Top Things to Do at Lake Garda

One of the most well-known attractions in Italy, Lake Garda is the largest lake in the country at 370 square km. It is surrounded by the Lombardy region from the southwest and west, the Veneto region from the east and southeast, and the Trentino-Alto Adige region in the north. Lake Garda is located at a height of 65 meters. It starts from the north and is narrow, and between towering cliffs, the lake expands gradually southward into a nearly circular basin. If you visit the southern and western shores, you will see many lovely plants.

In the old days, the lake was named Lacus Benacus by well-known writers like Virgil, Horace, and Catullus. The name was changed after the city of Garda was promoted into a county in the early 9th century by the emperor Charlemagne. The northern part of the lake was under the rule of Austria until 1919. The Alps well shelters Lake Garda to the north, and the climate there is fantastic. It is a typical resort area for vacationers. Fishing carp and trout are well-known there; small boats in the lake move between the main towns, like Riva, Gargnano, Desenzano Del Garda, and Peschiera Del Garda.

There are some lovely places to visit near the lake if you’re looking for a well-rounded experience in this magical region of Italy.

Things to Do at Lake Garda:

Sirmione

The beautiful small town of Sirmione is located on a small peninsula on the southern shore of Lake Garda. It offers views across the lake and is considered one of the well-known attractions overlooking Lake Garda. The town is also between Milan, Verona, and Venice, making it crowded during the summer.

Scaliger Castle

Another attraction at the lake is Scaliger Castle, which was constructed in the 12th century by the Scaligeris, Verona’s ruling family. Take a moment to admire its unique construction and interior design before climbing up its tower, which offers a magnificent view of the lake and town. Before the castle was built, the Romans used to go to this place to bathe in the sulfur springs, and nowadays, it is a luxury spa.

Riva del Garda

This town is located at the north end of Lake Garda and has been inhabited since the Roman period. While visiting, you will find a wonderful mix of old streets and sunny waterside parks. Also, you will find many attractions, like the Apponale Tower, which was built in 1220, and the Praetorian Palace, built in 1375 by the Scaligeri family. The Civilian Museum houses prehistoric and later artefacts inside the palace.  The Inviolata Church is an excellent example of the Baroque style, built in 1603. The exciting thing here is the beach near Torbole, which is known as a premier windsurfing spot because of the steady winds. The town was part of Austria until 1918.

Malcesine

Another beautiful small town at the base of Monte Baldo has narrow, wonderful streets, harbour, shops, and cafes. Overlooking the town is a 13th-century castle, another one that stands on a crag, and its ramparts drop directly to the lake. The view from there is magnificent, and the mountains rise on all sides. You can reach the castle through the narrow lanes between lovely stone buildings that have been there since the Middle Ages. In the summer, the town is always crowded with tourists from everywhere walking through its streets and eating the delicious food offered at its restaurants. Also, a cable car takes you even higher to see more views along Monte Baldo’s scenic ridge.

Ruins of a Roman Villa

It is easy to reach: only a 15-minute walk from the village of Sirmione or on an electric tourist trolley from Piazza Piatti. The Roman villa was the home of the Roman poet Catullus from 84 to 54 BC. The lake surrounds it from three directions and contains its museum as well.

Arco

It is located north of Varone and lies along the bank of the Sarca River in a rich place of southern vegetation. The weather there is beautiful, and you will find magnolias and palm tree plantations everywhere. One of these places is Arboreto di Arco, which dates back to the 1800s and was established by a Habsburg duke. It has many trees from all over the world. The Arco Castle is above the town; you can climb to the castle and enjoy a fantastic view.

Gardaland and Other Parks

Gardaland and the other parks offer many exciting things for you and your family. These parks are located near the lake’s shores in the southeast between Peschiera del Garda and Lazise. They are all open from April to late October.

Gardaland is one of the largest parks in Italy, and there are more than 35 attractions for the young and old. There is a fun park that has all the expected rides, from children’s rides to adventure and adrenaline thrills.

Another park you will have an incredible journey in is the Caneva World theme park, which is devoted to the world of cinema with shows, animation, and reconstructions of film sets. There is also the Caneva Water Park, an excellent place for a family to visit, where you will find big and small pools with slides and water games. It is located in the Verona district. Also, the Parco Natura Viva is considered a zoo. She contains more than 1,500 animals of 200 different species from all continents. It also includes a safari park with African animals and birds. You can visit Aqua Paradise Park with lovely landscapes, palms, white-sand beaches, pools, waterslides, and splashing rides for relaxation.

Vittoriale d’Italia

This is the villa of the poet Gabriele d’Annunzio, and it contains a variety of artistic decorations. Extensive grounds surround the building. Its unique pieces are a coffin-shaped bed, an indigo bathroom suite, and sculpture. The tour of the villa takes around 30 minutes. You can also explore the grounds and gardens to tour the ship Puglia, which he was leading, and make sure to visit the Mausoleum, a theatre, and a museum.

Gardone Riviera

Gardone Riviera is a town located on the western shore of the Riviera Bresciana and has a great climate. One of the exciting things about the Hruska Botanic Garden is its vast landscapes, where the tropical foliage shades its winding paths and terraces. The plants also cover the sculptures, pools, and waterfalls. Beautiful gardens with fantastic views surround the garden. There is also Villa Feltrinelli, which was occupied by Mussolini but is now a hotel. To the south, you will find Salo in a bay under Monte San Bartolomeo, including the church of Santa Maria Annunziata, which was built in 1453.

Cathedral of Salò

The Cathedral of Salo was built in 1453 in the Brescia area in the late Gothic style. When you visit the cathedral, you will see the simple, unfinished brick façade and lovely artworks by Paolo Veneziano, Romanino, and Moretto. Inside the church, you will find an altarpiece in gilded wood made in the 15th century and a large crucifix made in 1493 by Giovanni Teutonico.

Desenzano del Garda

Desenzano del Garda is a small town located west of Sirmione, in the centre of a marina basin. The town has beautiful attractions, such as Villa Romana, a Roman villa excavated near the old town with excellent mosaics. There are some cafés and restaurants, and you can find great beaches on the southern shore to relax and have a good time.

Garda Island

It is known as Isola Borghese, located only 200 meters from the coast and considered the largest island in Lake Garda. It is easy to reach by boat, and you can go on a tour, including the park and the Ferrari Villa, built in 900 AD in the Gothic style. This island was a shelter for pirates, but it became a spiritual centre after the involvement of St. Francesco d’Assisi. It also hosted many well-known people like Dante Alighieri, St. Anthonio da Padova, and Adelaide Malanotte.

Limone sul Garda

Limone sul Garda is an old town located on Lake Garda that is famous for the cultivation of citrus fruits. Not only is the island famous for lemons but also cedar, mandarin, bitter oranges, and kumquats. You can visit the town and walk through its narrow streets, squares and old fishermen’s houses on the lake. There are also beautiful attractions in Limone Sul Garda that you can visit, like the church of San Pietro, which was built in the 9th century and is one of the oldest Romanesque churches in the area. Also, visit other places, such as Piazza XX Settembre, the Old Market Square, the Visconti Tower, the Basilica of St. Nicolò, the Town Hall, and the Azzone Visconti Bridge.

Bardolino and some other Towns

Bardolino is a town that rises on the slopes of Monte Baldo in a landscape of olive groves and vine-cloaked fields, which the town is famous for. There, you can find the church of San Severo on the southeast shore, built in the 8th century, with beautiful frescoes. In the south is Lazise, with middle-aged town walls and a castle built by the Scaligeri family from Verona in the 14th century. Also, between Garda and Torri del Benaco, there is a cypress-clad promontory of San Vigilio, Torri del Benaco, which has the middle-aged Scaligero castle.

Marmitte Dei Giganti

Marmitte Dei Giganti is known as Pothole Giants, a massive hole about 5 meters wide and up to 12 meters deep. It is a phenomenon that took place during the ice age more than 130,000 years ago. In the summertime, glaciers used to melt quickly, creating streams and waterfalls made of water and pebbles. The water eroded the rock, and building wells and pools are still visible today.

Boat Trips on Lake Garda

You can enjoy the beauty of Lake Garda by taking a boat trip around the lake. The tour can take you between the towns we discussed in the above part and have a grand tour of nature and the beautiful landscapes. You can ride the boat, sit on the top deck, and soak up sunshine.

Enjoy Biking and Hiking

Lake Garda is a magnificent place to explore on foot or by bike. You will find many trails for hiking in the area, from family-friendly trails along the shoreline to more adventurous treks out into the hills. An interesting thing you can do is take a walk from the town of Garda to Bardolino, where you can see caves at the top of a lakeside hill. There is a lovely cycle route from Ciclo Pedonale to Lazise Bardolino.

Bolzano

On your way to Lake Garda, you can have a day tour of Bolzano, which has many places to discover. A mixture of Italian and Germanic cultures is apparent in street names, architecture, food, and language. The well-known Piazza Walther is also where the Christmas market is held annually. Bolzano is also the western gateway to the magnificent Dolomite Road, which UNESCO acclaimed as a World Heritage Site.

Brescia

Located in the north of Italy, only 30 km from Lake Garda, make sure to walk around its streets, which were once part of the significant Roman route from Bologna through the Alps. The Piazza Della Loggia also contains a castle and some beautiful buildings with Renaissance architecture.

Torri del Benaco

It is the ancient capital of Lake Garda and is located on the east coast of the lake. It is a great place to start exploring the lake. You can relax by the beach and sample Italian cuisine at many of its lakeside restaurants in the beautiful port area, where hotels and boutique shops rest up against the old castle walls.

Peschiera del Garda

A fortified town surrounded by defensive walls rising from the lake’s waters. The walls and the Peschiera fortress were included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site List in 2017. The Voltoni Bridge is a lovely attraction built in the 16th century, where Lake Garda meets the river Mincio. Also, you will find natural protected areas like the small lake of Frassino.

Torbole

Torbole is a fishing town located along Lake Garda. It is a mix of Venetian and Austrian heritage, and many writers and artists are attracted to this place to gain inspiration from its natural landscapes. You can walk through the town and see the colourful houses and the lake’s deep blue waters. The town, through the centuries, has witnessed many battles and struggles for dominance of this beautiful and advantageous corner of Italy’s largest lake. If you are a photography lover, you will love taking pictures with all these stunning views, and you can also have a great time at a beach near the town.

How to Get to Lake Garda

If you plan to go to Lake Garda by plane, the nearest airport is Verona Airport, only 15 km away. Brescia-Montichiari is 30 km to the southwest, and Bergamo Airport is 80 km away. If you are considering going there by train, Desenzano Del Garda and Peschiera Del Garda are the closest railway stations south of the lake.

Places to Stay at Lake Garda:

Aktivhotel Santalucia

This is a mid-range budget hotel near the lake. It has a beautiful pool and sauna and offers an excellent breakfast.

Hotel Santoni

It is a perfect range budget hotel with a lake view and delicious breakfast.

Hotel Excelsior le Terrazze

The hotel has a great lake view, a short walk to town, and a lovely private garden.

Visiting Lake Garda is a great experience, especially for nature lovers. You will love exploring every part of the lake, from its views to beautiful blue water, gorgeous landscapes, and lovely towns. You will enjoy touring the cities and exploring their buildings and streets or taking a trip through the sparkling waters of Lake Garda for an enjoyable time with your friends or family.