Taking a break from filming his forthcoming series Around the UK in 20 Wild Swims, Ben Hooper swaps Atlantic winds for the Italian lakes – where cold water, mountain weather and busy shorelines reward swimmers who choose the right place and the right time

There’s a moment, standing at the edge of a Northern Italian lake, when everything feels almost too composed. The water lies still; the mountains rise sharply behind you; a bell rings somewhere across the lake. The air feels warm, clean, faintly scented with pine, espresso and that smell of freshwater lake that evades words.

Then you step in… and the illusion disappears. Cold water changes the pace. So do boats, afternoon winds, steep shores and the simple question of how you are getting out again. Northern Italy rewards a slower approach to swimming, but it also rewards preparation.

The lakes are spread across a wide area, so think in terms of separate lake breaks. Como and Maggiore work well alone; Garda pairs naturally with nearby Ledro; Iseo is another trip again.

Where I’d swim

Lake Garda – Riva del Garda
For an open-water swimmer, the northern end of Garda is a place where timing is vital. Garda Trentino’s guidance is explicit: use recognised bathing beaches, stay away from harbours and motorboat landing areas and keep within 100 metres of shore. Swimming is not permitted directly in front of Riva’s town centre because that water is reserved for public navigation.

The other thing to plan around is wind. The Pelèr comes from the north in the morning; the Ora builds from the south from late morning into the afternoon and is one reason this end of the lake is such a magnet for windsurfers. If you want steadier water rather than a fight, go early, check the forecast and do not commit to distance simply because the lake looked flat over breakfast.

Go early and you’ll be in for a stunning experience. The mountains can reflect so clearly that they feel double, with little more than your breathing and the occasional church bell across the water.

Lake Como – Lenno / Varenna
Como is deep, busy and heavily used by ferries and private boats, so start from an established bathing point. At Lenno, the Lido di Lenno provides a straightforward place to get into the lake; around Varenna, use recognised lido or beach access and keep well clear of ferry approaches.

Varenna is especially useful if you want to explore without driving. The public ferry network links it with Bellagio, Menaggio and Cadenabbia, which means you can swim in the morning and spend the rest of the day moving around the central lake by boat.

Early is the better bet here too. You get quieter water and less traffic, and Como’s darker, deeper character is easier to enjoy before the lake gets busy. Villas line the shore, cypress trees lean towards the water and boats glide past with quiet confidence – although you do not want one doing that anywhere near your tow float.

Lake Maggiore – Cannobio
Cannobio gives you a straightforward base on Maggiore. The town’s Lido is one of the larger beaches on the lake, with parking and public toilets nearby, and the 3-kilometre lakeside promenade puts cafés and the old town within easy walking distance.

The Lido is also a watersports area, so check conditions before turning a pleasant dip into a long shore swim. Start conservatively then lengthen the swim once you have seen what the wind and boat traffic are doing.

Cannobio also gets the post-swim part right: the promenade and small food markets are close enough for coffee or lunch without another journey.

Lake Iseo – Peschiera Maraglio / Monte Isola
At Lake Iseo, Peschiera Maraglio on Monte Isola gives you a recognised place to swim. The official lake tourism service lists Prato delle Ere among the island’s free bathing areas, making it a good choice for a swim followed by a walk.

Monte Isola itself has a 9-kilometre perimeter and no ordinary visitor car traffic, which makes the transition from water to walking pleasantly simple. One current wrinkle: visitor bicycles and e-scooters are restricted on pre-holiday days and public holidays from March to September, and every day in August, so check before arriving with a bike. 

Iseo works particularly well when the swim is only part of the day, Once you are out, take the ferry and walk the island.

Lake Ledro – Pur / Besta
Ledro is promoted by Garda Trentino for open-water training, with opposite shores about 2.5 kilometres apart. For a crossing, swim with others or with kayak, dinghy or SUP support; for normal training, remain close to shore.

For an easy start, use the recognised beaches. Pur, on the southern shore, is free, has a shallow entry and seasonal lifeguard cover from 10.30am to 5.30pm. Besta, at Molina on the eastern shore, has the same lifeguard hours plus a bar, toilets, sunbed hire and a broad grassy area. Both are far more useful recommendations than simply telling readers Ledro is ‘calm’. 

For longer, calmer swimming without Garda’s energy, Ledro is the stronger option. Surrounded by forest, it still carries that Alpine smell of pine, earth and sun on leaves.

My hidden gem… Val di Mello
Val di Mello is better treated as a cold dip attached to a walk than as another open-water venue. The valley has been a nature reserve since 2009, and the practical access point is San Martino Val Masino. From the village it is about a 20-minute walk to the valley entrance. Alternatively, local information notes that a shuttle or permitted vehicle access can take you to the entrance parking, from where the main track follows the Mello torrent and its clear pools. 

Keep this one modest: a brief dip where conditions and local rules allow, then carry on walking. The water is so clear it almost disappears. Cold, yes. But beautifully so.

What else to do

Lago di Braies
Lago di Braies belongs in the sightseeing section, not the swimming list. In much of summer 2026, car and shuttle access is managed through online booking, with limited paid parking.

Villa del Balbianello
Villa del Balbianello is worth planning. You cannot drive directly to it: from Lenno the land route is roughly 1 kilometre uphill, while paid taxi boats approach from the lake. Interior visits operate separately and availability can be limited.

Where to eat…
Swimming sharpens the appetite, and Northern Italy rewards it properly.

Ristorante La Punta, Bellagio
At the tip of Bellagio, La Punta specialises in traditional Italian and Larian cooking. Go for local fish or pasta and the evening lake views. Budget: €50–€80 per person.

Al Volt, Riva del Garda
The current menu at Al Volt includes homemade tagliolini with tench ragù at €18 and lake-fish dishes around €24. Tucked into a vaulted interior just off the main square, it is a satisfying post-swim choice. You’ll leave full, slightly slower and very glad you visited.

Locanda del Benaco, Salò
On Salò’s lakefront, Locanda del Benaco combines a small hotel with its restaurant. The terrace is the draw: lake fish, seasonal vegetables and regional flavours with the water still in view.

Indulgence – my pick

Ristorante Mistral, Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni
Mistral is the planned splurge. The Bellagio restaurant offers a seven-course tasting menu under executive chef Ettore Bocchia and specifies smart-casual dress, with long trousers and closed shoes required for men.

Arrive just before sunset if you can. I found the shifting light across the lake completed the experience.

Where to stay…

Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como
The Grand Hotel Tremezzo has three pools, including its famous floating pool on the lake, plus direct lake access. Iconic and indulgent, but here the indulgence comes with somewhere to swim.

Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda
Lefay sits above Garda at Gargnano and has a 4,300-square-metre spa. Current 2026 spa-break offers start at €315 per person for one night, including breakfast, spa access and a treatment.

Hotel Olivedo, Varenna
Beside Varenna’s transport hub, a stay at Hotel Olivedo lets you swim locally and use ferries for Bellagio, Menaggio and the rest of the central lake. Classic lakeside charm without the excess – my ideal spot for its location and friendly staff.

Camping Campagna, Cannobio
For a cheaper Maggiore stay, Camping Campagna sits directly on the lake with a private beach, 100 pitches, showers and laundry facilities. Your next swim is right on the doorstep.

How to make the trip work
For a short break, choose one lake: Como for ferries and villages; Garda for bigger water and its predictable wind cycle; Ledro if the swim itself matters most; Iseo for a swim-and-walk combination; Maggiore for an easy beach base at Cannobio.

If you have a week, Garda and Ledro make the cleanest pairing because Ledro is only about 10 kilometres from Riva del Garda and is linked by bus. Como works well without a car if you base yourself around Varenna or Bellagio and use the ferries. Braies and Val di Mello are detours, not casual add-ons, so give them their own day.

Northern Italy open-water rules to remember

• Use recognised bathing beaches where possible. On Garda, official guidance specifically says to keep clear of harbours, moorings and motorboat landing areas.

• Check wind before entering. Flat morning water can become a very different lake once local winds build.

• Stay visible: bright cap and tow float.

• Never assume a crossing is safe because you can see the opposite shore. Use proper support for distance swims.

• Plan the exit before the entry. Steep banks, private frontage and boat traffic can remove the obvious way out.

• Expect cold water and colder patches. Acclimatise rather than proving a point.

• Respect local restrictions and conservation guidance. Lago di Braies belongs on the walking list, not the swim list.

• And refuel afterwards. Espresso still counts.

A final alpine reminder…
Northern Italy offers a quieter kind of wild swimming than the Atlantic, but still water can be deceptive. Good sessions depend on knowing which beach to use, when the wind changes, where the boats are and how you are getting out again.

Get those things right and the rest comes easily. Step out, dry off, sit lakeside with a strong black Italian coffee and let the sun warm your skin.

Keep swimming – swim safe!

Ben Hooper made global headlines with his bid to swim every mile of the Atlantic Ocean — a challenge Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE called “the last great bastion to be conquered.” His four-month, 2,000-mile route from Senegal to Brazil, known as Swim the Big Blue, was derailed mid-Atlantic after his support vessel was damaged by storms, despite him surviving a near-fatal encounter with thousands of Portuguese Man O’War. He remains the only person with a WOWSA-verified attempt at the feat. Follow him on Instagram and X @TheBenHooper or via www.thebenhooper.com

READ MORE: ‘Diving in to … save Britain’s baby lobsters‘. Joining the world’s first-of-its-kind baby lobster release course, The European’s Ben Hooper discovers how a pioneering marine biologist and diving instructor, working alongside the National Lobster Hatchery, is helping give Britain’s lobsters a better chance of survival in the face of commercial fishing, warming seas and growing octopus predation.

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_{Main Image: Lake Como mountains and turquoise water. Credit: SlimMars 13 / Pexels}