ZDF.reportage - Adventure Lake Garda - Where the south begins
Dolce Vita very close! A report about German holidaymakers on Italy's largest lake. Lake Garda, a magnet for travellers worldwide, is attracting more and more visitors. But the boom is pushing capacity to the limit. Marko and his friends from Munich reach their destination in less than five hours by car. The group of sports enthusiasts have set up base camp at a campsite and are ready to hit the new cycle paths and trails. Marko enthuses: "On the water you can go kitesurfing, surfing and sailing, and in the mountains you can go climbing, hiking or mountain biking.
That's why we keep coming back." Especially early in the morning, they have the most beautiful trails almost to themselves. In other places, the crowds are thick. Sirmione in the south of the lake is almost bursting at the seams. With a population of 8,000, the municipality records 1.36 million overnight stays every year. Relief measures are therefore being urgently examined. But they still exist, the quiet corners and insider tips around Lake Garda - such as the historic Limonaia, Fabio Gandossi's lemon plantation. The lemon liqueur limoncello has been produced here since the 16th century.
German emigrants Kai Aufrecht and Lucie Pfeiffer are much more modest, but no less happy. Their paradise: a small house with a large plot of land at the end of a forest road high above the lake. Up here, the tourist hustle and bustle stays away. With goats, chickens and a vegetable garden, they live almost self-sufficiently. ‘I never used to have a pet,’ says Lucie, marvelling at her new life. Fancy Lake Garda? Immerse yourself in the adventure! The ZDF.reportage about emigrants, tourists and locals around Lake Garda.
As one of the last of his kind, Fabio says: ‘If the lemons are doing well, I'm doing well too’, although unfortunately he also experiences poor harvests. The region's proximity to Germany makes it particularly attractive for Bavarians and people from Baden-Württemberg, and makes the real estate market more attractive.
Broadcasting on 21th of July 2025 at 07.05am on ZDFinfo + at 11.40am on 3sat
Music: POPVIRUS Library