Feast for all the family

It’s not easy to find a holiday that will suit all ages, so EILEEN CASEY was delighted by Lake Garda, in Italy

It's not easy to find a holiday that will suit all ages, so EILEEN CASEYwas delighted by Lake Garda, in Italy

BEING THE middle-aged parents of a teenage daughter can pose problems when you’re choosing a holiday. There’s always going to be conflict between total flake-out and quiet relaxation. Having just returned from two weeks on idyllic Lake Garda, in Italy, I’m happy to report that there was something for everyone in the family to thoroughly enjoy.

Lake Garda, which feels as if it could be a fjord because of the mountains that surround it, is ringed by picturesque holiday destinations. Profusions of flaming oleander flowers splash over the landscape, and ducklings and cygnets paddle along the sun-drenched shore.

And, of course, the ice cream is to die for. Twenty-five varieties ensured we were never bored for flavour.

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We stayed in Bardolino – a town celebrated by the Roman poet Catullus, by the statesman Cato and by Caesar – at the foot of hills covered in orchards, olive groves and vineyards.

We loved being able to visit towns such as Malcesine, with its lovely cobbled streets, and Lazise, which is famous for its ancient walls and embattled towers built by the noble Scaliger family of Verona.

It is also popular for weddings: the day we visited we saw newly-weds being played out of the municipal building by romantic Austrian accordion music. Watching from a bench as the bride and groom paused in their dancing to kiss was better than a tonic.

You can get to all of the towns around the lake by mountain bike, car, boat, bus or foot. One morning we walked to Garda and back, a distance of about five kilometres. Casano, also within walking distance, has a fascinating (and free) olive-oil museum, which includes a great shop where you can buy local virgin olive oil.

We found our own way to Verona, about an hour’s bus ride from Bardolino, but took the coach-tour route when it came to Milan, Florence and Venice. The tours are good if, like us, you’re keen to see the better-known attractions, but they also suit the more adventurous, as they leave enough time for you to explore by yourself.

Our personal itinerary included La Scala opera house and San Siro stadium, in Milan – my daughter was especially delighted to sit in Emerson’s chair – Santa Croce basilica and the Ponte Vecchio, in Florence; a gondola ride in Venice; and Juliet’s balcony, on Via Cappello in Verona. Our 13-year-old added her heart and initials to countless others written on the walls of the alley leading to the courtyard where the balcony supposedly scaled by Romeo is situated.

At Verona Arena, where Carmen, Aida and Turandot are among the operas on offer this season, she raced to the top – so appears as a dot in our photographs.

Even though we made a whistle-stop tour of these cities, we saw enough to whet our appetite for return visits.

One of my favourite memories is of bathing our feet in the fountains in front of Sforza Castle, in Milan. Italian cities are so hot – and the sensation is added to by the burning smell left by the motorbikes that roar up and down the streets. It’s no surprise that the cities empty in high summer.

To counterbalance our cultural fix of ornate churches, opera houses and art, art and yet more art, we visited Movieland, a theme park 10 minutes by bus from Bardolino. Our teenager was in seventh heaven – and we enjoyed ourselves, too. As well as roller coasters there were live shows. One of them, based on the film The Illusionist, was top class.

The beauty of going to Lake Garda is that it suits almost every budget. The coach tours are optional, and there is definitely enough to do around the lake itself for a fortnight. Nightlife consisted of walking along the lake or eating in one of the many outdoor restaurants, entertained by street musicians and watching the sun set.

Bus and boat fares are reasonable, and food is cheaper than in Ireland. A cup of coffee and a delicious pastry cost less than €2 in many places, a slice of pizza cost about €1.50 and those delicious ice creams – all 25 flavours of them – were a very tasty €1.25.