Travel Department - Lake Garda

Butterface

Hi all,

My partner and I are due to go on a trip to Lake Italy with the Travel Dept. soon. Just wondering if anybody has any reviews of the Lake Garda trip (day trips to Venice & Verona) and tips for the holiday.

We booked it on a whim after deciding that we got a bit lazy with the sightseeing during our holiday to Spain last year. However, now we're wondering if we'll actually enjoy travelling as part of a group. We will presumably be considerably younger than the majority (we are early 30s) and while we're social, will probably not want to spend the evening with the same people we've spent the day with!! While it's half-board, we intend to eat out 3/4 evenings.

Would love some feedback from others who went on these organised trips. Probably should have posted this prior to booking it! :rolleyes:

Living Off The Splash

We did the Lake Garda trip back in the day. We stayed in Riva del Garda. I can't remember the name of the hotel but I do remember we were allocated a nice room, others not so nice. Food was awful. We were expected to share a table. The man sharing used to pick at this teeth with a tooth pick and blow his nose after he finished each meal and while we were still eating. We asked to be moved after a couple of days.
We were brought on a tour of the lake and stopped off in many towns. Unfortunately there was a group of people who always arrived late for the bus in the morning and were always late back to the bus when we visited some of the towns. As a result we had a day trips cut short.
We did a number of trips with them, this was actually one of the better ones, but in the end we felt that we preferred being on our own and stopped doing them. You meet all types on a bus load of people.

Dotgos

Hi,
I fid that trip with my mother a few years, lovely trip,riva del garda fabulous, hotel was lovely and everything nearby.
Best trip was the optional one on the last day that went through the mountains,brilliant day.
Always a few people to avoid,as with every escorted tour,but great itinery..
Enjoy

munchkin_utd

yep, parents did it and all went well but found that the day trip to Venice, for them who were there before, was a lot of travelling for what it is.
Lake Garda itsself has so much to offer that they wished they just stayed that day and dossed about instead.

its worth knowing that theres regular ferries across and up and down the lake, so you can do a bit of sight seeing yourself without taking guided tours .

Spanish Eyes

Myself and sister did this a couple of years ago. It was really good.

Stayed in Grand Hotel Liberty and it was amazing, food brilliant (although you did have to order your evening meal choice after brekkie!). No matter, got on with it. Lovely staff. We were upgraded to a two storey room. Why I don't know, but it was great. Lovely rooftop terrace right outside our door. The scenery is stunning.

We skipped the Venice trip having been there twice before. Long trip but if you haven't been it is worth it I reckon. Verona was very interesting.

Left to our own devices we took a few boats around the lakes Sirmione, (1.5 hours but SO worth it), and another day to Limone and Malcesine. Took a local bus another day to a market in the hills, forget where, but it was great craic.

We asked for and were given a table for two each night, so no unnecessary chit chat with strangers. Perfect.

Couple of nights there was a gathering in the local bar and a bit of a sing song. Yikes, but it was all very friendly.

I would recommend it. It is a really stunning part of Italy.