LOW COST SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION IN NORTHERN ITALY

The Italian Lakes region is a tourist destination in its own right, but also is a convenient short stay location as a gateway to the rest of Italy, being directly on the route from the northern alpine passes (the Simplon, Gotthard, San Bernardino, and Brenner), and a must-have stopping point for anyone touring northern and central Italy.  There are six deep glacial lakes in north Italy: Lake Orta, Lake Maggiore, Lake Como, Lake Garda, Lake Iseo, and Lake Idro. Of these, the deepest are Maggiore, Como and Garda, which all over 350 metres deep - so the bottoms of these three lakes are all more than 180 metres below sea level! - but even the smaller lakes Orta, Iseo and Idro are all over 120 metres deep. In addition there is one shallow lake, Lake Varese, which is just 23 metres deep.  The Italian Lakes have a micro-climate of their own, and are steeped in history, with all the lakes having an alternative name derived from the latin name, so Cusio for Orta, Verbano for Maggiore, Lario for Como, Benaco for Garda and so on, with local place names (and surnames) often reflecting the historic name.  Whether for the beauty of the scenery, romantic nature of the compact villages on hilltops and hugging the lakesides, the fantastic walking climbing and watersports, and the busy local towns, the area makes an ideal holiday destination.  Read more facts and figures on the Italian Lakes.