Of all the towns and resorts that skim magnificent Lake Garda, Salo is not a huge resort, nor is it such an important town, yet Salo is proud host to the longest promenade along the entire shoreline of the Lake. Located on the south west shore, Salo is at the mouth of a long and visually stunning bay. The lovely waterfront walkway opens into an attractive square, Piazza Dal Vittoria, which has a great selection of pavement cafes, shops and local restaurants.
Salo is well known for its elegant architecture with many noble houses, quality hotels and upmarket restaurants.The cuisine is highly revered and fish dishes are the speciality of the area.
The centre of Salo, dating back to the Middle Ages, has lots of historic buildings and, like many old Italian towns, there are delightful narrow alleyways, windings streets, pretty shop fronts and old houses of local stone. A large clock marks the end of the ancient city gate and there are green areas with little ponds and statues.
The busy marina is at the heart of Salo and is crammed with colourful fishing boats and expensive yachts. Boat trips are a popular pastime here and, as the surrounding area is pretty flat, walkers, cyclists and hikers are common. Camping is a favourite too as the climate is so temperate and mild.
A long pebble beach on one side of the town is perfect for swimming and boating and there are public facilities for sports such as football, bowling and basketball. Another benefit of a break in Salo is that the town does not get too noisy, so it is the ideal destination for quiet and relaxing holidays.
Car hire is highly recommended as the lovely northern resorts of Riva del Garda and Torbole are well worth exploring. Travel south too as Garda town, Lazise and Peschiera del Garda are pretty resorts with plenty of atmosphere and great outdoor activities.
There are no direct flights into Salo, but Aer Lingus operates flights from Dublin into Verona airport, approx 1 hour away.