In the first instalment of our The Road Leading Up To series, I take you on one of my favourite adventures through northern Italy, entering from the Swiss border and ending in the elegant town of Sirmione on Lake Garda.
The driving roads of Lake Garda are some of the very best in Europe. From sweeping lakeside stretches to gorgeous medieval streets, every road delivers another magical moment. Let’s start the journey.
What is ‘The Road Leading Up To’?
Through our unique collection of driving tours, we regularly experience some of the greatest roads in the world. While the destination may be incredible, it’s the journey that truly makes it magical – and that’s exactly what we’ll explore in this new series.
The Road Leading Up To is designed to transport you to these epic roads, by offering insight and photography that you could often only gain by driving them yourself. It’s the closest you’ll come to experiencing them without joining us on one of our tours.
Image: Ultimate Driving Tours
An incredible journey driving from St. Moritz to Lake Garda
I wanted to begin this series with the wonderful drive to Lake Garda from Switzerland. Northern Italy has long been one of my favourite areas of Europe, and a timeless route through this area begins in the luxury mountain town of St. Moritz.
Our day of driving begins by traversing stunning mountain passes, including the Bernina Pass on the Swiss-Italian border. Flanked by snow-capped mountains on either side, this scenic high alpine road offers a breathtaking journey into Italy.
Shortly after, we encounter the Italian ski town of Aprica, located on the pass between Lake Como and the Dolomites, then arrive in the fruit bowl area of Trentino – a snowy wonderland in winter, but just as beautiful in the summer when the orchards are in full bloom.
Here, we drop down into a valley that runs towards Lake Iseo, which may be smaller than lakes such as Garda and Como, but equally gorgeous. Many of the lakeside roads in Italy are quite tight and technical, meaning the driving runs can be pretty slow and often a little nerve-wracking due to approaching traffic. Yet the road running alongside Lake Iseo boasts a full two lanes with a painted line in the middle, making it a pleasure to drive.
Leaving the lake, we head onto a busier autostrada. I always find these Italian highways to be great fun, as they allow you to truly flex the might of your supercar. While the speed limit is 130 km/h, Italians tend to be a little more relaxed in their interpretation, so we find traffic on the autostrada moves quite rapidly.
We then leave the autostrada before hitting the region of Veneto, taking a left towards Lake Garda where we begin to pass through the gorgeous little villages towards the peninsula of Sirmione. It’s here where both the visuals and adrenaline of the drive really peak.
Image: Ultimate Driving Tours
The final stretch – entering Sirmione
We reach the gateway to Sirmione – a medieval bridge that passes through Castello Scaligero. It’s here where your nerve and patience are truly tested, as narrow streets and heaving crowds turn the simplest of driving tasks into precision operations. Yet, it’s actually an enjoyable experience as you crawl past excited onlookers, enthralled by the fleet of exotic supercars. I hope you like your photo being taken!
After navigating the old town and a hair-raising tunnel, the tight road begins to open up a little, and you can finally breathe once again. This is when a park emerges to the right, signifying the end of the drive to Lake Garda – Villa Cortine. Big beautiful gates lead to a long driveway, pristine gardens and a pretty fountain. It’s such a scenic approach, you feel like royalty as you pull up to the ornate five-star villa.
As the drive ends, it’s straight into full relaxation mode. The Villa Cortine team is already waiting outside with a refreshing aperitivo accompanied by delicious antipasto. There’s no need to go through the process of parking. Instead, you simply pull up, take your personal items, and move to our private bar for a well-deserved aperitif.
This dedicated area offers panoramic views of Lake Garda and postcard-perfect villages on the other shorelines, as well as the park itself. To start our Lake Garda experience here is honestly indescribable.
Image: Ultimate Driving Tours
Driving supercars in Italy is a unique adventure
Driving a supercar through Italy can be a surreal experience due to the contrasts of ancient architecture with modern motoring, which is only enhanced by the passion of the locals.
Firstly, you’ll notice that the roads in Italy are considerably more rustic than those of its richer neighbour Switzerland. Italian roads are also very narrow, and this is perfectly illustrated with the approach to Sirmione.
Naturally, when towns such as Sirmione were built, the Lamborghini was well over a thousand years away. This means that the streets are often little more than a supercar’s width wide – and this can be both exhilarating and terrifying.
It’s a showstopping scene as we drive our fleet over the bridge though Castello Scaligero and into Sirmione. People have the right of way in the streets, so all you can do from behind the wheel is gently edge forward. It’s like parting the seas as people move out of your way – not before stopping to take photos. The Italians are totally captivated by these cars.
Coming through these tight streets on your own is intimidating, and navigating around 90-degree corners in huge exotic cars can certainly pump up the heart rate. Fortunately, we are in no rush to get through this area and our team is on hand to help you move around the blind corners. But it’s a chaotic environment, so prepare yourself.
Image: Ultimate Driving Tours
Why Lake Garda beats other famous Italian lakes as a destination
Northern Italy is blessed with magnificent lakes such as Como, Maggiore and Orta. Yet for us, nothing compares to Lake Garda – particularly when it comes to driving.
Lake Garda is less internationally known than Lake Como, which is glorious, but not the place you want to be anywhere near in a car. The town is an unpleasant challenge to drive through, which completely ruins the experience.
This is why I love driving to Lake Garda; it’s simply a much better destination to explore. It’s an understatement to call it a beautiful area, with its pristine blue lake and towering peaks rising above the shoreline. Photos can’t do it justice, but they definitely help give a flavour of how spectacular the area is.
As well as epic scenery and driving roads, Lake Garda is also blessed with some impressive Roman architecture. I love spending time in the area around the castle, with its unique dock that encloses part of the lake – the only surviving example of a 14th-century fortified port. For our guests, we also offer a local tour of the old town, so that they can enjoy insight into the architecture, castle, churches and overall history of Sirmione.
The only caveat is that it’s not a place to visit on a self-guided drive. Even as a very confident driver, I still get nervous when navigating around such tight corners and through so many pedestrians. Driving here with a lookout team is much more enjoyable.
Image: Ultimate Driving Tours
Enjoying quintessentially Italian experiences
We ensure our guests get the most out of their Lake Garda tour. For example, we’ll take them out to explore the lake in wooden Riva boats, or to some of the key panoramic sites for envy-inducing photographs, and even into the lake for a swim. On that note, Sirmione is known as something of a well-being hotspot, with several natural thermal baths and springs, which we love to enjoy.
Dining is another quintessential Italian experience, and there’s no better way to indulge than during the final dinner of our tour. We have the perfect setup, with a long table on a private terrace at the front of Villa Cortine, with stunning views that complement the finest of dining. What a special way to end our time in Sirmione.
Image: Ultimate Driving Tours
Discover total immersion on our ultra-luxe tour of the Italian Lakes region
There’s no need to dream about this stunning drive or the sights that await when you can join us for our luxury tour of Northern Italy.
In a fleet of latest-release supercars, this opulent adventure takes you from Elmau in Germany through to the beauty of Lake Garda and then onto Milan for the iconic Italian Grand Prix for a bucket-list experience like no other.
If you want to learn more about this tour or any of our once-in-a-lifetime European adventures, speak to our friendly travel concierge team today.
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