The day after Christmas is a holiday in Italy which I did not realize. When I headed out from the hotel this morning the streets were packed. It seemed that everyone in Verona was heading into the historical old part of the city for the day. They were heading out to shop, sit in the cafes and just enjoy the day with their family and friends.

I had decided to head to Lago (lake) di Garda which is about 20 miles outside of Verona. It is the largest lake in Italy. Not as famous as Lake Como but even more beautiful. Unfortunately, it was the only cloudy day that I have had since I have been in Italy but decided to head out that way to see the sights.

The bus ride was nice as we passed through many vineyards on the way. The Veneto (the province in which Verona is situated) is known for Valpolicella, Bardolino and Soave predominately. Since it is winter, the vines are in their dormant state so not as pretty as it would be in spring and summer. The bus wandered through various small towns and some larger as we worked our way to Bardolino. It is the town that the wine is named for.

Bardolino as well as all the towns are big tourist destinations in the summer. There were many hotels right on the edge of the lake as well as apartments. There were some really large and nice old villas as well.

There was a Christmas market that was right on the edge of the lake on the promenade. There were a few fun things that I did not expect. There was a horse drawn sleigh (on wheels) that you could ride on. I should have take a picture of it but did not. The sleigh driver was blasting English language Christmas sons as well as Feliz Navidad as he drove people around. He had a large cow bell that he would ring and blasts from his trumpet. He was the life of the market.

They had an ice rink as well but since the weather has been unseasonably warm, it was a contradiction. There was a reindeer sleigh (fake reindeer) where kids would sit with VR headsets and watch something as the sleigh bounced up and down. It was kind off odd. There were the usual market stalls. Lots of people were roaming around and enjoying the day.

The lake was shrouded in fog and clouds so you could not get the full beauty of the lake but it was still nice to see. The water is incredibly clear. I guess that is a product of it being a glacier formed lake.

You are not getting any food updates today as I was taking it easy as I have consumed a great deal more food over these last days than I would normally and needed a break. I had a nice salad with tuna and a glass of Bardolino (of course) and had a great view of the lake while I ate. 

When we were young we used to come out to the lake with picnics and swin. It was a lot less developed back then. Now there is even an amusement park with rollercoasters and other attractions – Gardaland. Italy has changed a lot since I was a child.

It is very sad but I am at the end of the trip. Last adventure is a wine tasting tour which I am looking forward to doing.