I visited Garda Trentino, at the northern end of Lake Garda, last autumn. A mix of luminous sunshine and occasional showers reflected the contrasts of a culture where Italian dolce vita meets Alpine grandeur. Fields and woodland blazed from acid yellow to aubergine against the austere greys of cliffs and mountain peaks.
Like many Brits, I’m an Italophile. Having lived in Italy in my teens and twenties and returned countless times, I figure I know it pretty well. But travel has a habit of humbling you – particularly in the cultural jigsaw puzzle that is Italy.
Autumn felt like the perfect time to explore: harvest season, with lingering warmth for long lunches, hiking and riding without overheating. Less touristy than Garda’s southern shores, the region is dotted with smaller lakes, castles, craggy massifs and quiet ancient villages, many unfeasibly pretty and all worth exploring.
A Different Way to Ride
I chose to explore from horseback; I like the views you get and there’s something rather special about letting an animal take you through nature. Having ridden as a child and teenager, I now treat myself to a hack when I travel. But my experience at Roncher Ranch, near Cavedine in the Valle dei Laghi, was more of a learning one than I’d anticipated.
The ranch practises natural riding; an approach centred on communication and establishing a relationship with the horse. The riding lessons of my youth focused more on the rider – correct posture, rein contact, clear instructions. Natural riding, which felt unnervingly loose to start with, is less about exerting your will on a horse and more about collaboration. But it’s not complex and now, rethinking things as an adult, it feels entirely the right way to be working with a horse.
The stable has a number of Haflingers, a local breed with chestnut coats and flaxen manes. Developed in the mountains of Austria and northern Italy, where they are known as Avelignese, these compact horses are both sturdy (aka comfortable!) and elegant. Mine was calm and reassuringly sure-footed – which meant I could soak up the views of mist lifting from rolling woodlands and vineyards and simply enjoy the moment.
Finding My Nerve
I was going to try a via ferrata – a way of moving through mountains clipped onto fixed cables, stepping between iron footholds, that was used extensively in the First World War to move troops and supplies across the Alps. A gateway drug to the adrenaline of more vertical adventures in this region that hosts climbing world championships, it seemed the least I could do.
The Rio Sallagoni via ferrata follows a narrow gorge beneath Castel Drena. It was going to be a ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ kind of experience for me – not helped by the fact that it was a damp day. Early in the climb, clipped to the cable with wet rock beneath my feet, I had a wobble (of the psychological, rather than physical variety), wondering if I could do it. But a few calming words from my instructor – and a few stern words with myself – meant I found my nerve. And so on we went – step, pause, unclip, reclip – up into the gorge. Looking back, I don’t feel transformed into a fearless mountaineer, but I do feel a kick of pride that I pushed myself and tried something new.
From Adrenaline to Aromatherapy
Fortunately, Garda Trentino is just as good at soothing tired limbs as it is at testing them.
Beside the lake in Riva del Garda, Lido Palace is the region’s grande dame. Built in 1899, its Liberty-style architecture harks back to the glamour of the Belle Époque, which contrasts with later renovations that are all sleek glass and steel, not entirely to my taste, but certainly bold.
I visited its Cento11 Spa for the hotel’s signature Lido Palace massage. The treatment takes its inspiration from the movement of Lake Garda, with the therapist varying rhythm and pressure while using lavender, lemon and stone-pine oils associated with the region. It’s rare that I fully zone out during any kind of treatment, but this experience was almost hypnotic and I lost myself.
Afterwards, I swam between the indoor and outdoor sections of the pool, looking across the garden’s fluffy heads of white hydrangea to cliffs of jagged grey. There had been a shower and a rainbow appeared beyond the mountains – an unusually perfect moment.
Take to the Road
While you can get to Lake Garda by train, hiring a car is the best way to explore. The roads and villages are quieter than during high summer, the milder temperatures lend themselves to exercise that can be happily balanced by refuelling on local dishes and discovering new wines.
Tenno is a worthwhile detour. Stop for lunch at the family-run Antica Croce restaurant, where chef-owner Ettore serves food rooted in the traditions and produce of Trentino. The local speciality is carne salada: beef cured with bay, pepper and spices which I enjoyed with a glass of Enantio, a deeply coloured local red with ripe fruit – it made an excellent match. A walk through the winding streets of the village, clustered beneath the medieval castle, offers glimpses of the valley’s lush, bright green. Then a short drive brings you to Tenno’s lake with its turquoise waters and wooded fringes, one of many smaller photogenic lakes, and on a mild day you can swim off your lunch.
In a Nutshell
What makes Garda Trentino memorable is contrast. It is Italian and Alpine, gentle and exhilarating, polished and stomach-pleasingly rustic. In autumn, those contrasts take on even more colour: leaving its character and beauty etched as vivid memories.
Where to Stay
Lido Palace, Riva del Garda: A five-star Belle Époque grande dame with bold contemporary interiors, gardens overlooking the mountains and the superb Cento11 Spa.
Monastero Arx Vivendi, Arco: A serene, design-led retreat within a former monastery, with 40 contemporary rooms and suites, a heated pool in the cloister garden and an atmospheric spa.
Grace’s riding and via ferrata experience was provided by Garda Trentino.
For further information on the region and to book accommodation and experiences, visit: www.gardatrentino.it
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Images courtesy of Garda Trentino.