It was a view that would delight any traveller.
A typically rural Italian landscape peppered with rustic villas, farmsteads and short rows of cypress. From where I stood, my eye dropped down to the shimmering River Mincio, meandering its way alongside the park northwards through the summer haze to distant Lake Garda. We could almost feel ourselves relax as we began to succumb to the spike in temperature from the dreich Glasgow we had left behind only hours ago.
We were in Altomincio, a relatively short journey from Verona airport, in Salionze, and I was standing inside one of four large wonderfully air-conditioned yurts that greet visitors.
We sign in and are loaded on to a golf buggy with our luggage which provides the weary weans with a novel means of travel for the last leg. After the fun ride through the "streets" that intersperse the various styles of lodgings, we arrive at our home for the week, a Vista mobile home.
It's the perfect size for a family of four, with double and twin rooms and blessedly ice-cool air-con. The compact kitchen opens through patio doors to a spacious decking area, where we end up spending most meal times shaded from a blistering July sun.
There is a distinct community feel to the park and we become quickly acquainted with our new neighbours, all Irish families, with whom we enjoy good craic throughout the week. The park is fairly large, consisting of 750 pitches, but easy to navigate as it stretches across a long strip by the banks of the Mincio. They say all roads lead to Rome, but here, they all lead to the pool (or rather, the pools). The park has three: an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a toddler pool and the wide shallow main pool with its whale centre-piece and adjacent waterslides which fast becomes the boys' favourite place.
A two-minute walk from the accommodation takes us to the camp mini-market with all the essentials and a host of local fare. Every morning we plan our day over rich coffee, fresh bread, sweet olives, smoky prosciutto and peppery rocket leaves drizzled in olive oil.
The poolside area also has a gelateria, a restaurant with takeaway, a bar and gift shop and serves as the main hub of the park.
Altomincio is well placed to enjoy the attractions of the region. About a half-hour taxi ride north, Peschiera is a beautiful town nestled on the southernmost shore of Lake Garda and it's the nearest jumping-off point for transport links to the towns surrounding the massive turquoise lake that stretches north into the mighty Dolomite Alps.
The boys have a wonderful time at Gardaland, a sprawling theme park chock-full of white-knuckle rides, cafes and diversions. More sedate is sleepy Sirmione, an old fortified town perched on the end of a peninsula that juts into the lake not far from Peschiera, with a medieval maze of alleyways.
My favourite experience is the exhilarating ride up the cable car to the summit of Monte Baldo, with stunning views over Malcesine across the shimmering lake with its rugged mountainous backdrop.
All in all there's plenty to occupy us at Altomincio and the staff we encounter are helpful bar none. Given its location in the heart of some of the most breathtaking landscape Italy has to offer and the standard of accommodation and care, Altomincio has everything you need. It is, as they say, magnifico.
Seven nights at Eurocamp's Altomincio Family Park, staying in a three-bed Esprit mobile home with decking and air conditioning, costs from £119 per person. Visit eurocamp.co.uk. Fly-drive and ferry packages can be arranged through Eurocamp. Flybe (flybe.com) flies from Prestwick and Edinburgh to Verona.
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