The region’s largest town, Riva del Garda, makes an excellent jumping-off point for Lake Garda itself, as well as the surrounding trails and villages. Having dropped your bags off, head for the historic town centre, beginning at the Rocca, a 12th-century lakeshore fortress that has taken on many guises over the centuries, as the home of bishop princes, Austro-Hungarian barracks and now a museum.
From atop the Rocca’s Mastio tower there are fine views, though spare time to wander the exhibits, which offer a worthy primer to a region that has seen its share of masters. The nearby Apponale Tower, a former prison and lookout post, is another worthy climb – all 165 steps of it – from which you can gaze over to the old Pretorian Palace and the Baroque churches of Inviolata and Saint Maria Assunta.