Read Aloud the Text Content

This audio was created by Woord's Text to Speech service by content creators from all around the world.

Text Content or SSML code:

WINDSURFING, SPOT REVIEWS: TORBOLE (LAKE GARDA) Garda is a lake famous all over the world for windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing. And it deserves this fame, for the intensity and frequency of the days of good wind, but also for the superb landscape that can be enjoyed both while sailing in the water and while relaxing on the ground. In this article, we describe the spots of Torbole, in the northern part of the lake. The spot works mainly with a thermal wind, the so called "Ora", which blows from the South, and from March to October, and from 12-13 o'clock up to late afternoon, during sunny days. Infact, it rises because of the pressure difference between air on the lake (colder and heavier) and the air above the mountains and valleys at the North of the lake (warmer and lighter). So the cold air moves towards North to take place of warm air, which rises high in the sky. In good days, the "Ora" can reach about 20-25 knots, with a pretty good chop of one meter. If you have low pressure, or too much cloudy skies above mountains, the "Ora" doesn't blow, or is unsteady, because the air, there, doesn't become enough warm. Under these conditions, sails from 5,0 up to 8 square meters can be used, depending on the specific situation of the day, and kind of equipment. To check probability that Ora may blow, visit Waterwind wind predictions page. It is good to keep a good distance (at least 100 meters), while in the water, from the promontory between Torbole and Riva del Garda - Mount Brione, because, there, wind bounces against the mountain, so it is turbulent, and even almost near to zero. The spot works also with the thermal wind of the early morning, the so called "Peler", which blows, all year long - better in autumn, from the North (cold air from mountains takes place of the warmer air above lake, and, especially, above plains at South of the lake). Here, Peler is not so strong as in the central part of the lake (spots of Malcesine, and "Pra de la fam", where you use even 4 square meters sail), but it can let you enjoy nice sessions with 15-20 knots wind, on complete flat waters, and in the silence and quiet of the early morning. Magic moments! With Peler, you have to enter in the water from Conca Beach (read further) to enjoy good wind, unless you are a beginner and you want weak wind (but be careful in this case, the wind is side off). Or if you want, you can start from Circolo Surf Torbole beach (or in the surrounding beaches), and then you let go yourself downwind up to Conca beach area to get the best Peler in Torbole area. You stop at Conca beach, when the wind stops (about at 9 o'clock), and you rest there until the Ora starts. Then you continue your ride with South wind, and come back downwind where you started. Lots of international windsurf and sailing regattas take place every spring and summer in Torbole (as in Riva del Garda, the nearest spot in the Northern Garda Lake). You have perfect facilities on the spot: school and rental centers as Surf Segnana, Duotone Surf Center, and Vasco Renna Surf Center, where you can take lessons and equipment. You have also Circolo Surf Torbole, which is an important private Windsurfing Club. Good windsurf shops are also available as Shaka, and Surf Planet. Plenties of hotels, campings and bed and breakfast, as well as bars, restaurants can easily be found in Torbole, since it is also a renowned touristic location. You can get into water from many different points (see map below). First of all, you can get into water from the so called Conca d'Oro beach, where you also have Duotone Surf Center (which is run by Surf Planet). Here, you have a nice lawn where you can rig your equipment (racks available after rigging to put your gear), or relax with your family. You have a bar to buy food at this beach. Payment parking is available behind the the lawn, with not many places, so in the high season and in late morning it is often full. Part of the parkings is reserved for autocaravans. You have peddles beach here on the west side, and a rubber mat ashore on the south side, useful to avoid damaging your equipment. The Conca d'oro (that means Gold bay) is actually the bay of the lake between this beach and the central part of the village of Torbole. Entering in the water from this beach, you can catch good wind because you are far enough from the promontory between Riva and Torbole, and the shore in front of the two villages, where land disturbs wind a little (less stable). Moreover, Ora and Peler, here, blow sideshore. Take note that the you have the best wind of all, in the Northern Garda Lake, in the area between the mountain just at South of Conca d'Oro beach and Pier Windsurf, in Riva del Garda (one of the most famous Surf Center in the region - see map below). This explains why people throw themselves from the rocky coast along the roads towards Malcesine and Limone del Garda, to enjoy the best rides. But, it's difficult to park there. Starting your session from Conca d'Oro beach, you can get an uninterrupted planing of 3 kms, until you reach the so called Ponale, the cliff that rises above Riva del Garda: sure that you get adrenaline flowing! The second point where to enter in the water (my favourite) is the beach in front of Circolo Surf Torbole. You have a nice lawn behind, where to rig your equipment (but stay away from the part in front of Vasco Renna Surf Center, if you don't rent or take lessons with them, otherwise they will complain). Bars and restaurant are available here as well. You can park your car in the surroundings - better to have a trolley to bring your equipment to the beach. Also here, you have rubber mat ashore (placed by Circolo Surf Torbole and Vasco Renna). You are requested not to leave your equipment on the beach, in order to let people and windsurfers pass easily. So you have comfortable racks on the beach, where you are supposed to put your equipment. Also if you start from this beach, you can enjoy wonderful rides up to Ponale. Only near the shore (up to 50 meters), you can have unstable wind. Notice that you have some shore break here (and side-on wind), which may create problems, but only to beginners. Take note the Ora wind here comes from South/South-East, and not from South. Beaches around this point, and in front of campings, are also good to get into the water, but only if they're not reserved to people taking bath (buoys delimiting the area reserved for bathing, close to the shore). Last point to get into water is the so called "Foce Sarca" beach (Sarca is the river that enters into lake in Torbole). The beach at the west of the river is good for windsurfers (but also for relaxing). Here, you have Segnana Surf (the main center; other Segnana centers are located in different Torbole's beaches). Lawn in front of the school is available to rig equipment, and you have racks to put your sails and boards. Here, you have a bar with a fast food. Cat and dinghies are also available for renting at the surf center. At the west of the beach you have a magnificent and quiet beach (Lido Azzurro, at Arco) where you can take a nice bath (in the season), or you can have your first rides, if you're learning. If you enter into water from the beach in front of the surf center, you are forced to ride towards west (that is, towards Riva del Garda), both because wind generally comes from South/South-East, and because on your left (watching to the South) you have the Sarca river mouth, and you'd have difficulties to pass over it. But you must be careful to tack quite soon, in order not to go too much near to the promontory between Torbole and Riva, because you would run the risk of finding yourself in a no wind zone. As from the other beaches, from here you can ride up to the zone under Ponale, even if you start a little more downwind. In front of the Sarca River, water is a little bit colder respect to other areas of the lake. Northern Garda lake offers also the possibility to practise other sports, like trekking, free-climbing, and mountain bike ridings. But you can have also wonderful relaxing ridings with city bikes along the track that joins Torbole to Riva del Garda. I often have relaxing ride with my bike in the early morning along this track, during my summer week-ends in Torbole, and have pleasant breakfast at one of the many bars on the lake shore, enjoying the peace of the place in that moment of the day. If you want to have a good dinner, local surfers suggest: - Alla Lega, at Arco di Trento (best restaurant that I tried so far according to me). - Ai Conti, at Arco di Trento. - Alla Grotta, at Arco di Trento. - La Cantinota, at Arco di Trento. - Speck Stube, at Malcesine. - Kapuziner, at Riva del Garda. Last thing to say is that during summer week-ends, and during August the spot is crowded (also lots of traffic along the road between Riva and Torbole), but anyway you can find your way and place, both in the water and at the beach. Indeed, you can enjoy more the spot during spring time (better wind and less crowd). So, I wish you may come and enjoy Torbole! Fabio Muriano