Lake Garda

Best things to do in Lake Garda

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   1. Sirmione, its castle and the Grottoes of Catullus

   • Half a day
   • Check entry rules before you go
   • Couples
   • Families
   • No car needed

   A town on the Sirmio peninsula that splits the lower part of Lake Garda. The Scaliger castle is the entrance to the historic centre and is described as one of Italy's best-preserved castles. At the northern tip are the ruins of a Roman villa, with an archaeological museum.

   We have not confirmed opening hours or entry arrangements; check locally before you go.

   5,467 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Sirmione
   • Wikipedia, Scaligero Castle (Sirmione)
   • Wikipedia, Grottoes of Catullus

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   2. Salò

   • 2 to 3 hours
   • No booking needed
   • Couples
   • No car needed

   A town on the south-west shore of the lake with what Wikipedia calls the longest promenade on Lake Garda. It was the seat of government of the Italian Social Republic from 1943 to 1945, often called the Salò Republic.

   3,997 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Salò

3. 

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   3. Gardaland

   • A full day
   • Tickets needed
   • Families

   An amusement park resort at Castelnuovo del Garda, opened on 19 July 1975. The resort includes the park, a sea-life attraction, a Legoland water park and three hotels. Wikipedia reports three million visitors a year, the seventh most visited theme park in Europe.

   Opening dates and ticket types vary; check the park's own site before you plan the day.

   3,032 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Gardaland

4. 

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   4. Riva del Garda

   • Half a day
   • No booking needed
   • Active
   • Couples

   A town at the northern tip of Lake Garda, in the province of Trento. Also known simply as Riva.

   2,011 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Riva del Garda

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   5. Peschiera del Garda

   • 2 to 3 hours
   • No booking needed
   • Couples
   • No car needed

   A town where the Mincio river leaves the lake, with its fortress on an island in the river. It was one of the four fortified towns of the Austrian Quadrilatero, and its Venetian defences have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 9 July 2017.

   1,861 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Peschiera del Garda

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   6. Desenzano del Garda

   • 2 to 3 hours
   • No booking needed
   • No car needed
   • Couples

   A town on the south-west shore of the lake, in the province of Brescia.

   1,598 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Desenzano del Garda

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   7. Limone sul Garda

   • 1 to 2 hours
   • No booking needed
   • Couples

   A town on the western bank of the lake, in the province of Brescia.

   1,387 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Limone sul Garda

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   8. Monte Baldo cable car

   • Half a day
   • Tickets needed
   • Active
   • Couples
   • Families

   A mountain range between Lake Garda and the Adige valley, reached by cable car from Malcesine. The ride takes around twenty minutes to the top station at 1,760 m, and the second section has rotating panoramic cabins. A long-distance route, the Peace Trail, crosses the range.

   The operator's 2026 summer season runs 4 April to 1 November, with a maintenance closure from 2 November to 25 December. First ascent 09:00; check the last-ride times on the day.

   1,213 readers a month

   Sources

   • Funivie del Baldo, Malcesine cable car
   • Wikipedia, Monte Baldo

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   9. Malcesine

   • 2 to 3 hours
   • No booking needed
   • Couples
   • No car needed

   A town on the eastern shore of the lake, in the province of Verona and about 40 km north-west of Verona city. It is listed among I Borghi più belli d'Italia, 'the most beautiful villages of Italy', and is where the Monte Baldo cable car starts.

   1,155 readers a month

   Sources

   • Wikipedia, Malcesine
   • Funivie del Baldo, Malcesine cable car

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    10. Lazise

    • 2 to 3 hours
    • No booking needed
    • Families
    • Couples

    A lakeside town on the eastern shore with a historic centre. Wikipedia records about 3.5 million tourist visits a year, calls it the first Italian lake destination, and notes two amusement parks in its area, Canevaworld and Gardaland.

    880 readers a month

    Sources

    • Wikipedia, Lazise

Just missed the list: Isola del Garda (11th; the lake's biggest island, visited by guided tour from several lake ports); Bardolino (12th; a lakeside wine town on the eastern shore)