Hotels in Riva del Garda, Italy. Hotel booking in Riva del Garda from ahotelinitaly.com

Lake Garda is a delight, the largest and certainly the cleanest of the meres in the Italian Lake District, with mild winters, delightful summers and watersports galore. The mountains tumble down into the blue waters of the lake and the temperate and shaded shores yield superb crops of olives, grapes for wine and a cornucopia of citrus and other fruits. The town of Riva del Garda lies at the northern reach of this delightful watercourse, which stretches a full 30 miles south from here.

It's certainly one of the best vantage points on the lake, with a spectacular view of the waters framed by Mount Baldo (rising to 2218 metres to the east) and Mount Rocchetta (1575 metres to the west). This position started pulling the visitors in the late 19th century, with the pretty pastel-coloured hotels still rather evoking the Victorian era. It's still a small town (a definite plus) with a population of some 15,000 and little in the way of modern fripperies. There are good pizzerias and gelaterie, plenty of late-opening bars and the castle for a spot of historical sightseeing (with the tourist office alongside in the Giardini di Porta Orientale). And you'll find good walking and cycling to be had in the lovely countryside around the town. Most of all though there is that water and that view ... what more do you need?

To the left you'll find a selection of Riva del Garda hotels, just to whet your appetite. See also Riva del Garda hotels (full listings) and our Riva del Garda hotel map.