Written by Michelle Tchea

Michelle is a five-time best-selling author on food and travel. She is also the owner of Chefs Collective, an organization of high-profile chefs sharing food cultures from around the world.

La Dolce Vita on Water

There are more than a dozen lakes scattered all over Northern Italy but four stand out as must-visit destinations: Maggiore, Como, Iseo and Garda. For travelers who love history, culture, food and nature, they offer a little bit of everything, from wine regions to water sports, from national parklands to tiny villages one can explore. Dramatic mountain backdrops, picturesque lakeside towns, historical villages and Art-nouveau grand hotels are all a part of the allure of the lakes district.

Sweeping the country from west to east, Lake Maggiore is a popular destination with Lake Como following behind because of the recent celebrity investments in the last decade (007 was filmed on the lake for all you Bond fans out there). Iseo and Garda are sometimes overlooked by American visitors, but they warrant a trip.

Here are the best restaurants, hotels and activities you can enjoy in each of the lakes to help you navigate your next big adventure to the Lakes District of Italy.

Lake Como

Surrounded by mountains, a short 1-hour train ride from Milan will place you in star-studded Lake Como. In the last decade Lake Como has been touted as a celebrity hotspot with celebrities buying villas on the lake, but if you visit the city of Como during the off-season you will find that beyond the tourists and celeb-sighting, there is still a charming fishing village with “authentic” experiences many of us look for these days. Neoclassical villas line the shores of Lake Como and are best seen on the lake as you tour the tiny villages like Bellagio and Menaggio by boat but be sure to stop at one of the family-run fishing restaurants for the freshest catch of the day if you are feeling peckish.

Where to Eat

Restaurant Salice Blu in Bellagio offers cooking classes and delicious Italian cuisine but if I had to choose my favorite, you must head to Hotel Restaurant Silvio where owner and fisherman, Cristian Ponzini will tell you everything you need to know about the fish from Como and what wines to pair with them.

Where to stay

Hotel Restaurant Silvio for a good night’s sleep or stay in the uber luxurious Villa Serbelloni.

Lake Maggiore

Historically speaking, Lake Maggiore was the lake visited by European nobility in the past and until this day remains a beautiful destination for design-enthusiasts and history buffs who want to relive the grand lifestyle in their own private estate. Artistic landscapes are offered in the form of grand villas boasting beautifully maintained and culturally enriching gardens like the Borromeo Castle, owned by the Borromeo family where you can roam the private estate with wild animals posing in the background.

Start your tour in Stresa, where art nouveau palaces line the lakefront promenade and take a boat tour to Island Bella and Isola Madre, the largest island of the archipelago. Finish your tour on Isola dei Pescatori, the smallest island in the region.

Where to eat

Try the lake fish in a local restaurant like Belvedere Isola Pescatori.

Where to Stay

I recommend Villa and Palazzo Aminta Hotel Beauty and Spa

Lake Garda

Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake but don’t let the size fool you, the region offers intimate discoveries and experiences not found around the other lakes. Rolling lush hills and gardens, surrounded by vineyards, lemon trees and olive groves, hikers, swimmers and sailors all flock to this lake during the summer and find it hard to leave with the cool waters and charming villages appealing to both adventure-seekers and self-professed gourmets. Bardolino, on the eastern shore is famous for its wines whereas Sirmione, home to the Scaligero Castle is Garda’s most famous spa resort for those who need some R&R on their trip touring the lakes. Day trips to both Verona and Venice are possible making Lake Garda a great pitstop for travelers.

Where to Eat

Fish and seafood remain the best options for dining when on Lake Garda and it is hard to beat either La Locanda di Noris or Emozione, with both being local favorites.

Where to stay

Lefay Resort and Spa has a spectacular location above Lake Garda and an excellent spa.

Lake Iseo

Lesser known Lake Iseo is a pretty little lake for outdoor-enthused travelers who want to break out their hiking boots and break records with their mountain biking skills. The lake’s island, Mont Isola is Europe’s largest and surrounded by quaint little fishing villages which are best explored by bike or ebike. Take your bike along the ancient trading route, Via Valeriana which snakes through olive groves and vineyards not found in a regular guidebook. Don’t forget to make a mandatory stop at Franciacorta, a hilly and lofty region to the soueast which produces excellent sparkling wine.