Gardone Riviera holidays

In 2011, Gardone's pebble beaches were granted Blue Flag status - the only two to be awarded on Lake Garda. The Blue Flag is granted on stringent environmental, educational, safety-related and access-related criteria that are reviewed annually.

Hop on a ferry for about 40 minutes and you can pay The Lido Cisano a visit. It has a play area for children, sun lounger and parasol rental and deck chairs. Or stay in the resort and take a 20-minute stroll to Lido di Fasano, complete with bar service, changing cabins, showers and toilets. Both of these lidos are free to access.

The majority of beaches near Gardone are pebble, so it can be stony underfoot when you're in the water – we recommend taking lake shoes for your comfort.

The weekly market arrives in Gardone every Friday from around 8am. While the prices may not be as low as you may expect at a market, the quality of the goods is usually really good. The market moves around the lakeside towns throughout the week, so if Friday is not convenient, you can travel to a nearby town on another day.

Gardone is not a large shopping town, but has a small selection of rather lovely shops to browse. For more variety, take a trip to the nearby town of Salò, or to the Il Leone indoor shopping centre in Desenzano - it has 120 shops, with a range of international brands, in the comfort of an air-conditioned mall.

Small boutiques in the resort offer a selection of higher-end products, but if you’re looking to splash the cash, take a trip to Verona or Milan. Both towns are accessible by train from Desenzano on the south-west corner of the lake. Brands such as Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana are all available, and will leave you feeling a million dollars.

The Gardone way of life is very relaxed and all about gentle strolls through the town and along the promenade. Get your favourite flavour of ice-cream from Penguino Giallo, or a spritz from a café along the lakefront, and watch the world go by.

Gardone is a relaxed, laidback town, ideal for wandering and strolling. If you’re looking for something a little more lively, heading to nearby towns such as Salò or Desenzano will provide a little more buzz.

The small town of Gardone Riviera has a good few pavement cafes, pizzerias, gelaterias and fine-dining restaurants dotted around, some with views of Lake Garda. As the eateries are quite spread out, it’s hard to be spontaneous when it comes to lunchtime, but you can definitely find some hidden gems if you look in the right places.

Hidden away in Gardone Sopra is the Locanda Trattoria Agli Angelli. It’s an intimate restaurant with tranquil indoor and outdoor dining, where you'll be served creative and modern Italian dishes – but remember to book as it’s always busy.

With views of the lake, promenade and square, the Gelateria Pinguino Giallo is a great place to stop for a drink and an authentic Italian ice-cream – the guava flavour is delicious.

Off the Via Trieste is the rustic Osteria Antico Brolo, with outdoor and indoor seating. The restaurant serves up fresh, colourful dishes presented in an inventive and contemporary style and uses local produce in all of its food. It’s pretty reasonably priced too.

To head north to Maderno, catch the bus from the stop opposite the Hotel Grand. Or walk 5 minutes past the hotel to the Bay of Salo to catch a bus to one of the other towns on the west shore.

Steamers and fast hydrofoils leave town from the port in Piazza Wimmer (between the Grand Hotel and Hotel du Lac), and run to most towns on the east shore of the lake, throughout the day.

The nearest station is in Desenzano, which can be reached by bus or taxi. Direct trains run from there to Venice (from 2.5 hours), Verona (30 minutes) and Milan (2 hours).

Exploring Gardone on foot is mostly easy thanks to the paved streets and leafy lakeside promenade. However, the centre of town has a lot of small courtyards and stairs, so it may not be suitable for those with walking difficulties.