The first of a million toll stations
Hauling Boats to Croatia: Toulon to Desenzano, Lake Garda, Italy - 11th April 2026
The second part of an epic journey taking ILCA 6 dinghies from Palma Mallorca to Split in Croatia commences with the first part of the over-land drive, which takes us from Toulon to Desenzano on Lake Garda, where we're staying for a couple of nights. Once we arrive, we drop the boats and trailer off at a wine estate somewhere near San Martino, and then return to Desenzano where we spend a little bit of time finding somewhere to park the van, after discovering that the recommended car park has height barriers. Once that's done, we head into the centre of the old town to find food. The next day, there's a cycling festival on, so we watch a bit of that, have a daytime beer and then take the ferry over to Sirmione - another attractive mediaeval town across the lake - which is significantly more heaving with tourists. Later on, there's the treat of an impressive firework display over Lake Garda, and a last bottle of red wine at the Ristorante Alessi.
previous album: Hauling Boats to Croatia: Palma, Mallorca to Toulon, France - 9th April 2026
One of at least 50 tunnels through the mountains
There's been a building-material incident
A village in the misty mountains
We cross a very tall bridge over a valley
Sean roams around at a motorway services
Sean by a petrol station
Another very tall bridge
Oh look, it's another tunnel
The sun sets over northern Italy
We have dinner at the Alessi restaurant
In the kitchen of our Desenzano apartment
The overnight car park has turned into a market
Sean heads back to the van
An old-school garage in Desenzano
Sean comes out of the garage shop
A view from the car park
Cyclists on Vicolo Fosse Castello
The Piazza Garibaldi
A view over Lake Garda
Looking down onto Vicolo Fosse Castello
A carbon-fibre Colnago bike is on display
Bikes on the Piazza Guiseppe Malvezzi
The Porto Vechhio
Lungolago Cesare Battisti
More cyclists
A Lake Garda ferry
A funky flying statue head
Sean's on his phone
The Piazza Cappelletti
A statue commemorating the anti-fascist movement
In the Duomo di Santa Maria Maddalena
The back streets of Desenzano
Willow trees over Porto Vecchio
An old theatre
Sean's on his phone again as we stop for a beer
Multiple inflatable finishing lines
On the ferry pier
A boat 'for a less polluted lake'
Mr. Parmigiano Reggiano roams around
Sean takes a break
The hotel Splendid Mayer
The ferry Trento
The Faro di Desenzano del Lago
We head over to Sirmione
Sean disembarks the ferry to Garda
The tulips are definitely worth a shot for Insta
Spiderman on Piazza Giosuè Carducci
The Castello Scaligero di Sirmione
The clear waters of Lago di Garda
Love-locks on a fence
Attractive buildings on Via Dante
The Spiaggia del prete
A dead tree on Lake Garda
The 'beach' at lake GArda
Three rocks in the lake
A water pumping station
A pier heads out into the lake
Sean near a 1930s beach building
There's a hole-in-the-ground toilet
In a Sirmione church
Musicians in traditional dress wander around
Lakefront cafés on Lake Garda
Sean perches on a post
A red-beaked duck
Sean looks out over Lago di Garda
Sirmione's ferry pier
The blue and aqua-marine of Sirmione
A last look at Castello Scaligero
Some kids line up for a competition
More cycling action
We check out a shop with limoncello
The view from the bedroom
Last night's restaurant
On the Piazza Giuseppe Malvezzi
The Piazza Cappelletti at night
Prizes are awarded for something
Another winning team
The firework display kicks off
Balls of light of Lake Garda
Hundreds of mini explosions and a starburst
Blue sparkles
A false ending with red flares
The display kicks up again
Fireballs fall back into the lake
A finale ramps up
The crowds disperse after the fireworks
We head back to the Alessi for a bottle of red wine
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The first of a million toll stations
The first of a million toll stations
One of at least 50 tunnels through the mountains
There's been a building-material incident
A village in the misty mountains
We cross a very tall bridge over a valley
Sean roams around at a motorway services
Sean by a petrol station
Another very tall bridge
Oh look, it's another tunnel
The sun sets over northern Italy
We have dinner at the Alessi restaurant
In the kitchen of our Desenzano apartment
The overnight car park has turned into a market
Sean heads back to the van
An old-school garage in Desenzano
Sean comes out of the garage shop
A view from the car park
Cyclists on Vicolo Fosse Castello
The Piazza Garibaldi
A view over Lake Garda
Looking down onto Vicolo Fosse Castello
A carbon-fibre Colnago bike is on display
Bikes on the Piazza Guiseppe Malvezzi
The Porto Vechhio
Lungolago Cesare Battisti
More cyclists
A Lake Garda ferry
A funky flying statue head
Sean's on his phone
The Piazza Cappelletti
A statue commemorating the anti-fascist movement
In the Duomo di Santa Maria Maddalena
The back streets of Desenzano
Willow trees over Porto Vecchio
An old theatre
Sean's on his phone again as we stop for a beer
Multiple inflatable finishing lines
On the ferry pier
A boat 'for a less polluted lake'
Mr. Parmigiano Reggiano roams around
Sean takes a break
The hotel Splendid Mayer
The ferry Trento
The Faro di Desenzano del Lago
We head over to Sirmione
Sean disembarks the ferry to Garda
The tulips are definitely worth a shot for Insta
Spiderman on Piazza Giosuè Carducci
The Castello Scaligero di Sirmione
The clear waters of Lago di Garda
Love-locks on a fence
Attractive buildings on Via Dante
The Spiaggia del prete
A dead tree on Lake Garda
The 'beach' at lake GArda
Three rocks in the lake
A water pumping station
A pier heads out into the lake
Sean near a 1930s beach building
There's a hole-in-the-ground toilet
In a Sirmione church
Musicians in traditional dress wander around
Lakefront cafés on Lake Garda
Sean perches on a post
A red-beaked duck
Sean looks out over Lago di Garda
Sirmione's ferry pier
The blue and aqua-marine of Sirmione
A last look at Castello Scaligero
Some kids line up for a competition
More cycling action
We check out a shop with limoncello
The view from the bedroom
Last night's restaurant
On the Piazza Giuseppe Malvezzi
The Piazza Cappelletti at night
Prizes are awarded for something
Another winning team
The firework display kicks off
Balls of light of Lake Garda
Hundreds of mini explosions and a starburst
Blue sparkles
A false ending with red flares
The display kicks up again
Fireballs fall back into the lake
A finale ramps up
The crowds disperse after the fireworks
We head back to the Alessi for a bottle of red wine