Italian Lakes, water, villas and boats at the foot of the Alps.

What are the Italian lakes?

They are the great lakes left by the glaciers as they retreated from the southern edge of the Alps, between Piedmont and Veneto. From west to east: Lake Orta, Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano, Lake Como, Lake Iseo and Lake Garda, with smaller ones such as Varese or Idro. They are spread across Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino, and two of them, Maggiore and Lugano, are shared with the Swiss canton of Ticino.

All have something in common: deep water wedged between mountains, a climate milder than that of the plain, with olive trees, lemon trees and gardens of camellias and azaleas, and lakeside villages linked by boat. For centuries the rich families of Milan and half of Europe built their villas here, and many can be visited with their gardens. What changes from one lake to another is the character: more elegant at Como and Maggiore, sportier and beachier at Garda, calmer at Orta and Iseo.

How do you get there and get around?

By air, to Milan (Malpensa, Linate or Bergamo) for Como, Maggiore, Orta and Iseo, and to Verona for Garda. From Milan, regional trains leave for almost all of them: to Varenna, on the east shore of Lake Como, the direct Trenord train takes about 64 minutes, with departures almost every hour; to Stresa, on Lake Maggiore, a little over an hour; and the Milan–Venice line stops at Desenzano and Peschiera, on the south shore of Garda. Orta is about 40 km from Malpensa, better by car.

Once there, the boat is the transport. On Como, the ferry links Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio in a quarter of an hour. On Maggiore, boats leave Stresa for the Borromean Islands. On Garda, the shipping lines link the villages from March to early November. A car is useful for Garda and for getting between lakes, but on the narrow shores of Como the roads are slow and parking in the villages is difficult.

What to see at the lakes?

Lake Como is a glacial lake shaped like an inverted Y, of about 145 km² and the deepest in Italy, at more than 400 metres. Its centre, the triangle of Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio, can be toured without a car, and on the shore there are villas with gardens such as Balbianello or Carlotta.

Lake Garda is the largest in Italy and is in fact two lakes in one. The north, in Trentino, is narrow and lives off the wind, windsurfing, climbing and cycling, with Riva del Garda and Torbole. The south, wide and open, has Sirmione, with its castle and the Grotte di Catullo, Desenzano, Lazise and the vineyards of Bardolino. Along the west shore, from Salò to Limone, runs the road of the tunnels.

Lake Maggiore, of 212 km², is about 80% in Italy with the northern tip in Switzerland, with Locarno. From Stresa you visit the Borromean Islands: Isola Bella, with its palace and terraced garden, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori. Lake Orta, small and west of Maggiore, has in its centre the island of San Giulio, about 400 metres from Orta San Giulio and five minutes by boat. On Lake Iseo, between Bergamo and Brescia, is Monte Isola, one of the largest lake islands in Europe: you reach it by train to Sulzano and by boat, with frequent departures.

When is it best to go?

From April to June and in September and October. In spring the villa gardens bloom; in autumn the light is good and the water still warm. In July and August everything is full, the boats are packed and prices rise, especially at Como and the south of Garda. From November to March there are very few scheduled boats, many villas close or open only a few days and numerous hotels are shut.

How many days do you need?

Two to four nights per lake. Como is well seen in three days based at Varenna, Bellagio or Menaggio. Garda calls for three or four, because north and south are very different and it is a long way from one end to the other. Maggiore with Orta, two or three. If you want to see two lakes, count on five or six days and choose neighbours: Como and Lugano, or Maggiore and Orta.

What is worth knowing before you go?

In high season, book accommodation ahead and arrive at the villas first thing. The villas with gardens charge admission and have hours that change by month: check them beforehand. If you cross into Switzerland, remember that the currency there is the Swiss franc and the mobile network is outside the European roaming rate. Boats have single and day tickets, which pay off if you are going to make several hops. In August, on the south of Garda, traffic jams on the shore road are common.