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Lago is always a favourite with (southern) German flat-water surfers, especially from April to October. Not only the Wind safety due to the constant thermal winds are responsible for the fact that the lake is a classic and an old favourite for most people. It is also easy to reach, has a top infrastructure with the highest density of surf schools and centres in Europe, nice restaurants and the feeling of dolce vita.
Lago critics, on the other hand, claim that it is too expensive, overcrowded and that there are not enough parking spaces. Love it or hate it? Is that the motto at Lake Garda? Our Lago lovers and ex-freestyle pros Tilo Eber and Adi Beholz say no - you just have to learn to love it first, the Lago. That's why they published a detailed guide in 2014 in which they reveal some of their most valuable insider tips on how to experience Lake Garda in a different way away from the mainstream, even on a budget - and perhaps learn to love it as a result.
However, as Lake Garda is not the sole founder of mountain and valley winds, it is also worth taking a look - even further beyond Torbole - to the east and west along the Alps. And so, for those who weren't convinced by Adi and Tilo's tips (or who are a little adventurous and just want to see something different despite their love of Lake Garda), we go one step further and present three alternative Alpine lakes that you could head to instead of Lake Garda next year at the start of the season.
However, you should bear in mind that it can still be quite chilly at the start of the season at Easter in April on the Alpine lakes in northern Italy (especially Santa Croce, due to its high altitude) - especially the nights and the water. During the day, however, it can already be summery warm in the sun. And it is precisely this - the big difference in temperature between day and night - that creates the strong thermals in spring. On a sunny day, you can set your watch by the wind. Just make sure it doesn't rain during the day, as this will upset the system somewhat. So, pack some thick neoprene and maybe something warm for your head or ears - and get out on the water. Discover the Easter eggs of northern Italy!
The best alternatives to Lake Garda
Lago di Como
It has a bad reputation among windsurfers: there is less wind than on Lake Garda and too many kiters. Not quite true, as we find. Lake Como definitely has a right to exist - even among windsurfers. At spots like Cremia, where the lake is narrow and the walls are steep like Lake Garda, the southerly thermal in spring is regularly strong enough for sails of around six square metres (often smaller for freestylers). If you let yourself drop off a little, you will usually find yourself alone in front of a fantastic backdrop.
You can camp comfortably right at the spot, don't have to spend ages looking for parking spaces and don't pay unreasonably high parking fees. It all feels very similar, but is one size smaller, quieter and more manageable - than 150 kilometres further east, at its big brother, Lake Garda. The morning north wind can also be found on Lake Como - but generally later in the summer and at the other end of the lake, in the far south near Lecco.
Lago di Cavazzo
Lake Cavazzo, a small lake in the north-east of Italy, offers an even greater contrast and pure idyll. Here you are far, far away from the hustle and bustle of Lake Garda and can switch off for a few days surrounded by nature. Nature lovers and early risers who enjoy other hobbies such as mountain biking and hiking are in good hands here. Because at Cavazzo you mainly surf the morning north wind that blows down the steep mountains from the Alps. The mountain wind can occur all year round, but blows strongest in spring and autumn. In the afternoon, there is often only a light thermal from the south fanning across the lake. This is when beginners, intermediates and foil fans are in the best of hands on the water.
Lago di Santa Croce
Santa Croce is located roughly in the centre, between Lake Garda and Cavazzo. Our spot reporter Wolfgang Strasser could hardly believe it when he travelled to the lake for the first time on the recommendation of friends from Veneto - and saw no fewer than three windsurfers crossing the shimmering greenish water in a solid force five wind. The magic word for wind on the Croce is "il thermico da sud" - i.e. thermal southerly wind, which usually arises from midday when high pressure prevails and blows at up to seven Beaufort in spring between March and May (often from eleven o'clock). Nevertheless, the sacred place of tranquillity, hidden behind the peaks of the Dolomites, would not be a fully-fledged alternative to Lake Garda if there were not another morning secret hidden behind the 400-metre-high lake (Lake Garda is almost at sea level at 60 metres): The dead lake, il lago morto - for this is where the north wind is surfed.
