Are you looking for a piece of Italy still untouched by the crowds? A place where the rhythm of life is set by the gentle lapping of the lake on the shore and where the echo of laughter from a local tavern fills the air as the sun sinks behind the horizon?

Let me take you on a journey to the beautiful Lago d'Iseo, Garda's unknown neighbor. Lago d'Iseo has one big advantage: the food is often much better, the service is superior, and the prices are usually lower than on Lake Garda. This and much more make Lago d'Iseo an ideal location for a 5-day getaway from our busy city life.

How to get around Lago d'Iseo

The easiest way to explore Lago d'Iseo is by car. The round trip takes 65 km of beautiful roads through quaint villages and panoramic views. Depending on traffic, a round trip takes between 1.5 and 2 hours. There are also many free and paid parking areas around the lake where you can stop and explore. Traveling by car is also the most convenient way to visit the different places around Lago d'Iseo, as there is little public transportation.

Alternatively, you can travel by bicycle, which will take 3-4 hours. However, since the roads are quite windy and narrow and are also used by cars and other vehicles, this is not necessarily the most comfortable way to get around.

Lovere: The Ideal Starting Point for Exploring Lake Iseo

We landed in the picturesque town of Lovere, which was named one of the most beautiful villages in Italy in 2003. By the way, Lovere is beautiful, but I would like to know why it received this award. I have visited more impressive Italian towns in the past... Anyway, we stayed in a nice Airbnb (pet friendly!) in the historic center and used it as a base to explore Lago d'Iseo. Although small and unspectacular, Lovere convinced me with its cozy bars, fabulous boutiques, and restaurants.

If you want to visit Lovere, you must:

—  Breakfast at Alveolab - Bottega Lievitati: It's probably one of the best bakeries I've discovered so far, and the excellent focaccia, croissants, and delicious pastries with sweet surprises make me want to come back soon. My favorites were the Focaccia Barese and the Cruffin - a muffin-shaped croissant with addictive Crema di Pistacchio!

—  Enjoy homemade pasta at Flour: You can choose from a wide variety of freshly made pasta and pair them with different salsas and toppings. You can choose your favorite pasta dish and change or substitute ingredients for pasta and toppings. I recommend the Parccheri di Pesto Al Pistachio e Burrata (as a vegetarian, I ordered it without the bacon, but I'm sure it adds great flavor to the dish).

—  Dine at Casa Botep: an exquisite restaurant with a terrace overlooking Lovere Harbor. They have fantastic risotto, meat, and fish dishes. My girlfriend was also very impressed with the wine selection.

Lovere has several parking lots, but this one is free and very centric - only 3min walking.

Baia del Bogn: Dive into Serenity.

My highlight was Baia del Bogn, a secluded seaside spot resembling a James Bond movie scene. This hidden gem provided a much-needed break from the constant noise of civilization. Although it's right on the windy road, we found a niche where we were sheltered from the road noise. Best of all, we were completely alone. However, you have to remember that we visited in the off-season. During the summer it will surely be more crowded.

Tall cliffs surrounded the place and provided easy access to the water via wooden platforms. Especially at sunset, this place becomes a beautiful spot, with the sun setting over the calm waters of Lago d'Iseo, the bright sky reflected on the calm surface, and the striking rocks in the background creating a unique atmosphere.

During our stay in Baia del Bogn, we met Emir, a local from Macedonia, and German couple Judith and Tim, who left their everyday lives behind for an adventurous bike trip from Germany to Australia. Crazy idea! We spent our first hours in Baia del Bogn, enjoying the water and playing the didgeridoo, an indigenous Australian instrument.

Baia del Bogn is only 20 minutes from Lovere and is best reached by car. There is free parking about 700 meters from our favorite spot. Alternatively, you can get there by bike, but be aware that the roads are narrow and tricky and are also used by cars and motorbikes. For the climbers: Right next to our favorite swimming spot, several spectacular climbing routes are carved into the rocks. These routes range in difficulty from advanced to expert.

Sulzano: Shortest Transit to Monte Isola

Sulzano lies in the steep hills on the eastern shore of Lago d'Iseo. Sulzano offers the shortest route to visit Monte Isola - Europe's largest island. It is only 15 minutes from there! We passed through Sulzano on our way to Iseo and had lunch at the Trattoria Cacciatore. Their pistachio-crusted Arctic char, a type of salmon, was spectacular!

Iseo: A Tourist-Friendly, Vibrant City

Iseo is one of the most popular places on Lago d'Iseo and one of the most popular starting points for visiting Monte Isola. We also chose Iseo to visit the island by ferry.

Around the Lago d'Iseo, there are weekly markets in different places. One of the biggest is probably in Iseo, where the historically important weekly market is held every Friday. It is interesting to see, but you will not miss anything if you do not have time to visit. The market offers clothes, accessories, and culinary delicacies. In addition, Iseo offers charming architecture and shopping in pretty boutiques. Especially in the evenings, the town becomes a wonderful place to enjoy live music and food by the water.

If you're visiting Iseo, here's what I recommend:

—  Dine at Ristorante San Martino. Their incredible pizza was why we went there for dinner after our trip to Monte Isola. However, we ended up having tuna and steak. Both were very tasty, and the portions were large. Be sure to make reservations, as the place is usually very busy.

—  ‍‍Marinì Dolci Delizie Iseo, which offers fantastic handmade ice cream. It's a little more expensive, but worth every penny. I highly recommend salty pistachio, yogurt, dark chocolate, and strawberry.

—  If you are visiting Iseo, you can park here for free. It is only a 5-10 minute walk to the city center.

Monte Isola: Europe’s Largest Island is a Disappointment

Monte Isola is the largest island in Europe and one of the most popular destinations around Lake Iseo. We took the ferry from Iseo to Monte Isola. It took me about 50 minutes. If you're bringing a dog, remember to bring a muzzle because they won't let you on the ferry without one. You can buy one at the ticket center if you don't have a muzzle or left yours at home (like we did 😢). It's not advertised, though, so be sure to ask. Despite the huge crowds, getting to Monte Isola is surprisingly cheap. From Iseo, we paid a total of €7 per person. They charged us €3 for our dog Hanna. Here you can find the price list for the ferry from different destinations to Monte Isola.

Our point of entry to Monte Isola was Sensole. We chose this place as our starting point to explore Monte Isola because it was mentioned in many other blogs as one of the most recommended places on the island. To be honest, I felt cheated. The only thing to see in Sensole were about 10 houses, which was unspectacular. There was not even a place to swim.

So we quickly left Sensole and went straight to the island's highest point, the Santuario della Madonna della Ceriola. This was a very long and daunting hike, 2 hours in the heat with 35°C and no shade. Alternatively, you can take the local bus for a few euros, which would probably be the better option. The hike was only along the roads, as there were hardly any shortcuts through nature. Once at the top, you have a wonderful view of the surroundings of Lago d'Iseo. The church itself was unspectacular from the outside and surprisingly rich in paintings and gold from the inside - quite beautiful. But to give my honest opinion, there are much better ways to spend your time!

After returning from the sanctuary, we wanted to take the local bus to Siviano to go swimming and explore the village. We waited at the bus stop for 30 minutes. Since the bus never showed up, we had to walk another 45 minutes in the incredible heat. As you can imagine, our spirits have seen more highs. Pretty frustrating!

When we arrived in Siviano, we immediately realized there was nothing to see, just stone houses and tiny streets. That was it. So we went straight to the beach, which I believe was not proper beach. Just a patch of grass on a wooden cliff and limited access to the water via a staircase. Still, we were able to refresh ourselves. Hanna was the happiest of all.

For the return trip, we finally took the bus back to Sensole. Taking a bus is probably the most spectacular thing you can do on Monte Isola - the speed at which they race through the narrow streets is breathtaking! Our bus even scraped a house...🤯

On the way back to Iseo, we passed Peschiera, another village in Monte Isola. It seemed quite busy and very nice. While in Sensole, all the restaurants were closed at this time of the day, Peschiera was bustling. So I recommend not taking the ferry to Sensole but starting your trip in Peschiera. I wish we had done that…

My honest opinion about Monte Isola: I don't understand why so many blogs promote this island as one of the main activities around Lago d'Iseo. This place feels overhyped and has no great activities to offer. For example, when you walk around the island, you are occasionally surrounded by pure nature and always have the noise of motorcycles from the mainland. The villages themselves (perhaps except for Peschiera - still to be determined) are so remote that getting there can be inconvenient and time-consuming. The villages themselves have nothing special to offer. And this is one of the biggest disappointments: Access to water is very limited and hard to come by. So if you've found a better way to spend your time at Lago d'Iseo, go for it!

Traveling with Your Dog at Lago d'Iseo

In general, Italy is a great country to travel with your dog. However, remember that the country's northern parts are more restricted due to excessive tourism. There are some restrictions at Lago d'Iseo; for example, when visiting towns and cities, you often need to keep your dog on a leash to avoid fines. It is also advisable to bring a muzzle for your dog if you want to use public transportation. Otherwise, you won't be allowed to take your dog with you. However, Italians are generally very dog-friendly. For example, people kept trying to cuddle Hanna. I mean, who can resist those beautiful eyes?

Lago d'Iseo: Away from the Crowds and into Nature.

I've traveled a lot in Italy, and Lake Iseo is one of my favorite places in northern Italy. You might ask why? It offers unspoiled nature, tranquility, and excellent water quality. In more touristy places like Iseo, it feels like a second, more Italian version of Lago di Garda - a vacation atmosphere with much fewer crowds. Therefore, Lago d'Iseo still feels like the real Italy, with excellent service and good food at reasonable prices compared to Lake Garda. The only thing to note is that access to the water is quite limited. The best access is at Baia del Bogn; the rest is mostly a patch of grass right next to the noisy roads. This is a pity. Nevertheless, Lago d'Iseo is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle for 4-5 days and feel refreshed at the end of your stay!