10 reasons to ditch the coast and take your next holiday in the Italian Lakes.

Take your pick!! Across the north of Italy you have three major lakes. Maggiore, Como and Garda, each with its' own unique character and stunning setting. They have have a few things in common - they are all blessed with picturesque lakeside towns to visit, plenty of activities to do, food and wine to satisfy every taste and a huge choice of accommodation. Garda is more cosmopolitan, Como more dramatic and Maggiore more chilled. And then there's Lake Orta, one of Italy's best kept secrets. With this kind of choice there's pretty much a holiday for everyone.
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With flights from Cardiff to Milan and Verona with Flybe and Bristol to Venice you really have no excuse. Never has the North of Italy been so well connected from Wales and the South West. And if you fancy seeing more than one lake, go into Milan and back out of Verona.
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So if one lake is not enough for you, it's possible to do all the big lakes with a little bit of planning. The easiest way and probably the only realistic option would be to hire a car from the airport, of course if you are dropping it off at another airport a one way fee usually applies. Journey times between the three lakes by car are about an hour each, and with a free sat nav on your phone (navmii) it's dead easy. Just think of it as your very own "Italian Job", just hope the 'bl**dy doors stay on'!!
Avis Car Hire UK site
Car Hire Comparison Site rentalcars.com

OK so we are not just talking spaghetti and pizza, amazing though they are here. Oh no, think prosciutto ham, hard cheeses, tasty bread, fresh lake fish, amazing salads and every flavour of gelato you could imagine. Local wines are great value especially when you compare them to the cost of beer. Anyone hungry?
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Chose to stay in one for your entire stay or move between the different towns to sample the different atmospheres. Most have picturesque harbours and narrow streets lined with cafes and restaurants. Do some research and choose wisely and you will find it easy to visit the other towns by lake hopping using the regular ferry services on each lake. Great bases are Stresa or Pallanza on Lake Maggiore, Como or Bellagio on Lake Como and Malcesine or Bardolino on Lake Garda.
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Hire a bike, take it up a mountain (on a cable car!!), cycle down; hire a bike and cycle the lakeside paths; hire a speedboat; walk mountain trails; swim in the lake; explore the towns; lake hop; go kayaking; try windsurfing; go sailing; bobsleigh on the Alpyland coaster; ride the coasters at the Gardaland theme park; visit the Borromean Islands; explore the villas; and breathe!!
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Once you've burnt your energy out it's time to take it easy. Thermal spas and lakes, a rooftop Sky Bar, food and drink festivals and world famous outdoor operas are all part of the summer in the Italian lakes.

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You can easily visit some of the stunning Northern Italy cities from the Italian Lakes either by public transport or on an organised excursion. Verona and Venice from Lake Garda, Bergamo from Lake Como and Milan from Lake Maggiore. Cities not for you?? How about a winery trip from Garda, a 'sea' plane flight from Como or a trip on the narrow gauge railway from Maggiore. Visit www.myplaceintheworld.co.uk and search by city.

Summers are hot and sunny, however because this is The Lakes there's the chance of rain and thundery showers. Temperatures can top 35c and the humidity high, but with lakeside beaches and some big lakes to cool off in, who cares!!

So you 'been to', 'eaten at', 'drank in' and 'chilled out at'.....its time for some serious shut eye. The good news is that there is accommodation to suit every taste and budget. From top end hotels, private apartments, simple B&Bs, cabins and campsites, each lake has a huge choice. We used airBnB.co.uk for our apartments, booking.com and hotels.com for our hotels. Our only advice - book early, places fill up really quickly. Visit www.myplaceintheworld.co.uk