The resort’s beach is quite small and pebbly but the scenery is breathtaking and the clear, shallow waters make it ideal for families with children.
A large play park fronts the beach and there is a water sports centre hiring out windsurfers and pedaloes.
Riva is a hot-spot for Italian and Austrian families but it has yet to catch on with the UKfamily market as a summer holiday destination. Traditionally the Italian lakes have been the domain of coach tour operators who tend to attract a more mature market.
The local tourism industry is keen to attract a younger crowd from the UK by promoting the range of outdoor activities available and the excellent family facilities. Windsurfing, sailing, mountain biking and hiking are just some of the activities available in summer.
Families with young children can also head for the popular Gardaland less than an hour’s drive away, near Lazise.
By night the resort is lively but not rowdy as Italian families take their evening ‘passeggiata’ along the lake front.
A great spot to finish off the night is the Caffe Gelateria Dolce Freddo on the harbour. Take your pick from 40 mouth-watering flavours of ice cream and settle down for some serious people-watching.
The local restaurant menus can tell you a surprising amount about Lake Garda. Listed alongside the pizza and spaghetti Napoli are wiener schnitzel and frankfurters, while litre jugs of German beer compete with the local Valpolicella and Bardolino wines.
Both geographically and culturally, Lake Garda is at the crossroads of the Austrian Tyrol and Mediterranean Italy.
The mist-covered Dolomite mountains form a stunning backdrop to the sun-drenched pebble lakeside beaches, while palm trees and Alpine firs thrive in the mild climate.
At 30 miles long and 10 miles wide, Garda is the largest and the cleanest of the Italian lakes. The north of the lake has a Germanic flavour – a legacy from the days when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire and, more recently, from the influx of Austrian and German tourists who take their summer holidays here.
As you travel further south, the landscape levels out and the mountains give way to olive groves and vineyards – an altogether more Mediterranean outlook.
Ever since the 89-mile Gardesana Road was built around the lake shore in the 1930s, tourism has been the main industry for the string of attractive towns lining the lake.
At its northernmost tip, Riva del Garda is one of the largest and best known of Garda’s resorts. Surrounded by steep mountains, it offers some of the region’s most dramatic scenery.
The area is out of bounds to motorised water sports and the constant breezes make it an excellent spot for windsurfing.
Riva has an elegant waterfront lined with pastel-painted buildings, slightly faded grand old hotels, pizzerias and gelaterias where you can enjoy an ice cream or a cafe latte while admiring the lake views.
Turn down any side street and you will find yourself in the old town with its narrow cobbled roads and numerous shops – from designer clothes outlets to traditional delicatessens selling delicious Italian cheeses, salamis and olive oil.
The resort’s beach is quite small and pebbly but the scenery is breathtaking and the clear, shallow waters make it ideal for families with children.
A large play park fronts the beach and there is a water sports centre hiring out windsurfers and pedaloes.
Riva is a hot-spot for Italian and Austrian families but it has yet to catch on with the UKfamily market as a summer holiday destination. Traditionally the Italian lakes have been the domain of coach tour operators who tend to attract a more mature market.
The local tourism industry is keen to attract a younger crowd from the UK by promoting the range of outdoor activities available and the excellent family facilities. Windsurfing, sailing, mountain biking and hiking are just some of the activities available in summer.
Families with young children can also head for the popular Gardaland less than an hour’s drive away, near Lazise.
By night the resort is lively but not rowdy as Italian families take their evening ‘passeggiata’ along the lake front.
A great spot to finish off the night is the Caffe Gelateria Dolce Freddo on the harbour. Take your pick from 40 mouth-watering flavours of ice cream and settle down for some serious people-watching.
Riva del GArda
Getting there: Verona is the main gateway airport. Good motorway connections to Venice and Milan.
Sample package: lead-in price in First Choice’s 2000 Lakes and Mountains brochure is £339 for seven nights at the three-star Hotel Mirage in Riva during May.
Accommodation: hotels in the centre of Riva tend to be older, smaller and privately owned. A 15min walk from the centre, The Hotel du Lac e du Parc is one of Riva’s biggest and best-equipped hotels. Backing onto the beach, the hotel has a large swimming pool, beautiful grounds offering self-catering chalet accommodation and a children’s club. It is featured by Sovereign.
Eating out:waterfront cafes and pizzerias can be a bit overpriced and touristy. A pizza costs around £3-£4. The old town is a better bet.Leon d’Oro on Via Fiumo serves reasonably-priced traditional Italian fare in an atmospheric setting. Spaghetti bolognese is around £3.50. For a treat, Il Volt is a lovely restaurant in an old wine cellar serving regional specialities such as carpaccio of beef, pasta, lamb, veal and trout from the lake.
Nightlife:there are two discos and a selection of bars which stay open until 3-4am.
Attractions:Gardaland – open daily in the summer. Adults approximately £12; children £11.
Excursions:regular ferry departures link Riva with other lakeside resorts. Tickets can be bought before departure. Pre-bookable excursions offered by First Choice include the following:full-day lake tour by boat and coach – £25; half-day wine tour – £17; day trip to Venice – £28; day trip to Florence – £36; full-day coach tour of the Dolomites – £28.