Children desirable

Safari, water and amusement parks provide plenty of entertainment. Even so, don’t forget to enjoy the natural pleasures of the lake!

Lake Garda is an especially child-friendly region in Italy, a country already noted for its friendly attitude to children. To the south of the lake the water is so shallow that parents can leave their young children to paddle about to their hearts’ content. Somewhat older children will probably find the north of the lake more interesting; first, they can watch the surfers and then perhaps try out an hour or so of surfing for themselves. You can arrange this at virtually any surf school by phoning up beforehand.

The following four beaches in the south-east corner of the lake are particularly suitable for children: Punta Cornicello (small, but with trees and a playground) in Bardolino, the beach at the port of Pacengo (rough, flat sandy beach, a few trees, bar and shower) and the Spiaggia Comunale in Santa Maria di Lugana in front of the Sirmione Peninsula (a wider, grassy strip of lakeshore with playground, pedalò and sunshade hire). The large Spiaggia Sabbioni (lots of trees, pebble beach, man-made bathing island) at the northern shore in the centre of Riva is more suited to older children because the water quickly becomes deep at this spot. A popular beach, also among young Italians, is the Spiaggia Parco Fontanella which has been built in the style of a lido with showers, bars, table tennis and football. The striking number of playgrounds in Riva are indicated on the free town map available from the local tourist office.

The flat beaches have always attracted families on holiday but it seems that at some stage children began to tire of long beaches and pedalos: giant amusement parks were built at the south of the lake, of which the first and best known – but now on longer the only – is Gardaland.

Hotel Firenze
Via Gardesana 4
37010 Brenzone
Tel. +39 045 7420096
info@hotelfirenze.com