Limone, on the shores of beautiful Lake Garda was our destination for the week. It takes about two hours by coach from Verona airport but the journey is well worth it for the stunning lake views and cafe culture you can experience in this little Italian gem.
We stayed at the All Azzuro: perfectly positioned right on the shoreline and ideal for watching the frequent lake ferries come and go, and of course to indulge in much people watching.
We really couldn’t have hoped for a better location. The hotel itself is charming but it’s fair to say that it’s not moved on since the nineties with average food offerings and dated rooms. This however was to our advantage because if the hotel standards did actually meet the standard of the location it would be well out of our price range.
We paid extra for a balcony which was worth every penny.
Breakfast and dinner were taken on the open terrace, although if you have a rear facing room you eat inside.
Limone itself is just perfect with geraniums spilling out of balconies, cobbled streets, numerous foodie opportunities and boat trips to keep you amused. It is heaving with day trippers from around ten in the morning but settles late afternoon into a more languid vibe.
We ate our fair share of pasta and pizza, not to mention the Chiaretto rose wine and the odd Aperol Spritz. Below is the view from our favourite Porto bar where ducks waddle amongst the drinkers hoping that someone will feed them a crisp.
A week is just about perfect to see everything that Limone has to offer. We hopped over to Malcesine for a couple of hours too just for an excuse to get on a boat. The ride takes about 20 minutes and costs £13 each if you use the ferry. Cheaper boat trips are available if you don’t mind small cramped boats but we preferred to pay a little extra and travel in comfort on firstly the San Ferhino then returning on the mighty Brennero.
If you want to wander further afield on foot then just out of town there are some shady spots to eat with a great view across the lake. The one below was set in the olive groves.
Beware – this is a small pizza! Not bad value for eight Euros.
We last stayed in Limone in 1996 and more recently have also stayed in Malcesine and Bardolino – both of which are beautiful too. I’m sure we will be back again soon.