Originally planned as just a day-trip during our week in Lake Garda. We ended up falling in love with Riva so much, that we went back again, after having trimmed off 1 night from our stay in Bardolino ?
Riva’s just an hour and a half’s drive away from the more popular towns on the Southern end of the lake (49kms); and 2 ½ hours away from Milan (165kms). So its very easily do-able.
Take the panoramic route – its completely worth the additional drive time ?
Driving up from Lake Garda’s southern tip, the landscape gradually changed so much, that we felt we’d driven over into another country.
Its beauuttiffful all around, but driving up north, the beauty somehow becomes more defined and pronounced.. Just ‘fuller’. The water seems ‘bluer’, the skies are clearer, the colors are brighter….
As you drive past, on one side you have the small pretty houses, set into the mountain face. And on the other side, across the lake’s expanse, a sheer rock wall. Craggy, rugged and towering high above. And its all so lush..
Words won’t do justice to the region’s raw beauty. I would just say plan your next holiday there.. Just book now ?
Riva is overall a fairly flat town (and in that way , if you have seniors or very small children with you; its a lot more manageable than its neighbours Malcesine and Limone).
The ‘Centro Storico’s narrow alleys are flanked by the waterfront on one side and the mountains towering high above, on the other..
Its almost like the town was ‘planted’ right there, to enjoy that amazing backdrop.
Its quite surreal in a way.
There’s the usual pretty lanes, quaint bars and restaurants, fab food and some lovely shops.
But what really sets Riva apart, is its amazing waterfront..
There s a very large grassy bank, a couple of kilometres almost, superbly maintained by the local authorities; for both the tourists and the townsfolk to enjoy the fabulous outdoors.
And anything that you need to spend on – bicycle or kayak rentals, food etc..they ve kept it all accessible; and very reasonable.
Dive-in platforms, rent-a-kayak, wind-surfing, paddle-boarding, renting bikes and cycling around; or even just fooling around with a Frisbee. All in the most gorgeous setting. Pure bliss. I could literally feel myself ‘detoxifying’ ?
For the 1st time ever, Dad’s fallen asleep on a park bench ? ..Im not kidding. That s how relaxed you get just being there. The drizzle of rain woke him up ? .
My kids ofcourse had sooo much to do…NOBODY wanted to get back home.
We did go to Limone to spend the evening (the town s centre is set into the hill and parts of the way are quite steep; and as with most small Italian towns, the centre is a car-free zone )..
Its very pretty, but poor Dad did find it tough ☹ .
If you plan to do dinner in Limone- well, there’s just no food post 10pm, so plan your evening accordingly.
Salo is also a lovely near by town (It makes a great lunch stop if you’re driving on to Milan, from Riva) .
And its got a lovely Saturday market in case you are around on the weekend (though the market shuts at 1pm sharp).
Garda Break Rooms is the hotel we stayed at.