Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa
Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa. Meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief en ontvang inspirerende reistips en routes voor je volgende groene reis.
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake; and in the summer, it’s also one of the busiest. But if you look up instead of at the water, you’ll see something special: olive trees and lemon greenhouses along the shores, and a few kilometers away, mountain peaks over 2,000 meters high. You won’t find that combination anywhere else in northern Italy.
Monte Baldo on the east bank is full of wildflowers and chamois, with views stretching all the way to the Venetian plains. The quiet mountain trails above Gargnano on the west side lead to remote hamlets that almost no one visits. Come in the spring or fall, and you’ll have the landscape largely to yourself.
Nature Travel Lab maps out Lake Garda with hiking tips and accommodations that can be booked directly with the owner.
All about nature in Italy
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The most beautiful regions for nature lovers
South Tyrol
Tuscany
Abruzzo
Piedmont
Valle d'Aosta
Sardinia
Sicily
Umbria
Molise
Le Marche
Veneto
Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
Liguria
Trentino
Puglia
Lake Como
Lake Garda
Lazio
Emilia-Romagna
Campania
Basilicata
Small-scale nature stays Italy
Choose your favorite region and discover our tips for the best small-scale Nature stays with a sustainable focus. You book directly with the owner, so you are guaranteed the lowest price.
Special accommodation in Italian nature
Find unique small-scale Nature stays in Italy. From glamping to luxury boutique hotel and from B&B to vacation home or agriturismo. They are all special and different, but they all have an eye for sustainability.
Our sustainability criteria for overnight stays
Using these sustainability icons, you can easily see in what area an overnight stay is active with its sustainability policy.
Zero footprint
Architecture
sustainable/local construction
Food
organic/local cuisine
Social
family/local runned/social projects
Wellbeing
Sauna/yoga/wellness/treatments
Surroundings
Environment/recycling
Choose your region
Sicily
Tuscany
Valle d’Aosta
Piedmont
Basilicata
Puglia
Campania
Veneto
Lombardy
Lombardy
Lake Garda
South Tyrol
Sardinia
Emilia-Romagna
Umbria
Le Marche
Trentino
Abruzzo
Liguria
Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
Lazio
Nature at Lake Garda
Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake, and also one of the most visited. But if you leave the shores and look up, you’ll discover a completely different landscape. Right around the lake, the Alps rise to over 2,000 meters, with mountain peaks, waterfalls, cliffs, and nature parks that invite you to explore.
What makes Lake Garda so special is its microclimate: mild temperatures year-round create a blend of Mediterranean and Alpine nature that is unlike anywhere else in northern Italy. The Parco Alto Garda Bresciano on the western shore combines Alpine scenery with a Mediterranean climate: olive trees and historic lemon greenhouses on the lower shores, coniferous forests and mountain meadows higher up, and Monte Caplone as the highest point at 1,976 meters. On the eastern shore, Monte Baldo dominates the landscape: a mountain ridge teeming with wildflowers, chamois, and spectacular views of the lake and the Venetian plains.
Spring and fall are the ideal seasons if you really want to experience nature; outside of peak season, the trails are quieter and the landscape is at its most beautiful.
Hiking along Lake Garda
Hiking along Lake Garda means choosing between two distinct landscapes. On the eastern shore, Monte Baldo dominates the scenery: impressive gorges, bare rocks, and ever-present views of the lake. The mountain meadows, Lake Garda, and the view of the Veneto plains will quickly make you forget the effort. Take the cable car from Malcesine to the mid-station, then hike further up to trails of all difficulty levels.
On the west bank, the Parco Alto Garda Bresciano offers a completely different hiking experience. The Tignale plateau provides access to beautiful mountain trails, while the Sentiero della Ponale—once the only connection between Riva del Garda and Lake Ledro—offers breathtaking views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. From Gargnano, there are also shorter trails leading to remote hamlets like Musaga and Sasso, and to the hermitage of San Valentino—trails that almost no one walks on yet.
If you’d like to go for a longer hike: Lake Ledro and Lake Idro are just a short distance away and offer additional trails through quiet mountain valleys, far from the crowds along the shores.
“Nature is our greatest ally and inspiration.”
– Sir David Attenborough
Special spots in nature
We select the nicest accommodations with all a focus on sustainability policies. Think luxury Treehouses in the middle of nature or a boutique hotel in the countryside. Sustainability categories range from organic cuisine and mindfull focus to waste separation and zero-waist policy.
Luxury overnight stay in nature
The accommodations all have something unique and of course a location in or near nature. Spending the night in nature does not always mean sleeping in a tent. Find special and luxurious nature stays for your active vacation or just for your slow travel experience.
Comfortable overnight stay in nature
The overnight focus on sustainability policy gives attention to comfort and quality.
They often use their own vegetable garden or local cuisine. Much attention is paid to the quality of the accommodation, the environment and the guest.