The first time we arrived in Riva del Garda, we stopped on the lakeside and thought, "This is exactly the Garda we were looking for."
It wasn't love at first sight in the romantic sense of the word. It was more of an immediate recognition, the feeling of having found a place we already knew without ever having been there. Riva is there, at the northern end of the lake, where the mountains huddle around the water as if to protect it. And in the middle is this city that has figured out how to perfectly balance adventure and tranquility, without either one overpowering the other.
You can spend the morning on a scenic trail, breathless and heart pounding, and the afternoon sitting in a small square with a slowly melting artisanal gelato while you watch the world go by. And it works. Always.
How we got here (and how to get there)
We usually take the A22 Brenner motorway , exiting at Rovereto Sud/Lago di Garda Nord. From there, it's about twenty minutes of scenic curves that immediately put you in a good mood. The road slopes gently towards the lake, and with every bend the view changes: first you see the mountains, then you glimpse the water between the trees, then suddenly the lake opens up before you in all its immensity.
If you prefer the train, the closest station is Rovereto (about 20 km), from where direct buses depart. But the best part? Arriving by boat during the summer. Depart from Desenzano or Sirmione early in the morning, when the lake is still calm and the air is fresh, and slowly cross the entire length of Lake Garda to Riva. Watch the landscape gradually change, the mountains getting higher and closer, the lake narrowing. It's an experience worth the trip alone, one of those moments that make you understand why this lake has fascinated travelers and artists for centuries.
As for accommodation, it depends on what you're looking for and how you want to experience Riva. If you want luxury with a lake view , there are hotels with spas where you can get a massage while watching the sunset, infinity pools that seem to merge with the lake water, and gourmet restaurants where you can sample reinterpreted local cuisine. If you're there for sports and adventure, the well-equipped campsites along the coast or family-run B&Bs near the trails are perfect: you wake up in the morning, have breakfast, and you're ready to go.
Our advice? Find a renovated historic accommodation in the city center . Sleeping in an 18th-century building with exposed beams and original terracotta floors, yet equipped with all the modern comforts, has a charm that new hotels, no matter how beautiful, can't replicate. You wake up in the morning, open the wooden shutters, and you're already immersed in the city life.
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