Practical information for visiting The Lake Garda Riviera

Mobile coverage is complete along the shore and in all the towns, and good on Monte Baldo's cable-car route, with weak spots in the mountain's valleys and on the ridge paths.

EU visitors roam on their own plans; others can buy a prepaid SIM in Peschiera or Verona, with a passport for registration. Wi-Fi is standard in hotels, campsites and lakeside bars, and many towns run public networks along the waterfront.

The Veneto shore is a safe, heavily touristed area. The real risks are the water, the mountain and the road.

• The lake is large and deep, and its wind is sudden. The afternoon Ora can raise a serious chop within minutes, and swimmers and small craft get caught out every summer. Check conditions before going far from shore.
• Water temperature drops sharply with depth even in August; cold shock is a genuine hazard away from the shallows.
• Monte Baldo is a proper mountain. Weather changes fast, the cable car can close in wind, and paths are exposed. Do not go up in shorts because the shore was warm.
• The shore road is narrow, winding and busy, with tunnels and cyclists. It is the shore's most common source of accidents.
• Summer crowds bring the usual petty theft in busy harbours and car parks.

The shore towns have pharmacies and health centres, with seasonal reinforcement; hospitals with emergency departments are at Peschiera, Bussolengo and Verona, and the northern shore is served from Verona or across the border in Trentino -- from Malcesine that is a real distance, worth knowing.

EU visitors with a valid EHIC are treated on the same terms as residents; non-EU visitors should carry travel health insurance. Pharmacies operate a rota, extended in summer.

Tap water is safe to drink. The practical considerations are sun exposure on open water, cold shock when swimming out of the shallows, and altitude and weather change on Monte Baldo.

Single emergency number: 112, free from any phone, covering police, fire and ambulance.

On the lake: 112 also reaches the lake rescue services. Give the nearest town and, if you can, your distance from shore.

Mountain rescue: 112, which coordinates the Soccorso Alpino for Monte Baldo.

Nearest emergency departments: Peschiera del Garda and Bussolengo, with Verona's larger hospitals about 30-40 minutes from the southern shore and considerably further from Malcesine.

Lost passport: contact your own country's embassy or consulate, most of which are in Rome or Milan.