The best bars in the Italian Lakes
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The lakes are a relatively quiet holiday spot offering sedate nightlife options that are mostly limited to tranquil venues for an aperitivo or post-prandial drink. From congenial laid-back bars with views of the water to trendy terraces accompanied by sumptuous cocktails, find the best spot for an evening tipple with Telegraph Travel's Italian Lakes expert, Kiki Deere.
Lake Como
I Tigli in Theoria Lounge
This elegant first-floor lounge bar is part of Como’s Michelin-starred restaurant that sits below. Beautifully crafted drinks are served under 15th-century coffered ceilings with seating at the wooden bar or at low candlelit tables. Sip on 'Jackson!', a vodka-based cocktail decorated with splashes of coloured liqueur that takes inspiration from Jackson Pollock’s drip-style canvases, as you nibble on fine finger food such as macaroons stuffed with foie gras mousse and Vin du Preve gelatin. Tables are sprinkled across three areas, including an elegant room set out like an Orient Express carriage with upholstered seating and rustic curved ceilings
Contact: 00 39 031 305 272; theoriagallery.it
Opening times: Tues-Sat, 3.30pm-12am; Sun, 2.30-10pm
Prices: £££
Getting in: Smart attire is preferred
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Fresco Cocktail Shop
This intimate cocktail den serves elegantly crafted cocktails with a twist. Experienced mixologists in waistcoats shake up drinks prepared with the lake’s citrus fruits, a dabble of home-grown flowers, spices and aromatic herbs. As well as classics, you’ll find essential oil infused drinks such as Pomarance, a cocktail prepared with gin, citrus fruits, sparkling white wine and a splash of essential oils that adds a sweet flavour and fresh aroma. Enjoy these sumptuous cocktails at the bar or at one of the small tables in the 1940s-themed interiors with jazz and swing tunes to add to the atmosphere.
Contact: 00 39 393 731 5649; frescococktailshop.it
Opening times: Wed-Mon, 6pm-1am; Fri and Sat until 2am
Prices: ££
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Lake Maggiore
Sky Bar
Those in the know come to unwind at this modish seventh-floor rooftop terrace with open-air whirlpool tub and infinity pool that sits atop La Palma Hotel. It is a stylish aperitivo venue with tasty cocktails and nibbles served under sun canopies or at cushioned seating areas. Award-winning consultant mixologist Cinzia Ferro is behind the well-thought-out cocktail list that includes the bar’s popular AmarenNegroni, made with gin from Lake Maggiore. It’s a great hideout to enjoy the sunset and the lake views all to the sound of soulful jazzy tunes.
Contact: 00 39 0323 32401; hlapalma.it/en
Opening times: 12pm-1am
Prices: ££
Getting in: No flip flops/open toe shoes after 6pm
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Lake Garda
Taverna San Vigilio
Approaching Punta San Vigilio by boat at sunset is a romantic experience in itself, not to mention enjoying a sundowner at one of the lakefront tables to the sound of the water lapping against the stone harbour. This is one of the lake’s most romantic spots for a drink, with tables spilling out onto the private jetty where boats bob along the shore. Sit back with a glass of Valpolicella and a few nibbles, and soak in the expansive lake views as you watch the sun go down.
Contact: 00 39 045 725 5190; locanda-sanvigilio.it
Opening times: 10am-10pm
Prices: ££
Getting in: Long trousers for men (no shorts). No bookings so get there early, especially on weekends
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Torre San Marco
The setting of this bar and club is sublime: a lakefront stone tower surrounded by a leafy verdant park. Landscape spotlights and light-up LED furniture set the mood in the garden, while within the tower is an intimate piano bar with vaulted brick walls, leather sofas and soft lighting. Sit back with a Morlacco Jusep, a cocktail made with brandy, cherry brandy, mint and amaretto, as you unwind to the sound of live piano music. If you’re here on Fridays and Saturdays, the gardens morph into Lake Garda’s most exclusive club, with house tunes playing until the early hours.
Contact: 00 39 0365 20158
Opening times: Piano Bar Tues-Sun 9.30pm-3am; Club Fri-Sat, until 3am
Prices: ££
Getting in: No open-toe shoes. Long trousers and no Hawaiian-style aloha shirts for men
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Lake Orta
Pan & Vino
This tranquil deli and wine bar with tables spilling out onto Piazza Motto is Orta San Giulio’s best spot for an aperitivo. The deli counter provides cheeses and cold cuts from producers in the area, while wines are predominantly from Piedmont, with many selected from small lesser-known wineries. You’ll also find excellent Italian sparkling wine from various producing regions around the country including nearby Franciacorta, along with a selection of French champagnes. Piazza Motta is the town’s most beautiful spot to enjoy a sundowner, with its pastel-coloured townhouses embellished with frescoes and chestnut trees lining the lakefront.
Contact: 00 39 393 858 3293; panevino-orta.it
Opening times: Thurs-Tues, 10am-10pm
Prices: ££
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Spiaggia degli Olivi
The large patio and terrace of this restaurant and bar attracts both locals and tourists alike, who come to enjoy a refreshing sundowner at the lakefront tables. The brisk lake breeze is a welcome feature in the hot summer months, and the views from here are impressive: sheer rocky cliffs close in the town from three sides, while ahead lie the expansive blue waters of the lake, with boats dancing in the marina. Enjoy a glass of Trento Doc, the region’s white or rosé sparkling wine, with a few nibbles for aperitivo to the sound of laid-back lounge tunes.
Contact: 00 39 0464 755 353; spiaggiadegliolivi.it
Opening times: 11am-11pm
Prices: ££
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Lake Iseo
Bohem
Part florist, part confectionary shop and part bar, trendy Bohem is set in a former train station. Interiors have been stylishly renovated, taking inspiration from 1920’s and 1930’s Milanese townhouses – all faux-marble decorations and black and white checkered floors, with high ceilings and a stone staircase lending an elegant touch. Colourful velvet stools and armchairs add a pinch of retro, while pretty displays of flowers add a cosy homely touch. Sit back at the stylish bar and sip on the signature Violetta cocktail made with violet liqueur and fresh bergamot juice.
Contact: 00 39 035 426 1001; bohembonbon.it
Opening times: Daily, 7.30-9pm, Wed and Fri until 11pm (closed Monday)
Prices: ££
