I've long harboured a desire to visit Italy, and my dream finally came true this summer when we (my husband, 14 year old son and I) decided to spend our summer holiday in Limone on Lake Garda.

Limone, or Limone sul Garda, situated on Lake Garda's north-western shore, is centred around a village of narrow, winding streets, alleys and traditional stonewalled cottages. Although the name "Limone" is often presumed to be taken from the lemon groves which surround it, apparently the name is in fact derived from an old Italian word for "border". Nevertheless, the area has more or less adopted the lemon as its motif. The village is set in a secluded cove amidst olive and lemon groves, with spectacular views of the lake and its stunning mountainous backdrop. The centre and lakefront are popular with tourists (the majority of whom seem to be German or Austrian) who enjoy strolling among the shops, cafes and bars or relaxing on the beach.

Upon disembarking from the plane at Verona Airport at about 10 a.m. local time, we were immediately struck by the warm Meditteranean climate - a bit of a contrast to the rainy Glasgow we had left two hours earlier! The drive to Limone, passing through Torbole and Riva, was a very pleasant one and the first glimpse of beautiful Lake Garda was unforgettable. The road, which runs around most of the lake, passes through a number of tunnels built into the side of the mountain.

We stayed in the four-star Hotel Ilma, a family-run hotel situated a short distance (about 5 minutes walk) from the lake. We were impressed with the hotel - our triple room with balcony and side lake view was clean and well furnished, and (importantly) air-conditioned. The hotel had a large outdoor swimming pool, as well as a smaller indoor pool and fitness room, and an attractive terrace bar with a beautiful lake view. The latter was especially popular during the evenings. The outdoor pool also benefited from a grill-bar which was open during the day, where drinks, ice-creams and snacks could be purchased.

~Climate~

~Things to Do~

There are a range of shops, where you can buy a wide variety of olive oils etc, some attractive pottery (mainly featuring lemons or olives), an endless supply of leather handbags and shoes, and the usual tourist paraphernalia. There are also a few designer shops, into which we did not venture. One local shop had British newspapers, but we gave these a wide berth on the whole aside from an occasional and instantly-regretted glance at the headlines. There is a local post office, bank, etc.

Lake Garda is a popular centre for watersports and there are plenty of opportunities for sailing, windsurfing etc. Mountain bikes are also available for hire. There are local tennis courts where racquets (rather ancient ones, in our case) are available to hire.

It is also possible to travel to other places around the lake by ferry, car ferry or (probably less enjoyably) by bus.

Other possible trips included Verona (including Verona Opera), Milan, Innsbruck, Florence and more. The trips were well organised and informative, allowing plenty of free time for exploring.

Limone attracted international attention in 1979 when the apolipoprotein A-1 MILANO was discovered. This protein is found in the blood of people born in Limone and apparently assists in the rapid removal of fat from the arteries and results in a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease. As a result of this protein, many local residents enjoy extreme longevity, with a significant number reaching the age of 100 plus. (Unfortunately, I suspect a 10 day stay might not be long enough to confer any significant benefits………)

We booked through Thomson Lakes and Mountains and paid about £740 per person for 10 nights, including flights etc. We flew from Glasgow to Verona, the flight taking about 2 hours. Transfer time to Limone from Verona was also about 2 hours (Lake Garda isn't actually far from Verona at all, but as Limone is on the far side of the lake it takes longer). We had no problems with the booking and were satisfied with the service provided by Thomson. There were two holiday reps based in Limone, neither of whom we saw after the first morning, but then again we had no wish to do so - they were contactable by mobile and doubtless would have been available had we had any problems.

It's not the cheapest of holidays - in addition to the basic cost, we found a fair amount of spending money was needed. Limone has been criticised for being excessively touristy, but although there are certainly a lot of visitors there, I didn't find it unacceptably so. The beautiful scenery, sunny climate and wide range of activities make for a perfect holiday, in my view, and I would highly recommend it as a destination. Would I go back? - yes! Of course! In fact, by the end of the holiday we were hatching plans/fantasies for a house among the olive groves…….. or at least, for another holiday at the earliest opportunity.