Lake Garda was special, I knew it from the moment we arrived, and I know that I will definitely return for a longer stay! From its amazingly warm waters to its thermal spas, Bardolino vineyards, stunning views, and a plethora of activities for kids, it is just paradise, and I couldn’t get myself to leave. When we arrived, we were all a little beach-starved so we put our bags in our room and headed straight for a dip in the lake. The warm water was so inviting and Ariana and I stayed for a long time, alternating between swimming and lounging. Ok, mostly lounging :). After a shower, we strolled down the lake trail a short 5 minutes, and the kids discovered a large trampoline to play in, while I sipped on a glass of Prosecco, each of us admiring the beauty of the lake in our own way. We then dined at a casual lakeside trattoria and enjoyed the stunning sunset on our walk back to the hotel.

The next morning, we set off to take in the awe inspiring views from the fortress in Sirmione, the town where we were located. Next up, I had tickets to the Legoland waterpark (and Gardaland the next day) to celebrate Ariana’s 6th birthday. She had a blast, as she was allowed on much more adventurous water slides than the Atlantis had afforded her.

The next day, we relaxed at Aquaria, a thermal spa with a wide range of heated pools with mineral water. After a lakeside lunch at our hotel, we headed headed to Gardaland and enjoyed a myriad of shows, roller coasters and other rides, the highlight being the Jumanji ride, the special effects of which both kids thoroughly enjoyed!

On our (begrudgingly) last day in Lake Garda, Ayaan convinced us (it didn’t take much) to rent a boat, to enjoy another round of #bestdayever, and it didn’t disappoint. We cruised through the clear waters admiring castles and fortresses along the way, and took a few plunges in the lake. We indulged in another round of the dance off, and then after returning the boat, drove along the lake to Malcesine, in the northern part of the lake. We boarded the cable car up to a stunning view of the lake, and enjoyed an affagato as we took in the sweeping views. Lake Garda beat all expectations and is definitely on my return list!