Pat49

Our family holiday this year is going to be around the Lake District in Northern Italy at the end of June. I hope to hire a car and drive from Verona airport to our base in Peschiera. As I have a car I'm wondering what is available to do or see. I would like to visit the Dolomite mountains and go to Gardaland for the kids, is there anything else? Is Pisa to far to drive? What about the Materhorn? Being from Ireland I'm well used to bendy roads but I have never driven a lefthand drive before - is this going to cause problems? If you have any interesting websites for the area you might list them please?

ron

Just a comment on terminology, since I opened this because I thought it was about the Lake District in England. I think you will find that "Lake District" almost always mean England. The common term for the Italian location is "Italian Lakes".

Steve_James

Pat - Pisa would be a long way for a day trip. I think the Matterhorn would be too far too - you'd need to stay overnight.

For city trips you've got plenty of choice. Pick any from Verona, Venice, Vicenza, Padova, Trento, Bologna ... to name a few!

If you want to see the best of the DOLOMITES the classic tour is the Sella Ronda circuit - accessible from Val Gardena or Val di Fassa. (If you do that don't miss the stunning Sass Pordoi cable car ride!)

The BRENTA Dolomites north of Lake Garda are also very scenic - you could do the complete tour to include Madonna di Campiglio and Lake Molveno.

Between Trento and Bolzano is the famous 'Wine Route', of course - and en route the children might enjoy the Caldaro mountain railway ... or boating on Lake Caldaro.

Nearby Bolzano has the 'Ice Man' museum.
http://www.archaeologiemuseum.it/f01_ice_uk.html

At Malcesine is another cable car ride for fine views of Lake Garda, and just north of Riva are the Varone waterfalls - a series of waterfalls inside the mountain.

http://www.vivoscuola.it/us/rmnvss1281/Cascata.jpg
Expect to get wet!

Just a few ideas to get you started ...

Steve

Pat49

Steve that for all that info - it is very welcome.
Ron...how do I change the title now or have I to leave it as it is?

Thanks
Pat

Doble_Vergasser

We will be doing something similar (but early June). Fly to Verona.
3 nights in Vicenza
Gotta to see some Palladio things
Plan on seeing Bassano Del Grappa and Marostica
Possible excursions:
Arqua Petracha
Este
Padua
Then one night in Riva del Garda and drive thru the prealp area (Bagolino, Breno Edolo) to Tirano.

Bernina express up, one overnight in Switzerland,then return (Bernina Pass) to Tirano and then to Varenna (Lake Como).

I need recomendations for resonable priced lodging in Riva and Chur (CH).

capxxx

Visit the Ice Man museum in Bolzano. (The real name of the place is something like Bolzano Museum of Archeology). The guy himself is in a freezer with a window, and all his equiptment is right there. My kids (and kids of some Italian friends) were fascinated. There is also a nice big park near the river with a playground.

It is about a half-day drive from Bolzano to Venice, which every kid should see.