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When we visited Lake Garda we stayed with Canvas Holidays at the Camping Cisano San Vito site.  Here is our review.

Location

Camping San Vito is nestled between the towns of Lazise and Bardolino on the East shore of Lake Garda. The campsite is a quite and relaxed site, it  is split in two by a main road but is perfectly safe as there is a subway running under the road between the two sections.  It is a perfect location for just whiling away the hours at the lake or using as a base to go exploring.

We flew into Milan Bergamo airport, picked up our hire car and we were at the campsite within an hour.

Accommodation

Staying with Canvas Holidays you have a choice of accommodation from 2-3 bedrooms and a range of comfort levels.  We had opted for the lead in category of a Comfort Plus and this was adequate for our needs.  We particularly loved the emplacement we had as it overlooked one of the playgrounds which enabled us to chill out on our decking whilst the children were only a few metres away.

 

All the units come equipped with well stocked kitchens and you can add linen rental on to your bookings so that you don’t need to pack this.

Facilities

Camping San Vito has everything you need.  A really well stocked supermarket on site you really wouldn’t have to go anywhere else (but there are more reasonable supermarkets close by), a gift souvenir shop and a couple of restaurants, snack bar and ice cream parlour.   For recreation there are 3 pools on site, football courts, tennis courts, playgrounds, table tennis a games room.  The site has its’ own on-site animation team with kids club and sporting activities throughout the day and entertainment at night.

We were staying on site with some friends and our children were happy playing together but you could see some of the other families enjoying these the on-site clubs..

There was also bike hire which we enjoyed one afternoon and cycled along the lake to the pretty town of Lazise.  With direct access to the Lake we did find we spent more time swimming there than at the pool and we made use of the Pedalo hire which is just along from the main area.

The reception staff we found were really helpful and there is one on both sides of the campsite with the added bonus that excursions can be booked with them too.

Dining

As I mentioned there are a couple of restaurants, we only visited Restaurant Cisano but used it a couple of times and the food was typical Italian and really delicious.  The children loved the pasta and pizza dishes they tired.

Every day we the children would enjoy an Gelato (actually so did the adults) and there was plenty to choose from.

There is a snack bar near alongside the Lake so if you just don’t want to head back to your accommodation or venture further afield then this offers a good option and with the bar also there it is great to grab one of the local aperitifs or a cold beer in the sunshine.  We enjoyed many an Aperol Spritz during our time.

Top 10 things to do nearby

We visited Lake Garda in the middle of a mighty heatwave (over 40 degrees most days)and therefore some of the places we wanted to visit we collectively decided to kibosh.  We spent the majority of our time by the Lake/poolside and you can read about what else we got up to here.  The one time we ventured out sightseeing it turned out to be the hottest day of the week.  We were all melting and eager to get back into the water.

However, as you can imagine there is loads to see/do so see my top 10 below

Bardolino

This is a stunning town on the lake.  The campsite states it is a short walk but if you have small children then in the heat it might be a bit much.  The beauty is you can walk (or if you hire bikes) along the promenade right from the campsite to the town alongside the lake avoiding the main roads.  There is a bus outside the campsite too that can take you in if you want to avoid driving.

Bardolino has a small marina and a number or cafes and restaurants on the front – it is the perfect place to site with an Aperol Spritz watching the world go by not to mention catching the sun set.  The old town walls and neat little streets with both high end shops and your usual souvenir shops make it a place you can easily lose yourself for a few hours.

Lazise

On the other side of the campsite to Bardolino lies the pretty medieval walled town of Lazise. You can explore the maze of alleyways, marvel at the roman villas and history of the town or simply hang out at the harbour and try some of the best gelato in the area.  It isn’t a huge place but definitely worth a visit.

Sirmione

At the southern end of Lake Garda along a Peninsula sits the absolutely stunning lakeside town of Sirmione.  We spent a good few hours in the town where you have an abundance of beautiful buildings to admire.  There is a castle, ancient grotto and due to the heat when we were there a very packed Jamaica Beach.  You can also take a short boat trip around the peninsular which seemed really popular

There is plenty in the town to spend more than a day and when we return to the Lakes which I am sure we will, Sirmione will be top of the list as there was a lot we skipped because of the weather.

There are beautiful shops, lots of restaurants and cafes and I particularly loved the Ice Lolly stores.

Monte Baldo Cable Car

If you want a completely different aspect to the lake then head to Malcesine where you can take the cable car to the summit of Monte Baldo.  On a clear day you can see the whole of the lake and the cable car rotates offering a stunning 360 degree panorama.

Hire a bike

The promenade along the beach near the campsite is just perfect for cycling, scooting or skating.  We had a lovely afternoon cycling to Lazise and wished we had done this more as it was joyful.

Caneva World/Movie Land

These two theme parks offer something different but next door to each other.  Check out their website here

Caneva World is a fabulous waterpark with something for everyone – from your water babies to adrenaline junkies.  There is plenty of shade around to get away from the midday sun and whilst there are places to get food there are also places that you can tuck in to your own picnic.

Think Universal Studios but Italy style this is Movie World.  This park offers shows, stunts and some high octane rides.

Gardaland

An amusement park on the lake Gardaland appears to be a great place to visit with families.   There are shows, rides anaquarium and characters to meet and if you fancy being closer to the action there are two hotels on site.  It is owned by Merlin Entertainments the company behind some of the UK’s best theme parks (Alton Towers, Chessington and Thorpe Park to name a few)

Boat Trip

No trip to the Lakes would be complete without a trip on the water and there is the choice of more organised trips which hold a slightly higher cost or taking one of the ferry companies from one town to the other which offer better value for money.

Verona Day Trip

Just a short drive or train journey will take you to the beautiful medieval  city of Verona where you can wander the streets, take in the stunning Roman Amphitheatre and , recite Shakespeare whilst admiring the balcony from Romeo and Juliet.

Venice Day Trip

Further afield but still possible for a day trip is Venice. Many will take the train from Bardolino and it you time it right you can get about 7 hours in the city.

Summary

Camping Cisano San Vito was a lovely campsite.  It didn’t have all the bells and whistles with waterparks etc of other sites on offer but what it did offer was a fabulous location and relaxed atmosphere.  We spent most evenings just watching our children playing in the park, playing cards and enjoying each others company (and a wine or two).   The site is close to lots of beautiful lakeside towns and a number of attractions so location wise it is fantastic.

We would definitely recommend this site and whilst we didn’t get to see all the delights the area has to offer we had a lovely week in the sunshine.  Without question we will be back to this area at some point

Why not PIN this Review for Cisano San Vito