Please help us choose the right Italian lake. We are in our 50s and like comfortable, though not over-flash hotels. We’ll hire a car and like good food and touring from a base, plus a few days doing nothing on the lakeshore. The guidebooks and brochures make the lakes look equally lovely, but which isn’t too boisterous or too quiet for us? - Michael Taylor, Manchester

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: It’s a tough call, but I’d suggest plumbing for Lake Maggiore. It has scenery in spades, a wonderfully aristocratic pedigree – especially in the 20’s playground of Stresa - and lots of enticing diversions.

You should avoid staying in Stresa itself, which gets packed in high summer, and instead head to Verbania, and the little town of Pallanza. The main road cuts inland and bypasses Pallanza, leaving its gorgeous waterfront – about the most attractive in the Lakes – in relative peace. You’ll find plenty of restaurants and cafes, some bars, and almost wherever you choose, terrific views of the lake.

Maggiore has the fabulous island gardens too, like those of the Borromean Islands, and the landscaped fantasia of Isola Bella, all easy to get to by ferry.

Lake Orta is a short drive west of Maggiore, and is also popular with couples and families, though much quieter. The medieval car free town of Orta San Giulio is a smashing place, as is the monastery island in the middle of the lake. Some of Orta’s lakeside hotels lack the lustre of those on the shores of Maggiore or Coma, but if you like a quieter option and an authentic feel, then Orta is for you.

Lake Como is the most romantic and luxurious, with steep sided shores making it more fjord-like and stunning. The Centro Largo area is criss-crossed by ferries, linking the sumptuously attractive villages of Bellagio, Tremezzina, and Menaggio. The lakefront cafes and restaurants here are pricey, but excellent. Boats run till late at night and nearby is Lake Lugarno, which is even more mountainous, largely inside Switzerland, and a short drive away.

That leaves Lake Garda, the biggest and brashest of the lakes. It’s been a budget destination for Brits, Germans and Austrians for decades, and it shows. It’s very touristy and crowded, with some pretty unattractive block-style hotels too, but it has the best and worst of the nightlife too – at it’s poshest behind the village of Desenzano. It’s also the closest lake to Verona and Venice.

Companies with an extensive selection of Lakeside hotels include Cadogan Holidays (0845 615 4390, www.cadoganholidays.com), Kirker (www.kirkerholidays.com), Inghams (020 8780 4433, www.inghams.co.uk), and Citalia (0871 200 2004, www.citalia.com). For more information, see www.italianlakes.com.

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