One Day On The Lake Iseo, Italy at Hotel Ulivi
After Bologna and Venice, we headed over to the most relaxing part of our Italian vacation – lake Iseo. I really love holidays next to the water, whether it is the ocean, a river or a lake.
It was only about 2 hours drive from Venice when we found ourselves surrounded by amazing landscapes and picturesque mountains. The Alps, freely stretching on the territory of northern Italy, hide in their foothills real jewels for lovers of natural beauty.
The intricate silhouette of Lago Iseo comfortably nestled on the “chest” of the Lombardian Alps, between the cities of Bergamo and Brescia. The river Oglio, rapidly flowing down from the cold peaks, filled the natural pool with crystally clear waters. The total area of the coastal line is around 65 kilometers and represents the most incredible Italian nature.
In contrast to its “big” brothers (Garda, Como and Maggiore), Lago Iseo is less distant from the sea level, about 185 m. At the same time, the depth of this mountain lake is quite impressive, sometimes reaching the maximum mark of 250 m. Small resort towns and villages are cosily scattered along the shore of the lake.
Photography – Philippe Reifenrath
Where to stay
We stayed in an amazing Hotel Ulivi – a charming boutique-style place in a small town called Paratico. When I saw the view from our balcony, it took my breath away:
We arrived before sunset so could appreciate the stunning natural beauty of lake Iseo at its most glorious hour:
The room is very spacious and beautifully decorated in modern style:
Couldn’t resist the temptation to connect to wifi :
The hotel is tastefully furnished and has all necessary for a comfortable stay, including a swimming pool, coffee shop, Wi-Fi, private parking, and bicycle rent.
In the morning I had to wake up very early not to miss to take the photos of the gorgeous sunrise:
The breakfast was delicious! – an extensive buffet including Italian delicacies and fresh bakery. And again – those stunning views!
It was already a bit cold to use a swimming pool (what a pity!), however, was still nice to spend a couple of hours sunbathing next to the water.
The garden in the hotel is very cute and well maintained:
Activities
One of the best thing you can do on Lake Iseo is to take a bike (the hotel offers them for rent) and go around the shore. Part of the route goes through the town with a bit of a car traffic and partially it is just countryside road with amazing views which is of course more adventurous and fun.
Visiting neighboring little villages and towns is also very interesting – you will get the chance to experience the Italian lifestyle far away from the city buzz.
In the northern part of the lake, in Bergamo province, there is a small cozy town Lovere. Walking through its little streets you can reach the ancient Basilica of Santa Maria in Valvendra, or the art gallery of the Tadini Academy. Not to mention the lovely restaurants and cafes, ready to delight visitors with delicious Italian cuisine and wines. If you move clockwise along the shore of the lake, you can find a lot of other interesting places: the city of Pisogne, Marone, and Sulzano.
There are also various water activities – for example, kayaking and sailing – the hotel will help you to organize them with local companies.
One of the most popular local attractions is Monte Isola – the island in the middle of lake Iseo. Monte Isola peak is 600 meters above the water, which allowed the island to win the title of the highest lake island in the whole Europe!
Gastronomic experience
Paratico has several good restaurants and cafes. The local specialties include sardines (bear in mind that they cook them really really salty):
and the lake fish either baked or grilled:
Tried the local dessert which was amazing:
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