LOCANDA SAN VIGILIO

Handsome villa right on the waters of Lake Garda

DELICIOUSLY PRIVATE AND QUITE MAGICAL – that's Locanda San Vigilio, set right beside the cool blue waters of Lake Garda. This is one of those utterly special places you'd like to keep all to yourselves.

Set at the end of a finger of tree-cloaked land that lies languidly beside the lake, Locanda San Vigilio is virtually surrounded by water. You could almost be on your own private island here. Picture worthy? You can say that again. It's easy to spend hours in the little shoreside bar (as we did), its tables curving around the water, sipping a bellini or two and watching ferries and little boats drift by.

Inside, Locanda San Vigilio is all about grand and comfortable Italian country house living; no wonder past guests have included royalty, prime ministers and Hollywood stars. Vast rooms have thick carpets on polished wood floors, silk bedcovers, oil paintings, ornate carved bedheads and heavy antiques glowing in the soft lights.

Cocktails at sundown

Bathrooms are full of old-fashioned luxuries, heavy with marble and masses of towels. And the suites are even grander. It's definitely worth paying for a lake view room, and you can rent the adjacent private villa (a jewel with exquisite gardens) if you're feeling seriously extravagant.

Indoors may be appealing, but it's the setting that setsLocanda San Vigilio apart. Wander through the gardens, breathe in the scent of lemon trees, or head for the secluded private beach and take it lazy beneath an olive tree. You can have drinks and informal eats there in a little taverna, swim in clear waters or simply bag a lounger on a grassy terrace and soak up the views. We adored it.

Come evening, sip an aperitivo at the bar and watch the sun set over Lake Garda. Sit down to white napery and soft candles in the restaurant; ask for a window seat and you’ll feel you’re floating above the water. A stay at San Vigilio may not come cheap, but it's sure hard to beat.


Locanda San Vigilio was reviewed for Room for Romance by Helen Pickles

Click on any picture to enlarge it and move through the gallery.

Dining in
Traditional, simple home-cooked food is the order of the day. Try the Locanda's catch of the day in salt crust, or the classic tagliatelle with light pesto, mushrooms and scallops. You can eat informally on the lovely shoreside terrace bar, or enjoy the full works in the restaurant above the water. Breakfast is served on a pretty flower fringed terrace in the summer months.

Dining out
For an evening out,  Giardino delle Esperidi is only 4km away in the lakeside town of Bardolino, and comes highly recommended.

See & Do
Do take a lake steamer and visit some of the pretty towns dotting the shores of Lake Garda – each has its own feel and personality. You'll also find plenty of sailing, diving and other watersports nearby – and of course you can swim from San Vigilio's private beach or in the new pool. There are half a dozen golf courses within easy reach, as well as tennis, horse riding and clay shooting.

You're just a mile from the lively town of Garda, with its open air market and boat station. Take in the fresh air and scents of the Parco Giardino Sigurtà in Valeggio, or check out some local Bardolino vino in the nearby wine museum. Ride the rotating cable car up to the top of Monte Baldo for fabulous vistas over Lake Garda. You can walk on mountain paths at the summit (or even take off on a paraglider), or pedal around on mountain bikes.

Shop
You'll find an array of Italian designer names in Verona, from Armani to Valentino, as well as wonderful locally made silks.

After dark
Find a wicker sofa and enjoy Locanda San Vigilio's starlit open air piano bar at the water's edge – it's hard to better the setting.

Dates
June-September
Verona's Roman amphitheatre comes alive – not with gladiators, but with opera. Take a picnic, light a candle and drink in the atmosphere before the music starts.

GETTING THERE

Location
37016 Garda, Lake Garda

Parking
There is free guest parking

Trains
Verona station – 35km

Taxis
EUR 50 from the station

Airport
Verona – 33km; Bergamo – 85km; or Milan Malpensa – 180km.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Rates guide
EUR 180 - 740

Open/closed
Closed from mid November – mid March

Check-in
2:30pm

Check-out
11:30am

Minimum night stay?
Two nights at weekends

Breakfast
Cooked and buffet breakfast is served until10:30am

Room service
Available morning and evening

Children
Welcome

Pets
Welcome

Air conditioning
Yes – all rooms

Languages
Italian, English, German and French

Wedding license?
Throw a celebration party here for up to 50 guests

Your contact
Adriano Girardi – general manager