ITALY, it seems, is currently the place to holiday. The discerning readers of the upmarket Conde Nast Traveller magazine have voted it their favourite destination in the world.

Hollywood hunk George Clooney has also decided it is bellissimo and bought a 15-bedroom villa in the hills above Lake Como where he decamps for the summer.

Sadly, I wasn't aware of the Clooney factor on my most recent foray to Italy, exploring the more touristy but still extremely beautiful Lake Garda, the largest of the famous Italian lakes.

Lake Garda has been a favourite destination for the British for years and it's easy to understand why as it gets ticks in all the right boxes - stunning scenery, food at its Italian best and plenty of highly drinkable local wines.

There's also plenty to do which is what we found most surprising. I had expected a holiday in the lakes to be languorous, aimed at elderly travellers.

I couldn't have been more wrong, particularly about the type of visitors. There were undoubtedly many middle-aged couples but there were also plenty of extremely fit looking mountain bikers, windsurfers who seemed to be on the lake from breakfast until nightfall, honeymooners and families with young children.

We were staying for a week, which isn't long enough to do the area justice. There are both the lake and the mountains to explore - thankfully not necessarily on either a windsurf or mountain bike - the famous town of Verona which is within striking distance and, this being Italy, you feel duty bound to linger over meals, savouring the food and wine.

We were staying in Riva Del Garda, one of the largest resorts in the area, which is situated on the northern tip of the lake. It dates back to Roman times and there are some lovely buildings, particularly around the main square, Piazza Tre Novembre, which is dominated by the Torre Apponale, a 13th century clocktower. Nearby is the moated castle, which was built to protect the town from pirates.

The town is bustling both during the day and in the evenings, and as well as the Piazza Tre Novembre, there are pretty cobbled streets in the Old Town, with plenty of shops, bars and restaurants.

The hotels around the centre are obviously attractive but are presumably quite noisy at night when it is busy until late. Thankfully, we were staying in the Hotel Villa Nicolli which is a ten-minute walk away in a quiet residential area.

The Nicolli family have owned it since 1960 and successive generations have developed it over the years so it is now a comfortable three-star hotel. The biggest plus is its large swimming pool and Jacuzzi in a leafy garden.

The restaurant is attractive and it serves good traditional Italian dishes, but if you prefer some variety - as we did on some nights -- it is worth eating in the town and it won't break the bank. A favourite was the tiny Montanara restaurant on Via Montanara, which had a sign declaring ''No pizza!'' outside and served delicious pasta and traditional meat dishes.

The attraction of staying on a lake is that you can explore the area by boat. There are regular ferries to nearby towns that leave from the Piazza Tre Novembre, and part of the enjoyment of the holiday is being on the water.

It takes about 40 minutes to reach Malcesine which stands on the eastern shore and is regarded as one of the most attractive of all Garda's villages. It feels more commercial than Riva, but there is more to see than just the shops, most notably the castle which was built in the 14th century and is almost complete. It houses the Museo Pariani, a museum about the lake.

Malcesine's other major draw is the revolving cable car ride to the top of Montebaldo for a panoramic walk with superb views of the lake. Queues are long in summertime but it is worth the effort.

The town of Limone, on the western shore opposite Malcesine, is smaller and is relatively quiet. It's pleasant to explore the narrow streets of the old quarter and admire the lovely houses with their balconies and flowerboxes.

To explore the mountains around Riva, you either have to hire a car or take advantage of the many different coach excursions. We took a trip round the Trentino area, taking in Lake Ledro and Lake Tenno, which are far smaller than Garda, but equally as attractive.

Wine is one of the major industries of the area and wine tours are, unsurprisingly, one of the most popular trips. The Maso Roveri vineyard near the small town of Avio is memorable, partly due to the charm of the owner Antonio Anzellini. We visited in the days just before harvest when he encouraged us to try the different grapes for Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio to sample the distinctive tastes.

Many holidaymakers venture further afield and take a coach trip to Verona. The only disadvantage of Riva is that it is the town that is furthest away, making it a journey of about two hours around the lake. But we weren't deterred, drawn like thousands of others during the summer to open air opera in the Arena, a Roman amphitheatre that was once the site of gladiatorial contests.

Real opera buffs will probably dig deep and pay 139 euros for the front stalls. But as I'm not a great fan we paid 23.50 euros to sit on the ancient unmarked steps.

We were advised to get in at least an hour before the performance started to guarantee being able to sit together. The steps are a bit of an endurance test but the atmosphere is great as it fills up and only the determined sellers of water, wine and beer can make their way through the tightly-packed rows.

Aside from the discomfort, it couldn't have been a better introduction to opera. It was directed by Franco Zeffirelli so it was a visual feast, with a huge golden pyramid centre stage.

The dramatic finale was cut short by one of the area's famous electric storms. The sky had been heavy throughout the performance and within minutes of the end there were dramatic flashes of lightning and it was pouring with rain. It was the biggest electric storm we experienced on the trip and, as long as you're not frightened of lightning, they are quite spectacular.

Verona is also famous, of course, for Juliet's balcony which draws romantics from all over the world. The most memorable aspect was not so much the pretty stone balcony, but messages of love and hearts which had been scrawled on the walls by visiting lovers.

TRAVELFACTS

Jackie Brown travelled with Inghams Lakes & Mountains to Italy and stayed at the three-star Hotel Villa Nicolli. Seven nights' half board, including return charter flights from Gatwick and resort transfers, starts from £393 per person.

Flights are also available from Bristol, Birmingham, East Midlands, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow at a supplement.

For the Inghams reservation line call 020 8780 4433; book online at www.inghams.co.uk; for the brochure hotline call 09070 500500 (calls cost 50p per minute at all times)