title Hauling Boats to Croatia: Toulon to Desenzano, Lake Garda, Italy - 11th April 2026 intro 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. imgp7189 The first of a million toll stations imgp7191 One of at least 50 tunnels through the mountains imgp7193 There's been a building-material incident imgp7195 A village in the misty mountains imgp7197 We cross a very tall bridge over a valley imgp7198 Sean roams around at a motorway services imgp7199 Sean by a petrol station imgp7200 Another very tall bridge imgp7201 Oh look, it's another tunnel imgp7203 The sun sets over northern Italy imgp7205 We have dinner at the Alessi restaurant imgp7211 In the kitchen of our Desenzano apartment imgp7213 The overnight car park has turned into a market imgp7214 Sean heads back to the van imgp7215 An old-school garage in Desenzano imgp7216 Sean comes out of the garage shop imgp7217 A view from the car park imgp7218 Cyclists on Vicolo Fosse Castello imgp7219 The Piazza Garibaldi imgp7221 A view over Lake Garda imgp7226 Looking down onto Vicolo Fosse Castello imgp7229 A carbon-fibre Colnago bike is on display imgp7231 Bikes on the Piazza Guiseppe Malvezzi imgp7233 The Porto Vechhio imgp7235 Lungolago Cesare Battisti imgp7237 More cyclists imgp7239 A Lake Garda ferry imgp7243 A funky flying statue head imgp7244 Sean's on his phone imgp7245 The Piazza Cappelletti imgp7246 A statue commemorating the anti-fascist movement imgp7248 In the Duomo di Santa Maria Maddalena imgp7250 The back streets of Desenzano imgp7252 Willow trees over Porto Vecchio imgp7254 An old theatre imgp7255 Sean's on his phone again as we stop for a beer imgp7258 Multiple inflatable finishing lines imgp7259 On the ferry pier imgp7261 A boat "for a less polluted lake" imgp7266 Mr. Parmigiano Reggiano roams around imgp7273 Sean takes a break imgp7274 The hotel Splendid Mayer imgp7278 The ferry Trento imgp7281 The Faro di Desenzano del Lago imgp7283 We head over to Sirmione imgp7284 Sean disembarks the ferry to Garda imgp7285 The tulips are definitely worth a shot for Insta imgp7289 Spiderman on Piazza Giosuè Carducci imgp7292 The Castello Scaligero di Sirmione imgp7294 The clear waters of Lago di Garda imgp7295 Love-locks on a fence imgp7297 Attractive buildings on Via Dante imgp7300 The Spiaggia del prete imgp7304 A dead tree on Lake Garda imgp7306 The "beach" at lake GArda imgp7308 Three rocks in the lake imgp7309 A water pumping station imgp7311 A pier heads out into the lake imgp7314 Sean near a 1930s beach building imgp7315 There's a hole-in-the-ground toilet imgp7316 In a Sirmione church imgp7318 Musicians in traditional dress wander around imgp7322 Lakefront cafés on Lake Garda imgp7324 Sean perches on a post imgp7326 A red-beaked duck imgp7327 Sean looks out over Lago di Garda imgp7330 Sirmione's ferry pier imgp7331 The blue and aqua-marine of Sirmione imgp7333 A last look at Castello Scaligero imgp7337 Some kids line up for a competition imgp7341 More cycling action imgp7342 We check out a shop with limoncello imgp7343 The view from the bedroom imgp7344 Last night's restaurant imgp7345 On the Piazza Giuseppe Malvezzi imgp7346 The Piazza Cappelletti at night imgp7351 Prizes are awarded for something imgp7357 Another winning team imgp7382 The firework display kicks off imgp7387 Balls of light of Lake Garda imgp7392 Hundreds of mini explosions and a starburst imgp7395 Blue sparkles imgp7400 A false ending with red flares imgp7404 The display kicks up again imgp7432 Fireballs fall back into the lake imgp7439 A finale ramps up imgp7465 The crowds disperse after the fireworks imgp7472 We head back to the Alessi for a bottle of red wine