Il Lauro

Theme Parks aren't everyone's cup of tea but those who love them really love them and, for kids, they make for a magical day out. Lake Garda is already an excellent playground for children and adults alike with an endless list of activities to choose from; from wining and dining to sailing and other water sports, hiking and exploring local attractions to fishing and lazing by the shore.

As if this wasn't all enough, there is also Gardaland, a theme park and resort on the south eastern banks of Lake Garda.

With different sections of the park decorated according to different periods of history and parts of the world, as well as flights of fancy from worlds that have never existed and imaginings of outer space, there is a magical (and photogenic) world to be explored; from a submerged continent to the rapids in the heart of the jungle and pirate ships to supersonic jets.

If you find a luxury villa in Veneto and are exploring the region, you'll have endless options of things to see and do from visiting the stunning and famous cities of Verona and Venice to spending days enjoying the outdoor pursuits of Lake Garda, and much more besides. However, many people do not realise that the region is also home to an incredible safari park and zoo where many different endangered species of flora and fauna are given a good home. If you are an animal lover and you are planning a trip to this part of Italy, then be sure to set aside some time to visit the wonderful Parco Natura Viva.

Located in Bussolengo in the Province of Verona, the Parco Natura Viva was founded back in the 1960s by Veronese architect Alberto Avesani and his wife Giorgia, who transformed their land from agricultural use into a wildlife area. They began by gathering local fauna to be bred and by protecting and preserving the biodiversity of the area with the idea of eventually opening the park to the public. This came to pass in June 1969 and the park was initially opened as the Parco Zoo del Garda, stretching over ten hectares that would later become the current so-called Fauna Trail.

Italy is beautiful in Spring; the countryside is lush, the cities less full, the queues outside tourist attractions smaller, the temperatures more pleasant, and the prices of things lower. It is a great time to plan a vacation to most parts of the country, however, there are some destinations that are particular lovely in Spring, at their best at this time of year. We began outlining some of these spots in the last post and will continue to in the next but here are two more to keep in mind...

In the lovely little town of Sirmione, right on Lake Garda, there stands a rather unique building. A rare example of medieval port fortification, Scaliger Castle, or Castello Scaligero, was begun in 1277 by Mastino della Scala and work was continued in three phases into the fifteenth century.

Why not find a vacation villa rental on the Garda lake and spend a pleasant afternoon exploring the grounds of this magnificent structure before descending into the historic centre of Sirmione below and grabbing something to eat in a local restaurant?

Sirmione is a small town with a population of less than 9,000 which is located on Lake Garda. However, despite its relatively small size, it is jam-packed with things to see and do, history and architectural gems. The area has been settled since the Stone Age when it was probably home to fishermen who lived in houses on stilts on the banks of the lake.

One such settlement found nearby at Lugana Vecchia is part of the collection of such sites across a variety of countries in the vicinity of the Alps, including Slovenia, Austria, Germany, France and Switzerland and is now considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.