The perfect two-week holiday in the Italian Lakes

There’s something undeniably special about driving along the lakefront roads that hug the Italian Lakes, snaking along the shore, drifting through charming villages lined with swaying oleanders and lithe palm trees. For many, the Italian Lakes conjure up images of a romantic holiday, zipping across blue waters on a mahogany Riva boat or strolling the lush gardens of elegant lake villas.

While this image is well founded, the Italian Lakes offer much more, especially for outdoor enthusiasts. This is premier territory for water sports, most notably the northern basin of Lake Garda, which this year hosts the Youth Sailing World Championships for the very first time, with a packed programme of events including regattas, live music and street food in mid-July. On higher ground, you’ll find climbing, mountain biking and superb hikes in the surrounding mountains.

This being Italy, there’s also no shortage of great restaurants, from laidback trattorias serving traditional regional cuisine to sophisticated establishments that have won coveted awards, with Lake Orta’s three-Michelin starred restaurant Villa Crespi, headed up by celebrity chef Cannavacciuolo, a gastronomic destination in its own right.

This itinerary is created around spending three nights in three places over the course of 10 days, giving you an overview of what the Italian Lakes district has to offer. Many perhaps don’t fully appreciate that the Lakes occupy a vast area, stretching across four of Italy’s northern regions – Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino – so you’ll need more than 10 days to discover their lesser-known pockets. But you can easily add a few days here and there to make the most of all the area has to offer, including sparing some time to discover pretty Lake Iseo. Try to travel slowly, taking your time to discover what makes each lake unique, and make the most of those long waterfront lunches, savouring top-notch local fare and regional wines.

We start at Milan Malpensa as it is the best airport to reach both Lake Maggiore and Lake Como, with plenty of flights serving the city from the UK. The itinerary takes you from Lake Maggiore in the west to Lake Garda in the east, with Verona Airport your closest upon departure.

Catch an early morning flight to Milan Malpensa so that you have the whole afternoon and evening to explore. From the airport, drive north west to Stresa on Lake Maggiore, Italy’s second largest lake, stopping off for lunch at Il Castagneto, a delightful restaurant serving flavoursome dishes that make the most of regional ingredients. Belly full, continue to Stresa and check in at La Palma, a family-run hotel on the lakefront with a fabulous rooftop terrace with swimming pool.

Take an afternoon stroll along the cobbled streets of Stresa to get a feel for this holiday resort that was once an important stopover on the Grand Tour. Come aperitivo time, sit back with a cocktail and a few nibbles at Sky Bar, the panoramic rooftop bar of your hotel, and take in the sublime lake vistas. For dinner, try Lo Stornello, a small restaurant in the heart of town serving traditional dishes with a contemporary twist.

Wake up in reasonable time to set off to explore the Borromean Islands, the lake’s leading attraction. It’s a short 10-minute boat ride across to Isola Bella, with its 17th-century villa boasting sumptuous interiors and spectacular Baroque gardens with elaborate fountains, statues and terraces, complete with white peacocks strutting about, flaunting their tail feathers in exuberant displays. For lunch, head to the informal Bistrot Il Fornello, which doubles as a deli, or nip across to the pretty Isola dei Pescatori for lunch at Il Verbano, which offers gourmet cuisine on a delightful terrace. On your way back to Stresa, stop off at Isola Madre, less visited than Isola Bella but no less beautiful, with a pretty palazzo and exquisite gardens home to azaleas, rhododendrons and a colony of parrots. For dinner, treat yourself to a two-Michelin-starred meal at Piccolo Lago, where chef Marco Sacco crafts superlative dishes in a panoramic glass dining room on stilts.

From Stresa, drive south to Lake Orta, the smallest of the Italian Lakes, yet arguably the prettiest. Spend the morning strolling Orta San Giulio, a gorgeous medieval town with narrow cobbled streets. Take the five-minute boat ride across to Isola San Giulio, a peaceful spot dominated by a convent with a fine basilica adorned with intricate frescoes. For lunch in the historical centre, try La Motta, or head to Il Giardinetto, which lies north of town, serving excellent local dishes on a panoramic lakefront terrace. After lunch, walk up to the shaded Sacro Monte di San Francesco, which offers sublime lake views. Enjoy an early evening aperitivo at Luci sul Lago, a delightful little spot that comes with its own private beach, or sip expertly prepared cocktails at Blu Lago Café. Both serve food too. Foodies will want to make a point of trying celebrity chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo’s culinary creations at three-Michelin-starred Villa Crespi (be sure to book at least three months ahead).

Aim to leave your hotel in Stresa by mid-morning. It is over an hour’s drive to reach Lake Como, which lies east in neighbouring Lombardy. Upon arrival, enjoy an early lunch at the excellent Trattoria del Glicine, a family-run restaurant in Cernobbio serving generous portions of creatively presented home-cooked fare, before checking in for three nights at Relais Villa Vittoria, a small boutique hotel in Laglio. Sit back poolside and take in the Lake Como vibes from your hotel’s terraced gardens, watching elegant boats zip past. In the late afternoon, enjoy a leisurely kayak trip to get a feel for the area. Come evening, unwind with a long al fresco supper of Italian dishes on the terrace of the hotel restaurant.

Spend the morning exploring the spectacular Villa del Balbianello, an 18th-century villa that sits majestically in its own grounds on a promontory that juts out into the lake. The gardens are divine, with gravel paths and manicured topiary framing splendid vistas. Alternatively, stroll the beautiful 20-acre gardens of Villa Carlotta, another of the lake’s prime attractions. Enjoy an informal lunch at La Fagurida, a cosy restaurant set above the town of Tremezzo, jam packed with pots, pans and knick-knacks lining shelves. Catch the public boat service across to pretty Bellagio, which lies on the opposite shore, and take a leisurely stroll around town. If time allows, visit Bellagio’s Parco Serbelloni (guided tours only), which offers fabulous views of all three branches of the lake. For dinner, try the lovely Dispensa 63, run by talented young chef Baba and his partner Martina, before making your way back to your hotel on the opposite shore.

If you’re feeling up for a leisurely scenic drive along the lakefront road, escape the crowds by driving north to the Alto Lario, home to the excellent Museo della Barca Lariana, which displays a wonderful collection of boats, from wooden lucie (Lake Como’s traditional water vessels) to racing boats. For lunch, tuck into flavoursome dishes at La Baia, a delightful restaurant in Cremia serving exquisite lake specialities. Spend the afternoon strolling the cobbled streets of Varenna, a wonderfully romantic spot a short boat ride across from Menaggio. Spare some time to hike up to the Castello di Vezio, worth visiting for its superlative views. For dinner, try the lakefront Crotto dei Platani, which serves flavoursome dishes right on the water.

It’s just under a two-and-a-half-hour drive from your hotel on Lake Como to reach Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake that is spread out across three of Italy’s regions. Make for Salò, a sophisticated town on the western shore, and check into the delightful Locanda del Benaco, a small family-run boutique bolthole with an excellent restaurant. After the long drive, sit back at the hotel restaurant and tuck into superlative contemporary cuisine. Spend a leisurely afternoon getting a feel for the town, strolling its pedestrianised streets, doing a little window shopping, or enjoying a gelato along the lakefront promenade as you take it all in. For dinner, head to Osteria di Mezzo, which serves top-notch cuisine in a cosy dining room with vaulted ceilings.

It is well worth taking the time to visit Isola del Garda (by private tour only), the lake’s only island, home to a striking Venetian Neo-Gothic villa with splendid English terraced gardens. For lunch, head to Gardone Riviera, which lies 2km north east of Salò, and savour tasty specialities at Osteria Antico Brolo, then spend the afternoon exploring the Vittoriale degli Italiani, the former home of poet and eccentric Gabriele d’Annunzio – certainly worth a visit for anyone interested in learning more about one of Italy’s foremost literary figures. It’s an extraordinary place, its gardens home to a warship and even a dog cemetery. Gastronomes will want to treat themselves to dinner at two-Michelin-starred Villa Feltrinelli, where Chef Stefano Baiocco crafts culinary works of art prepared with edible flowers.

Spend your last full day on the lake exploring the northern basin, where you can take part in all manner of thrilling water sports. From Salò, it’s a lovely panoramic drive north to Riva del Garda, driving along the Gardesana Occidentale, the lake’s winding lakefront road, featured in the opening scene of James Bond’s Quantum of Solace. Take a stroll around Riva del Garda and grab a casual bite for lunch from Panem, a café and sandwich joint that won’t leave you walking out hungry. Spend the afternoon trying your hand at windsurfing or sailing in Torbole, a hub for all things water sports. Climbing is also big here, especially in Arco, with plenty of companies organising trips. Enjoy dinner at Madonna delle Vittorie, an agriturismo on the outskirts of Riva del Garda, before driving back south to your hotel.

For one last luxurious outing on the lake, explore the southern basin by boat. Zip across to Punta San Vigilio, a wonderfully romantic spot that is most befitting for your last meal on the lake. Enjoy a pre-prandial drink at Taverna San Vigilio, with tables lining the property’s private jetty, ducks waddling about, then head to the adjacent Locanda San Vigilio, a cosy restaurant in a 16th-century manor house where you can savour traditional Italian dishes for lunch. From here, you can make your way to the airport for your evening flight back home – the closest airport is now Verona, which lies a 50-minute drive southeast of San Vigilio.

The season runs from Easter to the end of October, with spring the best time to visit, when flowers are in bloom and the lake gardens are ablaze in a riot of colours. The summer months can get exceptionally crowded, most notably August, when Italians take the bulk of their holidays – try and travel outside of this month if you can. In September, the crowds begin to recede, making it a lovely time to visit too. To miss the crowds, visit either very early (April) or very late (October) in the season – sights are not overcrowded and the weather is mostly still mild, although showers are not uncommon at this time.

The 10-day Italian Lakes Explorer tour with Inntravel, which includes B&B accommodation, 6 dinners, car hire and walking notes and maps, costs from £1,815 per person based on two sharing. Flights are not included.

F&P Travel offers a 10-day trip around the Italian Lakes, with three nights on Lake Garda, two nights on Lake Iseo, two nights on Lake Como and two nights on Lake Orta, priced from £3,279 per person based on two people sharing. Price includes B&B accommodation, car hire, return BA flights and complimentary F&P Travel concierge service.

Return flights to Milan Malpensa from UK airports start from £97, including hold baggage, with easyJet. Ten-day car hire from Milan Malpensa with Sixt costs from £135. If you’re travelling on a budget, there are numerous small family-run hotels that won’t break the bank and plenty of camp and caravan sites along the route – contact the tourist office of each lake for details.

Casual attire in the warmer months is perfect although you’ll want to pack some sophisticated outfits for those chic dolce vita vibes. In spring and autumn, it can get chilly in the evenings – make sure you pack some warmer options. Sensible shoes, a light waterproof jacket and an extra layer or two are also a good idea for boat trips, and you’ll want some trainers and decent walking shoes for hikes and bike rides. And don’t forget your swimsuit – even if your hotel doesn’t have a pool, there are plenty of opportunities for a refreshing dip in the lakes or to try your hand at water sports.

• Hiring a car is the best way to travel between the Lakes, as public transport can be erratic, with lengthy journeys that tend to involve several changes.

• In high summer, the lakefront roads can get exceptionally busy, with long queues and traffic jams – once you arrive at one of the three major lakes (Maggiore, Como and Garda), leave your car at the hotel and move around using public boats.

• As well as passenger boats, Lakes Maggiore, Como and Garda also offer ferry services, making it quick, easy and convenient to cross from one shore to the other by car, saving you both time and fuel.

• If travelling on a budget, the smaller of the lakes, namely Orta and Iseo, offer better value for money than the larger, more popular lakes – and fewer crowds, too.

• Foodie gifts, such as jams, olive oils and award-winning wines, make for great presents for gourmet friends back at home.

Explore futher with our expert guide to Lake Garda and expert guide to Lake Como.