Venice & Lake Garda Twin Centre Holiday, Thomson Lakes and Mountains, September 2006
We spent 4 nights in Venice followed by 7 nights at Bardolino on Lake Garda during September 2006. Here follows a rather lengthy account of our trip - hope it is useful!
The Journey
We flew from Birmingham to Verona with Thomson-fly, which took less than 2 hrs each way. There were minimal delays in both directions and the in-flight service was adequate (meals were included but there was no entertainment). We had to wait quite a while for our transfer to Venice (approx 1 1/2 hrs) due to waiting for passengers from other flights, despite the rep initially telling us that the wait would only be 30 mins. Once we set off, the journey to Venice was non-stop and took about 2 hrs. We arrived in Venice at sunset and were taken by water taxi to our hotel, via the Grand Canal and other smaller canals - it was a fantastic introduction to the place! For our transfer to Lake Garda we were taken back to Verona airport via water taxi and bus and then had only a short wait before boarding our transfer coach for the 45 minute drive to Bardolino.
We flew from Birmingham to Verona with Thomson-fly, which took less than 2 hrs each way. There were minimal delays in both directions and the in-flight service was adequate (meals were included but there was no entertainment). We had to wait quite a while for our transfer to Venice (approx 1 1/2 hrs) due to waiting for passengers from other flights, despite the rep initially telling us that the wait would only be 30 mins. Once we set off, the journey to Venice was non-stop and took about 2 hrs. We arrived in Venice at sunset and were taken by water taxi to our hotel, via the Grand Canal and other smaller canals - it was a fantastic introduction to the place! For our transfer to Lake Garda we were taken back to Verona airport via water taxi and bus and then had only a short wait before boarding our transfer coach for the 45 minute drive to Bardolino.
The Weather
We had 5 days of beautiful weather in Venice - clear skies and sunny but not too hot - though apparently August had been very rainy so we were very lucky. Our luck changed when we moved to Bardolino though and we had a week of unsettled weather, including a couple of cold and rainy days. This restricted the excursions we could do but did allow us to make full use of the indoor pool and spa at our hotel.
We had 5 days of beautiful weather in Venice - clear skies and sunny but not too hot - though apparently August had been very rainy so we were very lucky. Our luck changed when we moved to Bardolino though and we had a week of unsettled weather, including a couple of cold and rainy days. This restricted the excursions we could do but did allow us to make full use of the indoor pool and spa at our hotel.
The Hotels
Locanda Casa Querini, Castello, Venice (http://www.locandaquerini.com/)
We stayed at the Casa Querini for 4 nights, having chosen it because it was the closest and cheapest hotel to San Marco in the Thomson Lakes and Mountains brochure. The rep very helpfully offered to show us how to get there after we had been dropped of by the water-taxi at San Zaccaria. Thank goodness she did because the route took us down some tiny alleyways and I'm not sure we would have found it otherwise! That said, it only took us a day to get our bearings - you soon realise that the whole of Venice is a bit of a maze. Casa Querini is a small 3 star guest house with only 11 rooms situated in two buildings on a small square. We were put in the second building, which has 5 rooms on the first floor, accessible only by a steepish flight of stairs. Our room was big (it would easily sleep 3 people) with a large bathroom as well - in fact from the floor plan you could see it was the biggest room in the building. The room was clean and nicely presented with red furnishings and exposed beams and was better than we had expected - just a few minor niggles such as no shower curtain and having the wardrobe in the bathroom (including a free safety deposit box). A continental breakfast was included in the room price and could be taken outside in the square, in one of the 2 breakfast rooms or in your room. It was particularly nice to be able to eat outside in the square - a great start to the day. The initial portions we were given were not large but you could get second helpings in the breakfast room off reception. We were able to arrange to have breakfast early on our last day as we had a 7:30am departure. All in all, this is a great little place to stay and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone though I expect the stairs might be too much for some people with mobility difficulties (and there aren't any ground floor rooms).
Locanda Casa Querini, Castello, Venice (http://www.locandaquerini.com/)
We stayed at the Casa Querini for 4 nights, having chosen it because it was the closest and cheapest hotel to San Marco in the Thomson Lakes and Mountains brochure. The rep very helpfully offered to show us how to get there after we had been dropped of by the water-taxi at San Zaccaria. Thank goodness she did because the route took us down some tiny alleyways and I'm not sure we would have found it otherwise! That said, it only took us a day to get our bearings - you soon realise that the whole of Venice is a bit of a maze. Casa Querini is a small 3 star guest house with only 11 rooms situated in two buildings on a small square. We were put in the second building, which has 5 rooms on the first floor, accessible only by a steepish flight of stairs. Our room was big (it would easily sleep 3 people) with a large bathroom as well - in fact from the floor plan you could see it was the biggest room in the building. The room was clean and nicely presented with red furnishings and exposed beams and was better than we had expected - just a few minor niggles such as no shower curtain and having the wardrobe in the bathroom (including a free safety deposit box). A continental breakfast was included in the room price and could be taken outside in the square, in one of the 2 breakfast rooms or in your room. It was particularly nice to be able to eat outside in the square - a great start to the day. The initial portions we were given were not large but you could get second helpings in the breakfast room off reception. We were able to arrange to have breakfast early on our last day as we had a 7:30am departure. All in all, this is a great little place to stay and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone though I expect the stairs might be too much for some people with mobility difficulties (and there aren't any ground floor rooms).
Hotel Caesius Therme, Bardolino, Lake Garda (http://www.hotelcaesiusterme.com/)
We stayed at the Caesius for 7 nights, having chosen it because it was the closest and cheapest 4* hotel to Verona in the Thomson Lakes and Mountains brochure. We were unsure of what to expect as there were few photos in the brochure and many of the facilities were not due to open until 2006. The rep told us that the hotel had only started out as the 2 small buildings and pool in the grounds of the main hotel and that the main complex was indeed brand new for 2006. The official rating is 4 1/2 stars now and it would not surprise me if the Thomson ratings and prices increase in 2007 as the Caesius is a very nice hotel. The reception is light and airy with lots of comfortable chairs and some interesting water sculptures. The reception desk is open 24hrs and you can book excursions and hire bikes and keyboards for the internet from there. The main bar and restaurant are on the floor below. Dinner is 4 courses by waiter service and you are allocated the same table for the duration of your stay (more on the food later!). You can also eat in the Augustus a la carte restaurant for no extra cost if you book in advance. Breakfast is served in the main restaurant from 7-10 and in the Augustus from 8-11 - there is slightly more choice in the main restaurant but we preferred the Augustus as the terrace overlooks the lake. The bar is open for most of the day and serves ice creams and cakes as well as drinks. Evenings there were fairly low key with entertainment in the form of small groups of musicians on some nights. The drinks normally came with some sort of snack such as crisps or peanuts, plus there was a free buffet of cakes and fruit every afternoon. There is also an 'Enoteca' - a wine tasting bar where you could buy wine or attend wine tasting evenings and some nights they served free aperitifs before dinner. Lunch could be bought from the pool bar, terrace bar or it was only a 5 minute walk to the cafes of Cisano.
The other hotel facilities were equally as impressive. The gardens are lovely and fit in well with the pool areas. There are 3 main outdoor pools - one which has various Jacuzzi functions and a small children's pool. There were always plenty of sun beds and parasols available. The outdoors pools looked lovely but it wasn't really warm enough for us to want to use them. We didn't have the best of weather while we were there, so the indoor pool and spa were a godsend. The pool itself is not very big but has an added bonus of a separate Jacuzzi pool with 5 different types of Jacuzzi - we loved this. The spa area was open in the afternoons and had three different saunas of varying temperatures and humidity and a number of 'emotional showers' - if you've not come across these before then I won't spoil the surprise. We spent a lovely couple of afternoons making full use of this, only slightly marred by the presence of other guests in the nude (I know there's nothing wrong with naturism but it doesn't mean I want to experience it at close quarters!). There was also a free gym and a treatment spa which had thermal pools and Ayurveda treatments at varying costs - but we didn't make use of this. The hotel also lay on activities such as aqua aerobics, walking and boat trips - details of these can be found in the weekly newsletter that you can get from reception.
The hotel is located just outside Cisano on the lake road to Bardolino on the land side but only a 1 minute walk from the lake shore. The promenade walk to Bardolino is flat and takes less than 30 mins. Buses run past the hotel in both directions - the nearest stops are in the centre of Cisano or Bardolino. We didn't hire a car, but if we had done then the hotel has a large free underground car park.
When we booked, there hadn't been any 'standard' rooms left so we had to pay a bit extra for a room with balcony/terrace. We were actually given a room in one of the garden buildings with a terrace, which I wasn't too happy with as it was only separated by a low bush from the room next door and we therefore had little privacy. The room itself was very nice with a large wardrobe and lots of storage space, although we could have done with more hanging space in the bathroom. The hotel provides you with pool towels, robes, slippers and a bag for use while you are there - a nice touch. The TV had BBC World and you could also use it to surf the internet by hiring a keyboard from reception. Despite a notice saying that non-hotel items would be removed from the minibar, we managed to use it to store our water all week (you can get very cheap mineral water from the Aldi just down the road - turn right out of the hotel). The hotel website claims that the rooms are soundproofed but this definitely isn't true, though it wasn't excessively noisy. You are given key cards on arrival - keep these with you at all times as the lift and the majority of external and internal doors can only be opened this way.
Overall, we really liked this hotel and were glad that we had chosen it. We would recommend it to anyone, but there were very few families with children there so it is more suited to couples.
We stayed at the Caesius for 7 nights, having chosen it because it was the closest and cheapest 4* hotel to Verona in the Thomson Lakes and Mountains brochure. We were unsure of what to expect as there were few photos in the brochure and many of the facilities were not due to open until 2006. The rep told us that the hotel had only started out as the 2 small buildings and pool in the grounds of the main hotel and that the main complex was indeed brand new for 2006. The official rating is 4 1/2 stars now and it would not surprise me if the Thomson ratings and prices increase in 2007 as the Caesius is a very nice hotel. The reception is light and airy with lots of comfortable chairs and some interesting water sculptures. The reception desk is open 24hrs and you can book excursions and hire bikes and keyboards for the internet from there. The main bar and restaurant are on the floor below. Dinner is 4 courses by waiter service and you are allocated the same table for the duration of your stay (more on the food later!). You can also eat in the Augustus a la carte restaurant for no extra cost if you book in advance. Breakfast is served in the main restaurant from 7-10 and in the Augustus from 8-11 - there is slightly more choice in the main restaurant but we preferred the Augustus as the terrace overlooks the lake. The bar is open for most of the day and serves ice creams and cakes as well as drinks. Evenings there were fairly low key with entertainment in the form of small groups of musicians on some nights. The drinks normally came with some sort of snack such as crisps or peanuts, plus there was a free buffet of cakes and fruit every afternoon. There is also an 'Enoteca' - a wine tasting bar where you could buy wine or attend wine tasting evenings and some nights they served free aperitifs before dinner. Lunch could be bought from the pool bar, terrace bar or it was only a 5 minute walk to the cafes of Cisano.
The other hotel facilities were equally as impressive. The gardens are lovely and fit in well with the pool areas. There are 3 main outdoor pools - one which has various Jacuzzi functions and a small children's pool. There were always plenty of sun beds and parasols available. The outdoors pools looked lovely but it wasn't really warm enough for us to want to use them. We didn't have the best of weather while we were there, so the indoor pool and spa were a godsend. The pool itself is not very big but has an added bonus of a separate Jacuzzi pool with 5 different types of Jacuzzi - we loved this. The spa area was open in the afternoons and had three different saunas of varying temperatures and humidity and a number of 'emotional showers' - if you've not come across these before then I won't spoil the surprise. We spent a lovely couple of afternoons making full use of this, only slightly marred by the presence of other guests in the nude (I know there's nothing wrong with naturism but it doesn't mean I want to experience it at close quarters!). There was also a free gym and a treatment spa which had thermal pools and Ayurveda treatments at varying costs - but we didn't make use of this. The hotel also lay on activities such as aqua aerobics, walking and boat trips - details of these can be found in the weekly newsletter that you can get from reception.
The hotel is located just outside Cisano on the lake road to Bardolino on the land side but only a 1 minute walk from the lake shore. The promenade walk to Bardolino is flat and takes less than 30 mins. Buses run past the hotel in both directions - the nearest stops are in the centre of Cisano or Bardolino. We didn't hire a car, but if we had done then the hotel has a large free underground car park.
When we booked, there hadn't been any 'standard' rooms left so we had to pay a bit extra for a room with balcony/terrace. We were actually given a room in one of the garden buildings with a terrace, which I wasn't too happy with as it was only separated by a low bush from the room next door and we therefore had little privacy. The room itself was very nice with a large wardrobe and lots of storage space, although we could have done with more hanging space in the bathroom. The hotel provides you with pool towels, robes, slippers and a bag for use while you are there - a nice touch. The TV had BBC World and you could also use it to surf the internet by hiring a keyboard from reception. Despite a notice saying that non-hotel items would be removed from the minibar, we managed to use it to store our water all week (you can get very cheap mineral water from the Aldi just down the road - turn right out of the hotel). The hotel website claims that the rooms are soundproofed but this definitely isn't true, though it wasn't excessively noisy. You are given key cards on arrival - keep these with you at all times as the lift and the majority of external and internal doors can only be opened this way.
Overall, we really liked this hotel and were glad that we had chosen it. We would recommend it to anyone, but there were very few families with children there so it is more suited to couples.
The Food
Venice
Our stay in Venice was only on a bed and breakfast basis, so we had the opportunity to try our some of the local restaurants etc. To try and keep costs down, at lunchtimes we mainly bought sandwiches and slices of pizza from take-aways and cafes, followed by some ice cream in the afternoon. It was easy to find places to buy these things at reasonable prices, even near San Marco. In the evenings, we mainly chose restaurants with tourist menus, meaning that we never spent more than 25 euros per person, including drinks. The restaurants we went to were Restaurant Malibran (near the Malibran Theatre - quite big with outside seating), Hotel Florida (on the Dorsoduro side of the Grand Canal, a few doors down from Rialto Bridge) and Trattoria Antica Sacrestia (just round the corner from the Casa Querini). Antica Sacrestia was our favourite - the food was beautiful and the portions were huge.
Lake Garda
We stayed at the Caesius on a half board basis. Breakfast is served buffet style with a huge range of hot and cold foods including sausages, bacon, eggs, cereals, cold cheeses and meats, bread, yoghurts and pastries. We never came away hungry! In the evening, we did have the choice of booking a table at the a la carte restaurant, but the food in the main restaurant was so good that we never felt the need to go elsewhere. Every night we had a 4 course waiter service meal, with a set starter, a choice of first and second courses and salad and desert buffets. The menus were different every night including dishes such as wild boar pasta, beef carpaccio with pear sauce and French onion soup. The service was sometimes a little slow but we would go and get salad or bread while we were waiting.
We ate lunch at the pool bar a couple of times and the sandwiches/burgers etc were good and not too expensive. We also ate in some of the cafes in Cisano which were fine. When we went to Verona, we found a lovely cafe by the Duomo (face the front entrance and it's on your right) and also one by the lakeside in Malcesine (face the ferry stop and then take the street to your right). Generally we spent no more than 15 euros per person on lunch.
Venice
Our stay in Venice was only on a bed and breakfast basis, so we had the opportunity to try our some of the local restaurants etc. To try and keep costs down, at lunchtimes we mainly bought sandwiches and slices of pizza from take-aways and cafes, followed by some ice cream in the afternoon. It was easy to find places to buy these things at reasonable prices, even near San Marco. In the evenings, we mainly chose restaurants with tourist menus, meaning that we never spent more than 25 euros per person, including drinks. The restaurants we went to were Restaurant Malibran (near the Malibran Theatre - quite big with outside seating), Hotel Florida (on the Dorsoduro side of the Grand Canal, a few doors down from Rialto Bridge) and Trattoria Antica Sacrestia (just round the corner from the Casa Querini). Antica Sacrestia was our favourite - the food was beautiful and the portions were huge.
Lake Garda
We stayed at the Caesius on a half board basis. Breakfast is served buffet style with a huge range of hot and cold foods including sausages, bacon, eggs, cereals, cold cheeses and meats, bread, yoghurts and pastries. We never came away hungry! In the evening, we did have the choice of booking a table at the a la carte restaurant, but the food in the main restaurant was so good that we never felt the need to go elsewhere. Every night we had a 4 course waiter service meal, with a set starter, a choice of first and second courses and salad and desert buffets. The menus were different every night including dishes such as wild boar pasta, beef carpaccio with pear sauce and French onion soup. The service was sometimes a little slow but we would go and get salad or bread while we were waiting.
We ate lunch at the pool bar a couple of times and the sandwiches/burgers etc were good and not too expensive. We also ate in some of the cafes in Cisano which were fine. When we went to Verona, we found a lovely cafe by the Duomo (face the front entrance and it's on your right) and also one by the lakeside in Malcesine (face the ferry stop and then take the street to your right). Generally we spent no more than 15 euros per person on lunch.
Days Out
Venice
The day after we arrived, we went to the tourist office at the Giardini Real at 10am (when it opened) to buy our Orange Venice Cards. These cost 54 euros for a senior card (ages 30 and upwards) or 45 euros for a junior card (under 30s, although they didn't ask for proof of age) and were valid for 72 hrs. They gave us free entry into the majority of Venice's museums, unlimited travel on the waterbuses and free use of staffed AmaV public toilets (see http://www.venicecard.com for further details). We were not sure how much money they saved us in the end, but it was very convenient to be able to pay for them upfront by debit card and then not worry about buying individual tickets for things. We certainly made good use of the waterbuses, using them to do some general sightseeing (by getting outdoor seats and staying on a bus for its entire route) as well as to get to particular destinations (e.g. Murano and Burano). There were lots of signs on the buses about 30 Euro fines if you boarded without a ticket but we didn't see anyone checking tickets the whole time we were there. The particular sights we visited were as follows:
Cannaregio - A lovely quiet area of the city to stroll around. We saw the churches of San Alvise and Madonna dell'Orto from the outside only as it was a Sunday and they were closed for services. We also went to the Jewish Ghetto and visited the museum there - to be honest it's only really worth seeing if you have a particular interest in Judaism or if the weather is bad and you need something to do.
San Giorgio Maggiore - It's well worth paying to go up the bell tower as the views are magnificent. It's also cheaper than going up the Campanile in San Marco. Visiting the church itself is free.
Murano - It's worth getting here before 10am to avoid the crowds. Some of the factories will let you see the glass blowing for free - just keep an eye out for the signs. The churches of San Pietro Martire and Santi Maria e Donato are worth visiting. We used our Venice Card to visit the glass museum and really enjoyed it. There are toilets there and also in the park on the opposite side of the canal to Santi Maria e Donato.
Burano - Burano is actually quite a long way from Murano - about 45 mins by waterbus. We though that it was a much prettier island than Murano, although we weren't very inspired by the lace museum - it's free with the Venice card but probably not worth paying for unless you are very interested in lace. The trip back from Burano took us nearly 1 1/2 hrs via the Lido.
San Marco - We got to San Marco just before the Basilica was due to open, to find 2 huge queues stretching parallel and perpendicular to the entrance. The queue that extends into the Piazza itself is for tour groups only; the one in the direction of the Palazzo Ducale is for individuals. The queue was so long that we decided to go to the Palazzo instead (using our Venice Cards). The Palazzo is a fantastic building - it's well worth spending at least a couple of hours there. Afterwards we queued for about 30 mins to get into the Basilica. People were being turned away at the front of the queue if they were carrying bags and told to store them at a cloakroom just off the Piazza. Anyone judged to be wearing 'immodest' clothing was forced to pay for a poncho type thing to wear if they still wanted to go in. Luckily we already knew about the restrictions so had no problems. The inside of the Basilica is quite amazing - not what I expected at all - so it's worth persevering with the entrance problems. We also used our Venice Cards to visit the Museo Correr, but we were pretty tired by that point and didn't end up seeing much of it.
Dorsoduro - We really like the fact that it was much quieter here than in other areas of Venice. Santa Maria della Salute is worth visiting if you are in the area.
Castello - Our hotel was in this area so we got to know it quite well. There are lots of shops and places to eat and Santa Maria Formosa is worth a visit.
Venice
The day after we arrived, we went to the tourist office at the Giardini Real at 10am (when it opened) to buy our Orange Venice Cards. These cost 54 euros for a senior card (ages 30 and upwards) or 45 euros for a junior card (under 30s, although they didn't ask for proof of age) and were valid for 72 hrs. They gave us free entry into the majority of Venice's museums, unlimited travel on the waterbuses and free use of staffed AmaV public toilets (see http://www.venicecard.com for further details). We were not sure how much money they saved us in the end, but it was very convenient to be able to pay for them upfront by debit card and then not worry about buying individual tickets for things. We certainly made good use of the waterbuses, using them to do some general sightseeing (by getting outdoor seats and staying on a bus for its entire route) as well as to get to particular destinations (e.g. Murano and Burano). There were lots of signs on the buses about 30 Euro fines if you boarded without a ticket but we didn't see anyone checking tickets the whole time we were there. The particular sights we visited were as follows:
Cannaregio - A lovely quiet area of the city to stroll around. We saw the churches of San Alvise and Madonna dell'Orto from the outside only as it was a Sunday and they were closed for services. We also went to the Jewish Ghetto and visited the museum there - to be honest it's only really worth seeing if you have a particular interest in Judaism or if the weather is bad and you need something to do.
San Giorgio Maggiore - It's well worth paying to go up the bell tower as the views are magnificent. It's also cheaper than going up the Campanile in San Marco. Visiting the church itself is free.
Murano - It's worth getting here before 10am to avoid the crowds. Some of the factories will let you see the glass blowing for free - just keep an eye out for the signs. The churches of San Pietro Martire and Santi Maria e Donato are worth visiting. We used our Venice Card to visit the glass museum and really enjoyed it. There are toilets there and also in the park on the opposite side of the canal to Santi Maria e Donato.
Burano - Burano is actually quite a long way from Murano - about 45 mins by waterbus. We though that it was a much prettier island than Murano, although we weren't very inspired by the lace museum - it's free with the Venice card but probably not worth paying for unless you are very interested in lace. The trip back from Burano took us nearly 1 1/2 hrs via the Lido.
San Marco - We got to San Marco just before the Basilica was due to open, to find 2 huge queues stretching parallel and perpendicular to the entrance. The queue that extends into the Piazza itself is for tour groups only; the one in the direction of the Palazzo Ducale is for individuals. The queue was so long that we decided to go to the Palazzo instead (using our Venice Cards). The Palazzo is a fantastic building - it's well worth spending at least a couple of hours there. Afterwards we queued for about 30 mins to get into the Basilica. People were being turned away at the front of the queue if they were carrying bags and told to store them at a cloakroom just off the Piazza. Anyone judged to be wearing 'immodest' clothing was forced to pay for a poncho type thing to wear if they still wanted to go in. Luckily we already knew about the restrictions so had no problems. The inside of the Basilica is quite amazing - not what I expected at all - so it's worth persevering with the entrance problems. We also used our Venice Cards to visit the Museo Correr, but we were pretty tired by that point and didn't end up seeing much of it.
Dorsoduro - We really like the fact that it was much quieter here than in other areas of Venice. Santa Maria della Salute is worth visiting if you are in the area.
Castello - Our hotel was in this area so we got to know it quite well. There are lots of shops and places to eat and Santa Maria Formosa is worth a visit.
Lake Garda
The day after we arrived, we went to the tourist office in Bardolino and picked up leaflets for local attractions and copies of the current bus and ferry timetables. You can buy bus tickets either before boarding, or on the bus for a small surcharge. I'm not sure if you can buy ferry tickets on the boats themselves or not as we only travelled on one once. The buses are much cheaper and quicker than the ferries.
Verona - We caught the bus from Cisano which took about 45 mins and cost about 8 euros for a single ticket. On arrival, we went straight to the Arena and bought Verona cards. These cost 8 euros for 1 day and give free entry to the majority of Verona's museums and churches and free use of local buses - very good value for money as we were able to see almost everything of interest in one day. Our best tip would be to visit the roman amphitheatre just north east of the Duomo as there is a lift that takes you up to a museum on the hill with fantastic view over the city. Also be warned that the Castelvecchio is not actually a castle but instead houses an art gallery so it is not worth going inside unless you like that sort of thing.
Malcesine - We were advised by our rep that it wasn't worth going up Monte Baldo on the cable car if weather conditions meant that you couldn't see the other side of the lake clearly from our hotel. We were hoping to go up on a dry, clear day, but events conspired against us and it was rather dull and wet on the day that we chose. We got the bus from Cisano which took about an hour and then walked a short way to the cable car station. It cost 16 euros each for a return ticket to the top, so we were gutted when we got to the top and it was 7 degrees and raining with little visibility. Amazingly, after a cake and coffee stop at the cafe, the mist lifted and we were able to have a bit of a walk around and take some photos. It was still very cold though - so either go on a warm day or take lots of warm layers. Afterwards we visited the castle, which has great views of the surrounding areas and it worth a visit. We thought that Malcesine had a lot of character and were glad we had visited it.
Movieland Studios Theme Park (INVALID URL - We went to catch the bus from Cisano, only for it to drive past our stop as it was full. The next one wasn't due for 45 mins and we had no idea if it would stop either, so we decided to go back to our hotel and ask reception to call us a taxi. Luckily we were actually able to flag one down a short while later. It wasn't cheap though, costing 16 euros for a 10 minute ride, but it did mean we got there just as the gates opened. Entrance to the park wasn't too expensive (about 16 euros each) and in high season you can buy joint tickets that allow you to use the water park as well (this closes in mid Sept). As the name suggests, it is a theme park based around the film industry. During the whole day, 'film crews' patrol the main areas and try and get you involved in re-enactions of scenes from various movies (e.g. Scooby Doo, Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend). This was a bit daunting when we first got there but we did get used to it. As we were there out of the main season, the rides were not running for the whole day, so you had to consult the map and timetable that you were given to work out what to go on when. As it was quiet, we were able to go on everything at least once in the 6 hours we were there - particular highlights were the submarine simulator (you will get very, very wet), Magma (recreation of a disaster movie), the Horror House (a haunted house recreating scenes from well known horror movies with live actors) and the Terminator 2 experience. There were also live action shows on during the day - we particularly liked the Rambo and Stuntmen Academy ones. We had a really good day out but it would have been better if there had been a few more rides - if you want rollercoasters then I think that Gardaland would be better. We went to get the local bus back to our hotel but then a free 'Movieland' one turned up so we got that instead (I wouldn't rely on it though - take the number of a local taxi firm just in case).
The day after we arrived, we went to the tourist office in Bardolino and picked up leaflets for local attractions and copies of the current bus and ferry timetables. You can buy bus tickets either before boarding, or on the bus for a small surcharge. I'm not sure if you can buy ferry tickets on the boats themselves or not as we only travelled on one once. The buses are much cheaper and quicker than the ferries.
Verona - We caught the bus from Cisano which took about 45 mins and cost about 8 euros for a single ticket. On arrival, we went straight to the Arena and bought Verona cards. These cost 8 euros for 1 day and give free entry to the majority of Verona's museums and churches and free use of local buses - very good value for money as we were able to see almost everything of interest in one day. Our best tip would be to visit the roman amphitheatre just north east of the Duomo as there is a lift that takes you up to a museum on the hill with fantastic view over the city. Also be warned that the Castelvecchio is not actually a castle but instead houses an art gallery so it is not worth going inside unless you like that sort of thing.
Malcesine - We were advised by our rep that it wasn't worth going up Monte Baldo on the cable car if weather conditions meant that you couldn't see the other side of the lake clearly from our hotel. We were hoping to go up on a dry, clear day, but events conspired against us and it was rather dull and wet on the day that we chose. We got the bus from Cisano which took about an hour and then walked a short way to the cable car station. It cost 16 euros each for a return ticket to the top, so we were gutted when we got to the top and it was 7 degrees and raining with little visibility. Amazingly, after a cake and coffee stop at the cafe, the mist lifted and we were able to have a bit of a walk around and take some photos. It was still very cold though - so either go on a warm day or take lots of warm layers. Afterwards we visited the castle, which has great views of the surrounding areas and it worth a visit. We thought that Malcesine had a lot of character and were glad we had visited it.
Movieland Studios Theme Park (INVALID URL - We went to catch the bus from Cisano, only for it to drive past our stop as it was full. The next one wasn't due for 45 mins and we had no idea if it would stop either, so we decided to go back to our hotel and ask reception to call us a taxi. Luckily we were actually able to flag one down a short while later. It wasn't cheap though, costing 16 euros for a 10 minute ride, but it did mean we got there just as the gates opened. Entrance to the park wasn't too expensive (about 16 euros each) and in high season you can buy joint tickets that allow you to use the water park as well (this closes in mid Sept). As the name suggests, it is a theme park based around the film industry. During the whole day, 'film crews' patrol the main areas and try and get you involved in re-enactions of scenes from various movies (e.g. Scooby Doo, Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend). This was a bit daunting when we first got there but we did get used to it. As we were there out of the main season, the rides were not running for the whole day, so you had to consult the map and timetable that you were given to work out what to go on when. As it was quiet, we were able to go on everything at least once in the 6 hours we were there - particular highlights were the submarine simulator (you will get very, very wet), Magma (recreation of a disaster movie), the Horror House (a haunted house recreating scenes from well known horror movies with live actors) and the Terminator 2 experience. There were also live action shows on during the day - we particularly liked the Rambo and Stuntmen Academy ones. We had a really good day out but it would have been better if there had been a few more rides - if you want rollercoasters then I think that Gardaland would be better. We went to get the local bus back to our hotel but then a free 'Movieland' one turned up so we got that instead (I wouldn't rely on it though - take the number of a local taxi firm just in case).
Thanks for that - we are heading off to Bardolino next summer with our teenage son, and I found your review interesting and informative.
Gill
Gill
Many thanks Corinne76 very helpful and informative. 
That was excellent. I love Venice and your post brought back many happy memories for me. Thanks so much for taking the time to share.
Elaine xx
Elaine xx
hello I am looking to suprise my fiance with a holiday to lake garda for his birthday and was just wondering whether anyone has done any cycling around the lake and whether there are any hotels with free inclusive bike hire. Or if anyone knows how much it is to hire a bike per day?
Thanks
Vix
Thanks
Vix
Hi
My boyfriend hired a bike from our hotel (Caesius) for a half day but I can't remember how much it cost. He said the lake promenade was great to cycle along. I expect you would find cycle hire shops in most of the mian towns.
My boyfriend hired a bike from our hotel (Caesius) for a half day but I can't remember how much it cost. He said the lake promenade was great to cycle along. I expect you would find cycle hire shops in most of the mian towns.
yeh but I am worried if I don't book a hotel with free cycle hire that I'll find that the cost of the local bike hire will be quite steep.
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