A corner of the Mediterranean in an Alpine setting - this is the image conjured up by the northern shores of Lake Garda, its mild year-round climate a main tourist attraction.

The northern Lake offers a wide range of excursions, both on foot as well as on mountain bikes, to satisfy all requirements - whether what you want is to commune with nature or to visit historical and artistic sites.

Well worth visiting are the castles of Riva, Tenno and Arco; the artistic treasures of Riva's Chiesa dell'Inviolata and Arco's Chiesa della Collegiata; and the medieval village of Canale di Tenno. Likewise, the area's many natural attractions such as the Cascata del Varone waterfall, Nago's Marmite dei Giganti, the mountain paths to Colodri di Arco, and the characteristic age-old olive trees you come across almost everywhere.

There are countless other smaller lakes to visit nearby. First and foremost, Lake Ledro with its prehistoric houses on stilts, as well as the lakes of Toblino, Cavedine, Terlago, Lagolo and Tenno.