Italian Lakes. Any thoughts or suggestions?

We stayed on Como, but did go to Maggiore. I love the lakes. So much to do and see.
One highlight was the little red train that was breathtaking.

Love the lakes, all of them and the way you can catch the boats to explore.

We've been to Como and Garda. Both beautiful as you can imagine. I preferred Garda. Getting on the boat on the lake and getting on and off at all the pretty towns was amazing. I think we stayed at Brenzone which is very pretty. I'd like to try Maggiore next.

Sounds lovely. The boat travel between villages . I'd like to find an old fashioned hotel on the lakeside but I suppose they're all modern and sleek. I do love faded grandeur!

You can't go wrong, Aveline- they're all beautiful, and you can travel from one to another by boat.

Lake Garda!

Absolutely beautiful, but expensive compared to the rest of Italy. Proximity to Switzerland. Wonderful scenery around all three of the Lakes - visit to Melide Swissminiatur, which is the Bekonscot of Switzerland definitely worth a trip. Lugano, Locarno, Ascona in CH, or Bellagio, Varenna etc. on Lake Como. Definitely a superb area to have a holiday

Great. Thanks all. It's sounding better and better. Waiting to hear back from travel agent. I'm sure I'll have more questions after that.

We have been to Lake Garda three times and have stayed at the Hotel Sole in Riva del Garda each time.We don’t usually go back to the same hotel but the location of this hotel right on the Lakes edge to us is perfect!

Ours was Hotel Rely in Brenzone, Garda. Our room overlooked the lake and mountains. Their dining room is circular and also overlooks the lake and mountains. Mind you, it's been a few years since we were there.

I would recommend the Hotel Bristol in Stresa on lake Maggiore. It’s a grand old fashioned hotel. Be careful with the rooms though. Ours was very small for 2 people. Can’t fault it otherwise. If you fancy an escorted trip try Riviera travel. Lots of really interesting excursions are included. It wouldn’t be a problem to travel there independently if you prefer.

We have been to Como and Iseo. Iseo is a smaller lake and not so crowded, it’s more of an Italian holiday spot. We stayed in Lovere, a lovely medieval town and a popular honeymoon destination, because of the name.
In Como we stayed in the town of Como in an hotel directly on the lake. There’s a very good boat service to all the other towns around the lake.
Be aware that in hot weather there are frequent thunderstorms as the heat builds up in the afternoons.

We camped by Lake Maggiore, and would walk into Cannobio. It is a nice little town, with good everyday food shops and an excellent market on Sundays.
We could swim in the lake, and are thinking of returning.
You don't say what kind of holiday? Italy has a number of sites with camping spaces alongside self-catering apartments.

I'm afraid were definitely not campers!! All the lakes look so beautiful and I'd love to visit the little towns and gardens and generally soak up the atmosphere. I expect that October will be past the main tourist season so might be quieter and also cooler. The more I read of suggestions the more I want to go. Come on travel agent!!

Lake Garda is so lovely. And there is a good ferry service around the various little towns. Limone was my favourite. And there is a great cable car from Malcesine up to Monte Baldo.
Lake Maggiore is beautiful too. I would like to do Lake Como next doubt I will make it.

DH and I stayed in a lovely little hotel in Limone on the shores of Lake Garda. It was very relaxing. If you decide on going g there, I can recommend the cable car up Mone Baldo. The views are spectacular.
From there we took a trip to Verona which is a beautiful town, plus there is Juliette's balcony.

We stayed in a beautiful alpine-type chalet up in the mountains overlooking Lake Como. When I woke up the following morning, we were up in the clouds and I couldn't see the lake at all.

Be prepared for sunshine and showers, and storms as others have said. We went in June. There seems to be a micro-climate. It gets very hot, then the mountains draw in the rain and the weather breaks with a storm, then clears and repeats.

We enjoyed getting the boats across the lake to various different villages. We also drove into Switzerland which is close by. Fabulous.

I'm getting keener and keener! You should all come!

Another vote for Lake Garda, just beautiful, had my honeymoon there

Varenna on lake Como is one of my favourite places ever.

Sounds like I'd need six weeks at least! Everyone seems to just love the whole area.

We have been to Como, Maggiore, and Garda- loved them all. Garda is the busiest and best for families (especially the town of Garda itself); Como and Maggiore are quieter and more for couples. My favourite place of all 3 Lakes is Bellagio on Como - steep cobbled streets and lovely little shops and restaurants. If you go to Como, you can easily get to Bergamo - a gorgeous medieval town (black and white half-timbered houses, very quaint). The best bit of visiting any of the Lakes is being able to get the Lake ferries and visit all the different resorts, we did this every day, absolutely no time to get bored, there's so much to see. To me, the Italian Lakes are so like our Lake District - breathtaking scenery and views, but with much better weather and much better food!

If you are looking for a hotel with faded charm, we stayed in the Regina Palace Hotel, which is really grand and very traditional (even had a pianist playing a Grande Piano each evening whilst you are dining!). It is in Stresa and overlooks Lake Maggiore. From Maggiore you can take a day trip to Zermatt in Switzerland- a ski resort in winter, but beautiful in summer, lots of log cabins covered in flowers and no traffic allowed, only horse and carriages - absolutely enchanting.

*Grand Piano