On the eastern hillside of Lake Garda is a small family-run hotel called Due Leoni. The hotel is one big house, looking more like a large privately owned house than a hotel from the outside, but divided into smaller flats that are rented out. We stayed here for three nights, in a perfect, small two-bedroom flat.
The property is framed by neatly trimmed bushed and wrought iron fences. Inside the garden is well taken care of with flowers blooming, green grass and a pool that was just the perfect size and temperature. Furthest from the entrance gate, and on one side of the pool is a small field of olive trees. Across the road and beyond the small parking lot the olive trees continued.
We slept in in the morning. The sun rose late behind the mountains behind the hotel, but soon covered the area in splendid sunshine. Our flat was built so that no sun shone directly into it until late in the afternoon, making the living room/kitchen an invigorating hide-out from the fierce Mediterranean sun. As soon as we were up in the morning, one or two of us walked the few minutes down to the small supermarket to buy fresh bread. Cheese and ham was also cut and weighed while we watched. We ate the breakfast outside while watching the splendid view of the lake and waiting for the sun to reach our table. Soon as the food was gone we walked the few metres over to the pool where we spent hours every day. Sunbathing, swimming, fooling around in the pool and water-gun fights in-between the olive trees kept all three of us busy well into the siesta hours. At siesta the pool was closed and we returned to our flat. Another small and simple meal awaited before we either took a walk down to the lake or collapsed and fell asleep on the sofa or a cool bed, before the rest of the day was spent in and around the pool. In the evening we ate at the local restaurants, freshly caught fish from the lake, or a simple and delicious Italian pizza.
The stay in Brenzone was pure heaven. Husband and I loved it, and Son had the time of his life. He enjoyed the stay in Brenzone far more than the stay in Gardaland resort. We had time for each other, time to enjoy life and time to live. These days we reminisce while eating green salads with italian prosciutto sprinkled with olive oil made from the olives from the garden of Due Leoni.
(I absolutely recommend this hotel – check it out here)
Anne blabbers 