And there below is the spot where a hapless mechanic lost control of the sleek Aston Martin he was delivering to the film set and landed in those sparkling waters.

An expensive mistake which required the hasty respraying of several new cars to replace the one that had to be hauled out of the drink and gave the locals a story to tell for years to come.

The hill village of Tremosine has caught Bond fever as it was a location for the film and a press conference was held on the terrace with the stunning view, the aptly-named Hotel Paradiso, where you can feast on a special James Bond menu.

One of the journalists on our trip was also the 'victim' of a special treat for groups of diners. He was mysteriously whisked away to the kitchen and returned a short while later in a chef's uniform and helped to serve up the first course, a flambéed pasta dish presented in a giant hollowed-out cheese.

No wonder the Bond team chose Lake Garda. It is simply beautiful with a cluster of pretty towns and villages around a seemingly endless lake and a fabulous backdrop of mountains framing every lovely view.

We stayed in Limone sul Garda, where they specialise in growing lemons, naturally, in special terraced walled gardens that you can visit.

There are some lovely hotels like the family-run Hotel Monte Baldo right on the lake, where you can enjoy a very pleasant upmarket meal or a drink in the bar, and plenty of places for a simpler pizza or drink in the charming winding alleyways.

We had hoped to take part in a special food festival where you buy a sweet little bag with picnic gear in and set off along a trail marked out by a carpet to try various regional food and drink specialities.

However, a rare thunderstorm washed away some of the roads and the event had to be called off but if you're quick you can catch the next one next weekend (August 31).

But there's plenty more to do, from a massage in the five-star Hotel Imperial -- try the Earth & Sky (85€) and be prepared for the masseur sounding a Tibetan gong on your body! -- to a boat trip along the coast.

We went to Salo (15€ return with a hotel discount card) which was a pleasant trip to a very attractive little town with plenty of shopping opportunities, a great ice cream shop and a lovely lakeside promenade for a stroll.

If you fancy a bit of Bond-style daredevilry, there are plenty of watersports to try and even some good golf courses for more sedate exercise.

If culture's your thing, Verona and Venice are within striking distance and holiday firms like Inghams offer trips from their hotels to the spectacular outdoor opera season at Verona in a Roman amphitheatre.

For a more relaxing time, there are some small pebbly beaches next to the lake and our hotel, the San Pietro, offered no less than three swimming pools, one indoors.






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