Regional Information
Lake Garda, Venice & Verona
Lake Garda
At a Glance
Currency: Euro (€)
Language: Italian, English widely spoken
Local Time: Irish and UK time +1 hour
Voltage: 230V – continental adaptors purchased in Ireland / UK can be used
Airport: Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate and Milan Bergamo airports service Lake Garda. Milan is approximately 180km (112 miles) southwest of Riva del Garda on Lake Garda. Approximate journey time from Malpensa is 3 hours, Linate 2 hours 30 minutes and Bergamo 2 hours.
Flight Duration: Approx. 2.5 / 3 hours
Climate: Lake Garda is renowned for its mild climate.
Overview
Lake Garda (or Benaco) is the largest Italian lake and is located in the north of the country. To the south it is broad and without surrounding mountains, whereas in the north it is like a fiord, closed in by mountains. It is famous for its Mediterranean climate, blue waters, abundant vegetation and its attractive villas and gardens. The variety of the landscape and the efficiency of the tourist services around its shores make it a great tourist destination.
Highlights
Riva del Garda - Surrounded by imposing mountains this town is in the province of Trento and is the northernmost town on the lake. It is not just a resort but also a real, prosperous Italian town, with medieval towers, a nice smattering of Renaissance churches and palazzi and narrow cobblestone streets where everyday business proceeds in its alluring way.
The central square of the town is Piazza III Novembre. On the square, surrounded by 14th century porticos, are Palazzo Pretorio and the Apponale Tower. This 34 meter tower, built to defend the town, had salt and grain storerooms and exchange banks at its foot. It was also used as a prison, then as an observation post during World War I. On the top of the tower welcoming visitors stands the symbol of the town, a small angel called "l'Anzolin de la Tor". The Bastion, a Venetian fortress, was built on the steep slopes of the nearby Mount Rocchetta. It affords a splendid view of the city and the northern part of the lake.
Sirmione - This is the "pearl of all islands and peninsulas" according to the Roman poet Catullo. It is wrapped in a luminous atmosphere, between the blue of the waters and the green of the olive trees, with picturesque streets full of elegant shops. You can visit the Rocca Scaligera castle with its collection of Roman sculptures and its curious dockyard. The archaeological site, known as the Grottoes of Catullus, is on the very end of the peninsula and consists of the remains of a grandiose Roman villa within natural surroundings of great beauty.
Desenzano del Garda - The 16th century cathedral in the attractive town of Desenzano del Garda has a marvellous canvas by Tiepolo. The Archaeological museum and the excavation of a 4th century BC Roman villa, with rich polychrome pavements, are worth seeing.
Salo - This is an important holiday resort with two museums and a late Gothic cathedral with splendid works of art. There are beautiful sights to see, including the picturesque Valtenesi, a hilly area of vineyards and olive plantations sloping down to the lake.
Gardone Riviera - This elegant and popular health resort is famous for the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio's monumental villa, the Vittoriale degli Italiani. Here there is an open-air theatre, the poet's mausoleum and tomb and the reconstruction of the prow of the "Puglia” ship. You may like to visit the Hruska Botanical Garden and the Villa Alba, a convention venue within a vast park.
Malcesine - This popular holiday resort is dominated by the medieval Scaligero Castle, which houses a museum with natural history collections. The “Goethian Room” is particularly interesting. The 15th century Palace of the Captains of the Lake is attractive and a visit by cable car to the nearby Monte Baldo gives one the chance to admire an incredible wide panoramic view.
Useful Contacts
Tourist Office, Riva del Garda: Giardini di Porta Orientale 8
Tel: + 39 0464 554 444, Fax: + 39 0464 520 308
Web: www.garda.com or www.gardatrentino.com
Useful Websites
www.rivadelgarda.com
www.lagodigarda.it
www.gardainforma.com
www.gardameteo.com
Venice
At a Glance
Currency: Euro (€)
Population: 310,000
Language: Italian, English widely spoken
Local Time: Irish and UK time +1 hour
Voltage: 230V – continental adaptors purchased in Ireland / UK can be used
Airport: Venice airport is 13km (8 miles) from the city and reachable by land or water.
Climate: The weather is most pleasant in spring and autumn – with clear, crisp days. Summers are hot and winter days can be cool and damp. Mist often enhances Venice’s mysterious atmosphere.
Overview
Located in the north-east of Italy, Venice is still one of the world’s most thoroughly unique destinations, a city that inspires even the most jaded of travellers. Quite simply, it is unlike anywhere else on the planet, with a collage of 116 islands connected by 409 bridges, where cars are banned and everyone, including postmen and the police, go by boat.
Highlights
Ca' d'Oro – This magnificent Gothic structure houses the Galleria Franchetti, an impressive collection of bronzes, tapestries and paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries; many works are by Titian. A big incentive for visiting is the chance to take in the panorama from the balconies over the Grand Canal on the 1st and 2nd floors.
Ca' Rezzonico Museo del Settecento Veneziano – Designed by Longhena this magnificent mansion houses a collection of 18th-century art, including furniture and some fine ceiling frescoes by Tiepolo. It is worth visiting for the views over the Grand Canal alone.
Gallerie dell'Accademia – The Gallerie dell'Accademia houses Venice's single most important art collection, which brilliantly illustrates the progression of Venetian art from the 14th to 18th centuries.
Palazzo Ducale – The Doge's Palace is a rare example of civil Venetian Gothic and was home to the doge and to all arms of government, including prisons, for much of the thousand or so years of the Republic. The palace's two magnificent Gothic facades in white Istrian stone and pink Veronese marble face the water and Piazzetta San Marco.
Pellestrina – Pellestrina is a small island near the southernmost tip of the Lido, It is home to fishing villages, lace makers and Murazzi. The seawalls of Istrian stone protected the lagoon from the Adriatic's swell from 1782 until the horrific floods of 1966. A walk along the deserted ribbon of grey sand is the perfect antidote to those crowded Venetian alleyways.
Ponte di Rialto – The Rialto has always been the commercial heart of Venice, so it is hardly surprising that the first bridge over the Grand Canal was built here. Today the area is still famous for its bustling fruit and vegetable market and the bridge itself is often neck-deep in stalls selling tourist souvenirs.
Squero di San Trovaso – On the banks of the leafy Rio di San Trovaso, one of Venice's most attractive waterways, you can see one of the few working squeros (gondola workshops) left in the city and witness the masterful craftsmanship first hand. From the right bank you can look across to the vessels in various states of (dis) repair.
St Mark's Basilica – St Mark's is one of the most spectacular houses of worship in the world, attesting to the Venetian Republic's former maritime and commercial might. Adorned with an incredible array of plundered treasures it is a seething mass of domes and arches. The dress code requires knees, shoulders and upper arms be covered.
St Mark's Square – Napoleon dubbed it the “finest drawing room in Europe” and visitors and pigeons alike have been flocking here for centuries to strut and crow. There is a constant carnival atmosphere thanks to the cacophony of duelling cafe orchestras, cooing pigeons and constant traffic of waiters serving alfresco diners.
Getting Around
Walking in Venice can be a rewarding pursuit. Be prepared to get lost in the timeless backstreets, dead-end alleys, canalside fondamente and deserted squares that make up the real Venice. Vaporetto (water bus) is the quintessential method of getting around Venice; you won't find too many public transport routes as unforgettable as vaporetto No 1's trip along the Grand Canal. Buses run from Piazzale Roma to Mestre and other mainland destinations but it is probably the least exciting way to get around the city.
Useful Contacts
Tourist Office, Venice: Piazza San Marco
Tel: + 39 041 5226356 / 5298730, Fax: + 39 041 5298730
Useful Website
www.visitvenice.co.uk
Verona
At a Glance
Currency: Euro (€)
Language: Italian, English widely spoken.
Local Time: Irish and UK time + 1 hour
Voltage: 230V-adaptors purchased in Ireland / UK can be used
.
Airport: Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate airports service Verona.
Flight Duration: 2.5 hours approx.
Climate: Enjoying a mild climate with spring and autumn months being the ideal time to visit. In the summer it can be very hot and humid due to the closeness of Lake Garda.
Overview
Verona is a city and a provincial capital in Veneto, northern Italy. The ancient town and the centre of the modern city are in a loop of the Adige River near Lake Garda. The city of the most famous lovers in history, Romeo and Juliet, has well preserved its artistic heritage.
Highlights
Roman Amphitheatre - The Arena, completed around 30 AD, is the third largest in Italy, after Rome's Colosseum and the arena at Capua. It measures 139 meters long and 110 meters wide and could seat some 25,000 spectators.
The Arco dei Gavi (Gavi Arch) - Dedicated to the important Roman family of the Gavii, this arch was built in the 1st century AD. It is famous for having the name of the builder (architect Lucius Vitruvius Cordone) engraved on it, a really rare case in the architecture of the epoque.
Porta dei Borsari - This archway is at the end of Corso Porta Borsari. This is the facade of a 3rd century gate in the original Roman city walls. The inscription is dated 245 AD and gives the city name as Colonia Verona Augusta.
Santa Maria Atica - This huge Romanesque church was the parish church of the Scaligeri clan. Founded in the 7th century the interior is very beautiful. The structure is of alternating bands of brick and stone. The square belfry has Gothic mullioned windows and inset glass crosses in the roof admit light.
Getting Around
As a general rule, you don't need to use a bus to get around Verona. The central part of the city is relatively small and you can reach everything on foot.
Useful Contacts
Tourist Office, Verona: Via Degli Alpini, 9 (P.zza Bra )
Tel. + 39 045 8068680, Fax + 39 045 8003638
Email: iatverona@provincia.vr.it
Useful Website
www.tourism.verona.it
GENERAL
Health/Security
Most Italians take mineral water with their meals; however, tap water is safe everywhere, as are public drinking fountains. Unsafe sources will be marked ACQUA NON POTABILE. If tap water comes out cloudy, it is only the calcium or other minerals inherent in a water supply that often comes untreated from fresh springs. These cities are essentially safe, but have a reputation for young pickpockets. Generally, tourists should take the precautions they would in any city. Avoid carrying large sums of cash or leaving belongings unattended.
Passport/Visa
Italy is a member of the EU; therefore no visa is required for Irish or British citizens. A valid passport is required.
Useful Contacts
Irish Consulate, Milan: Piazza S. Pietro in Gessate 2, 20122 Milano
Tel: + 39 02 551 87569, Fax: + 39 02 551 87 570
Email: Antonia.Marsaglia@flashnet.it
Web: www.embassyofireland.it
British Consulate, Venice: Piazzale Donatori di Sangue, 2/5, 30171 Venezia-Mestre VE
Tel: + 39 041 505 5990, Fax: + 39 041 950 254
Email: britconvenice@tin.it
Web: www.ukve.it or www.ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk/en
Local Emergency Services: Ambulance 118 / Fire 115 / Police 112
Calling Italy from UK/Ireland: 00 + 39 + area code + the number
Calling Ireland from Italy: 00 + 353 + area code + the number
Calling UK from Italy: 00 + 44 + area code + the number
Useful Website
www.italiantourism.com