Concert by the lake

As a youngster I was an avid concert goer, name a band from the nineties and it’s quite probable I’ve seen them. However, with age I’ve mellowed into a more melancholic state and discovered a penchant for slow, folk inspired music which unfortunately is not often found in Italy. But last year I discovered my favourite band, the Kings of Convenience, would be playing in Gardone a small village on the shores of Lake Garda. Years ago I watched them play in the upstairs room of a Manchester pub, their soft acoustic guitars mesmerizing against the howling winds outside and so I couldn’t miss another opportunity to see them, I booked a ticket instantly. After, I discovered Gardone Riviera is quite an exclusive resort and so in true luxury fashion I booked a room at a five star hotel and enjoyed a memorable weekend with my friend in beautiful surroundings.

The ‘Grand Hotel Fasano’ was opulent but understated, luxurious but friendly and despite arriving from the boat sweaty and scruffy, backpacks in tow, we were never made to feel uncomfortable. The garden area overlooking the lake was adorned with comfortable cushion laden loungers shaded by trees, a gentleman wandered around offering fresh fruit, the rooms had Aveda products, and between swims in the lake we enjoyed more than one glass of reasonably priced Prosecco.  We stayed in the modern annex in one of the more ‘economical’ rooms without a view, but the interior was still tasteful, a sort of modern homely cottage chic and not having a view didn’t bother us when the grounds and relaxing bar area offered an exquisite panorama across the lake.

Having had such a wonderful experience last year and keen to repeat it I eagerly anticipated the line up for this years festival at the glorious location of the ‘Anfiteatro Vittoriale’. An amphitheatre built in the 30s from a project initiated by the Italian writer and poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, the venue has become an important cultural seat; its summer festival ‘Tener-a-mente’ is host to a wide range of interesting musicians, and its vantage point overlooking the lake with its incredible acoustics and breathtaking views make any concert there spectacular.

I was in luck, Devendra Banhart was playing, another musician I love. Growing up between Venezuala and California he uses his cultural origins to fuse South American and English lyrics with acoustic folk inspired sounds and hippy vibes.  We arrived, excited to be there for the second year running and eager to have a good time in order to start an annual tradition in our friendship; amongst the hipsters surrounding the venue we spotted two elderly ladies queuing for tickets and stated proudly that that would be us, years from now.

We enjoyed a quick pizza at ‘Pizzeria ai pine’, the same place we dined last year and perfect for preconcert grub being three minutes from the venue, it’s a casual eatery with beautiful views across the lake. Gardone itself is separated into two areas, the lakeside town with cafés and bars overlooking the water as well a few shops along a cobbled street, and the old town up the hill which is more atmospheric and quaint and boasts higher quality restaurants.

The concert started, an amusing Welshman was in support, backed by a sandal clad American, mellowing the crowd with his humour and dulcet tones. And then Devendra came on, the sun had set and the full moon beamed upon him.  The acoustics were incredible, the music both uplifting and melancholic, and his banter affable and amusing.  We left, merry, happy but slightly disappointed that the Grand hotel Fasano this year had little availability and therefore a €400 price tag. We vowed next year to book well in advance so we could return.

The next day after a morning swimming in the lake with the ducks, in a state of pure relaxation, we lunched in Gardone before boarding the boat back to Desenzano. The main drag along the waterfront is full of touristic restaurants of relatively low quality and so we wandered a little further back and discovered a gorgeous restaurant, ‘La Taverna’. The owner was friendly and accommodating, the interior clean and well presented with a few tables outside beautifully shaded from the beating sun. Naturally we partook of a Prosecco each, and I had tagliatelle with duck ragu. Not an easy option given all the cute ducks bobbing about the lake, but regardless it was delicious and my friend’s goose with homemade onion jam was equally delightful. It was a wonderful testament to not always going for the restaurant with a view, and the bill reflected that quality doesn’t always have to come at a price. I cannot wait to discover next year’s line up.

Grand Hotel Fasano, Corso Zanardelli, 190, 25083 Gardone Riviera Double room starts from €240 (no view), with weekly packages available, see website for more details https://www.ghf.it/home