Mamma mia!

But it wasn't a Mini we were travelling in, the location wasn't Turin and Michael Caine was nowhere to be seen.

In fact, we were doing a circuit of Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake which lies in the foothills of the Dolomites in the north of the country.

Lake Garda, peppered with a mixture of elaborate hotels, pebble beaches and beautiful towns against a stunning mountainous backdrop, has plenty to offer the discerning traveller.

Thankfully, unlike other popular resorts, architects haven't dug into the spectacular hillside to create holiday apartments or commercial villages. The scenery varies enormously, from the craggy mountains of the north, to the rich vineyards of the middle reaches and the gentle plains which back the southern shores.

We were staying at Europa Silvella, a pretty campsite near Salo, on the south west of the lake, shaded by olive trees. Figs were also abundant and my children took delight in picking ripe ones from a tree right next to our mobile home.

Our drive north took us past Salo through tree-lined roads alongside picturesque towns including Gardone Riviera and Gargnano and, almost at the tip of the lake, to the more commercial town of Limone, where you can hire pedalos, go for a swim or even catch a car ferry across the lake to Malcesine, also known as the Riviera of Olives.

Many of the campsites around Lake Garda (and there are a lot of them) are situated on the hillside and enjoy stunning views of the lake. We were able to access the lake from our campsite for a swim and to just watch the world go by.

Make sure you have jelly shoes or other water-resistant footwear, though, as the big stones which you have to tackle to get into the water can prove hazardous if you attempt it in bare feet.

Lake Garda, which lies around half way between Venice and Milan, was formed by glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age and is divided between the regions of Lombardy, Trentino and the Veneto.

It may have an Alpine setting, but the temperature is like the Mediterranean as the lake acts as a gigantic solar panel.

The Romans had a significant presence in this area. Sirmione, a medieval hamlet in the southern peninsula, was a spa destination in Roman times and even now has thermal springs and impressive Roman ruins at the end of the promontory.

While this historical town has been choked by tourism, if you visit in low season you'll probably gain more from not having to fight the crowds walking around the ramparts of the 13th century castle, the Rocca Scaligera, with its swan-filled moat, and visiting the Grotte di Catullo (caves of Catullus), a huge Roman villa on Sirmione's northern tip which is believed to have belonged to the poet Catullus.

It's 98 miles around the lake, so you can drive around it in a day, although we were keen to explore the many gorgeous villages and towns on its banks. To the north nearer the mountains it is windier and narrower, just two miles across at its narrowest point, and that's where much of the sailing and windsurfing takes place.

Further south there's still a plethora of water-based activities, from water and jet skiing to scuba diving and fishing.

We hired a motor boat from Moniga Del Garda in the south for the day to explore the lakeside towns from the water. Setting off early morning we weren't prepared for hugely choppy waters prompted by the wind, but we went around the Isola di Garda - where you can take a tour through English and Italian gardens and a few rooms of the impressive early 20th century neo-gothic-Venetian style villa - and on to the elegant Gardone Riviera, a welcoming town featuring a promenade lined with benches for relaxing.

As the water calmed down in the afternoon, we did some exploring in the south, dropping anchor off the pretty beach of Manerba del Garda where we swam off the boat in the crystal clear fresh water before setting off on a much more sedate voyage back.

We found the west side of the lake slightly less commercial than the south east, which houses a variety of theme parks and other tourist attractions, although the east is also home to the stunning lakeside towns of Bardolino, where you can buy a very palatable red wine from grapes grown in the region, and Garda, a bustling town with a weekly market.

I liked the fact that the theme parks - Gardaland is the biggest and most impressive- are all situated within the same area. But check your dates - the day we drove to Canevaworld, a water park, was an Italian bank holiday and by the time we had got through the two-hour traffic jam the water park was crammed, almost dangerously, to capacity.

When we fancied a rest from driving, we took the ferry to Bardolino.

On a sunny day the brightly-coloured buildings on the front in shades of burnt orange, salmon pink and mustard yellow provide a striking contrast to the vivid blue sky.

It also has a most fantastic award-winning gelateria on the front offering a myriad of flavours, with delicious ice creams costing just 1.5 euros.

If you are going to drive, I would recommend hiring a small car rather than a big people carrier because parking can be tricky close to the lake in the height of season.

The best mode of travel for me, however, was the ferry. You can get to major towns across the lake this way, without the hassle of traffic or parking, although it is quite pricey - around 60 Euros (£42) for a family of four.

I have to say that eating out in Lake Garda is not cheap for families unless you live on shared pizzas. It is the Cote D'Azur of Italy, so expect to pay accordingly.

Pasta is commonly served as a starter, but if you are going for a speciality then I can recommend the many risottos on offer, flavoured with everything from mushroom to seafood. Other Italian delights including Parma ham, Milano salami and game, as well as delicious local cheeses.

We found the Italians extremely child-friendly, the water cleaner than a lot of the Med and the ambience stylish but relaxed.

All in all, the perfect Italian job.

TRAVEL FACTS

Twelve nights at Europa Silvella in May 2008 starts from £297 for two adults and up to five children staying in a Classic Midi mobile home, accommodation only. Seven nights in August costs from £621.

Fly-drive packages, rail travel or ferry crossings and overnight stops are all available as part of the package at a supplement. Visit keycamp.co.uk or call 0844 406 0319.