two in our group - - one allergic to shellfish, and the other who says that she really does not like fish (though she will eat shrimp and some other types of seafood). No problem, declares Luca - - there IS a meat choice (something involving turkey from the oven - - though I swear I was never sure where that course was).
That’s because it got lost, no doubt, in the ELEVEN different course they brought out (if I counted correctly) - - the most incredible seafood extravaganza I have ever encountered in my life. Octopus, squid, herring, three different preparations of shrimp, mussels - - literally by the hundreds, sardines (much larger than any sardine I have ever seen - - not at all briny, and served cold in an oniony-sweet marinade), a trout-looking fish they called “bronzino”, incredible langostinos (from Sicily - - and Luca seemed especially proud that they were caught and shipped north to get to him in less than 16 hours), and something like a “scallop popper”.
But the bittersweet part was that - - what I enjoyed as an exotic fantasy feast did not appeal to the others nearly so much. And starting with the very first course - - sea snails in a garlic-rich broth - - Claye became quite ill, and simply had to leave the restaurant. He came back once to ask for the car keys, and was apparently struggling to contain nausea on that re-entry into the restaurant. Background that others might not know: Claye came down with full-blown pneumonia about two and half weeks before the trip. In retrospect, his recovery was still not complete. Moreover, he had to (or chose to) give up smoking during this recent illness, because of how short of breath and weak the pneumonia had made him at the peak of his symptoms. He now says that he is amazed at the return of his sense of smell - - and ascribes his problems in the restaurant to a torrent of aromas that he simply could not take.
=================================
I found this a few current references (the first one with picture) online...
http://www.netbikers.net/locali/scheda_locale.asp?Id=1
You can see the <<sign that explains in Italian, German and English its history and philosophy>> in this picture!
And this gives a few more details...
http://www.ibutei.com/ano/doveandiam...veandiamo.htm# - - click on "Al Graspo"... or here is a summary...
INDIRIZZO
Piazzetta Calderini 12
37016 Garda
Verona
PER INFORMAZIONI
Tel: 045 7256046
[email protected]
CHIUSURA
Chiuso il martedì
ABBIAMO SPESO
Spesa fissa 30 €
=============================
Best wishes,
Rex
Jun 16th, 2005, 08:00 AM
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Lake Garda - so fine! One weird place: Vittoriale estate once home of Gabriele D'Annunzio, in my top ten of weird Europe places:
He was a famous poet/politican from WWI era - lots of stories, kind of a Howard Hughes - eclectic interests - his cars, plane, patrol boat on display but the inside of the estate, left as it was when he died, is so weird. Suffering from a disease of extreme light sensitivity, the rooms of the house are very dark - all light blocked out in some rooms - anyway a bizarre place just up from the boat dock at Gardone Riviera.
He was a famous poet/politican from WWI era - lots of stories, kind of a Howard Hughes - eclectic interests - his cars, plane, patrol boat on display but the inside of the estate, left as it was when he died, is so weird. Suffering from a disease of extreme light sensitivity, the rooms of the house are very dark - all light blocked out in some rooms - anyway a bizarre place just up from the boat dock at Gardone Riviera.
Jun 16th, 2005, 11:03 AM
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Oh, I thought of something else.
There is a very contemporary pottery store smack dab in the center of Garda. It is the only one of its kind.
The pottery is made up in the hills above Garda, located on that winding road that leads to Affi . You will know it by the huge sculptures in the garden. It is before you reach the Beni supermarket complex.
On a whim we stopped at this ‘factory’ (looks like a regular house) and asked if we could have a tour. The workers were delighted to show us around and gave us a small bowl as a present.
I don’t know if you will get the same reception, but it was really fun. You may want to ask about it at their pottery store in Garda.
There is also a weekly market by the ferry dock in Garda. I do not remember what day it is, but anyone in town can tell you. They sell everything from clothing to food to knickknacks.
There is a very contemporary pottery store smack dab in the center of Garda. It is the only one of its kind.
The pottery is made up in the hills above Garda, located on that winding road that leads to Affi . You will know it by the huge sculptures in the garden. It is before you reach the Beni supermarket complex.
On a whim we stopped at this ‘factory’ (looks like a regular house) and asked if we could have a tour. The workers were delighted to show us around and gave us a small bowl as a present.
I don’t know if you will get the same reception, but it was really fun. You may want to ask about it at their pottery store in Garda.
There is also a weekly market by the ferry dock in Garda. I do not remember what day it is, but anyone in town can tell you. They sell everything from clothing to food to knickknacks.
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