Venice and Verona, finds Katie McGonagle on a tour of northern Italy earlier this month
ce vita
DESTINATIONS LAKE GARDA | ITALY
t
he sun shimmered across the glassy surface of Lake Garda, dipping lower in
the late-afternoon sky as the ferry puttered its way from southern town Sirmione to the western shores at Salò, interrupted only by a pair of paddleboarders sending out gentle ripples in their wake.
I took a moment to catch up on the news back in the UK: fears of another lockdown, one area after another falling subject to tighter restrictions, and my travel-focused Twitter feed full of tears, anger and frustration over the lack of support for the sector. It was so at odds with the peaceful
scene in front of me. I wanted to reach into that Twitter timeline and share this moment of calm with all those friends and colleagues, to remind them that even amid a flurry of refunds and rebookings, scenes like this are what travel is really all about. And if Italy, epicentre of the pandemic earlier in the year, can rebound with such positive energy – excitement over the return of tourism mixed with an impressive respect for Covid-related rules – then there’s hope for the travel industry yet.
LAKE GARDA It would be hard to imagine a prettier spot than the shores of Lake Garda, where medieval fortresses and ancient stone walls stand guard over tiny waterfront towns, backed by the hulking shadows of sloping hills sweeping down to the lake. No surprise, then, that this is one of Riviera Travel’s most popular destinations. In a typical year, its Lake Garda, Venice & Verona itinerary might have up to six departures, or nearly 300 passengers, running simultaneously. There were considerably fewer this year, though 13 Italy tours have departed since August, including three along this route, albeit with new safety measures in place. Italy was a natural choice for
Riviera to resume tours, given how meticulous the country has been about implementing new protocols. Everywhere I went, waiters, guides and local people wore face masks without fail, and tourists followed suit. From our socially-distanced coach seats to common areas in hotels and restaurants, mask-wearing was ubiquitous, and quickly became second nature. While I can’t deny it
²
travelweekly.co.uk 15 OCTOBER 2020 23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
