L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano Garda's coastline - Garda is, by the way, the largest l a k e i n t h e c o u n t r y - i s shared among Lombardia, Veneto, and Trentino. I n h i s a r t i c l e , S m i t h r e a l l y n a i l s i t : h e u n d e r s t a n d s t h e I t a l i a n lakes have a lot to offer to a variety of tourists, from nature lovers and cycling enthusiasts to art fans and f o o d i e s , a l l t h e w a y t o those seeking an old-time luxury vacation. Because of their geographical location, o u r G r a n d i L a g h i a r e g e n t l y e m b r a c e d b y t h e A l p s a n d P r e a l p s : t h i s m e a n s t h a t , i f y o u ' r e s o inclined, there is plenty of t r e k k i n g t o d o a r o u n d t h e m . O n e o f t h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l i s t h e V i a V a l e r i a n a , a 1 5 m i l e s walk along Lake Iseo, that touches upon olive groves, vineyards (yes, thanks to the mitigating influence of water, our lakes' climate is incredibly mild and allows f o r t h e c u l t i v a t i o n o f t r a d i t i o n a l l y M e d i t e r - ranean produce) and small, charming villages. Another popular trek, Smith tells u s , w h i c h i s a l s o a h i t a m o n g c y c l i s t s , i s t h e a s c e n t t o M o u n t Mottarone, which divides lake Orta (a smaller, but incredibly beautiful lake in P i e m o n t e ) a n d L a k e Maggiore. O u r l a k e s a r e a l s o known for being a hotspot beautiful village of Stresa (Piemonte) for instance, was a hit in the early to m i d 2 0 t h c e n t u r y a l s o a m o n g a r t i s t s , w i t h E r n e s t H e m i n g w a y h a v i n g s o j o u r n e d t h e r e o f t e n . W h a t s e t s " l a k e l u x u r y " a p a r t i s , h a n d s down, its elegance and how understated it all is: the T i f f a n y s o l i t a i r e o f vacations. I f y o u ' d l i k e a m o r e historical take on the lakes, t h e n y o u c o u l d v i s i t beautiful Luino , on the L o m b a r d i a s i d e o f l a k e Maggiore, known for its historical residences and i t s m a r k e t , o r a m a z i n g Sirmione, on Lake Garda (in the Brescia province of Lombardia), known for the R o c c a S c a l i g e r a , a perfectly preserved lake to get a glimpse of Italy's a n d t h e w o r l d ' s V I P s . George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston, and Miley Cyrus all love lake Como, where Clooney also owns a home. O u r v e r y o w n C h i a r a F e r r a g n i a n d F e d e z a r e abitués, too. This is to say t h a t I t a l i a n l a k e s a r e , indeed, a place of luxury and they've always been: L a k e M a g g i o r e , a n d t h e fortress, built in the 1300s by the Della Scala family. In Sirmione, if you fancy, you could also relax at the spa, as the town is known for its thermal baths. Last, but not certainly least: food. We're in the N o r t h a n d c l o s e t o t h e A l p s , s o , o u r G r a n d i Laghi's cuisine is rich in cheese, mushrooms, and m e a t , w i t h s o m e t r u f f l e sprinkled here and there. O n l a k e G a r d a , y o u c a n also enjoy the local extra virgin olive oil, which may not be as known as that c o m i n g f r o m P u g l i a o r Sicily, but it's so good that t h e R o m a n s a l r e a d y produced it. Of course, we can't forget fish: we are n e a r w a t e r a n d f i s h i s p r e t t y e a s y t o g e t , especially trout, whitefish, and smallmouth bass. A n d y o u k n o w w h a t ? O u r l a k e s a r e p e r f e c t d u r i n g t h e f a l l : m i l d climate, relaxing views, art, h i s t o r y , a n d o l d - s c h o o l glam, all, quite literally, along the same shore. Next t i m e y o u a r e i n I t a l y , perhaps in Milan or Venice or Verona, take a couple of d a y s t o s e e a n d e n j o y a lake: you may just discover the best kept "secret" of Italy. The village of Ascona, on the shores of Lake Maggiore (Photo: Ellesi/Dreamstime) Continued from page 20 The Rocca Scaligera in Sirmione was built directly on Lake Garda (Photo: Dennis Dolkens/Dreamstime) ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES The Italian lakes have a lot to offer to a variety of tourists, from nature lovers and cycling enthusiasts to art fans and foodies, all the way to those seeking an old-time luxury vacation

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