For a quiet lakeside retreat to satisfy a need to escape the big city for a weekend (just kidding Siena has about 55,000 people but it seems like so much more!) some friends and I opted to go to Lake Garda, a cheaper, closer option to that of Lake Como with plenty of charm. Upon arriving, I was absolutely in awe of the landscape. In New England, we certainly do have some breathtaking settings surrounding our lakes. However, it usually comes in the form of rolling hills clad with trees and the occasional rapid river. We certainly do not have enormous cliffs popping up around the perimeter overlooking our lakes.
Yeah, definitely not in New England anymore. The unique landscape of Lake Garda was carved out by glaciers since 5 to 6 million years ago, and the glaciers remained until as recently as the last ice age. A friend recently told me that there are caves in Garda with paintings made by early humans! As an anthropology nerd, I wish I had known this before I went there. I might have never left the cave had I known. Thankfully, I do not regret any of the time I spent biking around Garda, sampling the local food and wine, and hanging out with... Germans? That's right, I met far more Germans in Lake Garda than Italians.
It turns out that Lake Garda is a very popular vacation spot for the friendly neighbors from up north. I met quite a few Germans who were there trying to soak up the last bits of summer, because summer lasts through late September in Italy (actually even longer because it's so damn hot here). Also, they were trying to escape the incoming flood of tourists back home as Oktoberfest was beginning. Even the people who owned the bike shop I rented from were Germans. Also, the band at one of the local bars. They were playing mostly American music from the 70s and 80s, and they were rocking out!
Little harbors with colorful boats like those above were a common sight as I was orbiting the perimeter of the lake on my rental bike. It was so easy to enjoy myself thanks to the wonderful aesthetic. I even took a break from my bike ride to rest at one point, and ended up extending myself across a bench under a shady tree and taking a quick nap! How lovely is that? As I've expressed, I really enjoyed this relaxing getaway to Lake Garda and I would recommend it to any traveler. It provides a great mixture of adventure, hospitality, and aesthetic that is enthralling to any adventurous person.