What to do in Lake Garda: a traveller’s guide

From colourful, historic towns to castles, hot springs, cable cars and vineyards, not to mention the attractions of nearby Verona, you can easily spend a week or more exploring some of the best things to do in Lake Garda. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve picked out our favourites and some of the unmissable stops to help you plan what to do in Lake Garda.

Sirmione

This colourful town is perfect for strolling and soaking up the lake-side atmosphere but you’ll also discover plenty of history in Sirmione. There’s evidence of fishermen living in stilt houses that date back to the Stone Age at one of Lake Garda’s oldest settlements, as well as Roman remains at the Grotto of Catullus, the ruins of a villa on the edge of the lake just outside the town.

Or for a taste of medieval life, head to the 13th century Scaligero Castle. You can still climb the steps to the castle ramparts to look out across the surrounding countryside and lake as guards did for centuries.

Scaligero Castle, Sirmione

Malcesine

Another of the most popular stops around the lake, Malcesine transports you right back in time as you wander along the cobbled streets and look up to Monte Baldo. Its big highlight is a visit to the 13th century castle with some of the best views out onto the lake from the Rivellino terrace, as well as from the tower.

There’s been a fortress on this site for over 2,000 years, passing between empires and aristocrats, and falling victim to wars and siege before this castle was built, and fell under the control of Alberto della Scala (so it’s also known as the Scaliger castle) and later the Visconti family.

Some areas are open to the public, including the viewpoints, rooms housing the Natural History museum and other displaying sketches by German author Goethe from his Italian journey.

Riva

Considered the most important town on the lake, a visit is easily one of the best things to do in Lake Garda. Medieval walls still enclose the old town, but as you explore here, you’ll discover a different style of architecture with the town under Austrian rule until 1918 when it became part of Italy.

As a result, there’s a distinct Austrian feel to the town with its colourful buildings, along with a few historic landmarks to spot as you go.

The lakeside fortress, known as the Rocca, is now home to the town’s museum with background about Riva, while the striking Torre Apponale clock tower dates from the 13th century – you can climb it to the top for some wonderful views across the town. Look out for the little angels at the top of the tower too, guarding the main square.

Limone

Visit the smaller villages

Although a visit to the larger towns should be on any list of things to do in Lake Garda, save some time to visit the smaller villages dotted around. Limone is easily one of the prettiest, forever associated with its old lemon groves – although interestingly, the name actually comes from the Latin word for ‘boundary’ as it lay on the edge of the nearby territory of Trento. You can still visit museums and parks with links to the village’s citrus history.

Peschiera is another of the loveliest locations to visit, with canals reminding you of the waterways of Venice, plus Roman remains including a fortress. Valeggio sul Mincio is another attractive stop, with its hilltop castle and 17th century Villa Sigurtà, which was once Napoleon’s headquarters. Or picturesque Borghetto sul Mincio still has its historic water mills alongside old stone houses, as well as riverside walks.

Get out onto Lake Garda

Imagine coming to beautiful Lake Garda without heading out onto the water at least once? When you’re wondering what to do in Lake Garda, boat trips or watersports are one of the best ways to really enjoy this gorgeous location.

You’ll find plenty of boat tours out on the lake, some taking you along the Gardone Riviera and around Isola del Garda, the largest island on the lake – privately owned, you can book tours to explore. Others will stop at some of the lovely little villages dotted along the lakeshore, such as medieval Lazise with its narrow alleys, or Bardolino, where colourful fishing boats line the waterfront.

If you fancy something more energetic, Torbole is known for its watersports, with breezes blowing along the lake which make the area perfect for sailing and wind surfing.

Take the cable car

You’ll never be short of a glorious view around Lake Garda, but for some of the best panoramas, you need to head up to the heights. The Monte Baldo cable car, which whisks you from Malcesine to the top of the mountain in minutes, is one of the unmissable things to do in Lake Garda. Once you’ve gazed down onto the lake shimmering below, there are some great walking and biking trails through the countryside, where you could spot golden eagles and marmots as well as orchids flowering.

There’s another chance to soar up on a cable car journey from Bolzano to Soprabolzano. Around an hour from Torbole, you might not see the lake itself but it’s still one of the best things to do around Lake Garda, cruising over hilly vineyards and valleys up to the plateau for a slice of apple strudel and a reminder that Austria is just over the horizon.

Head to the beach

If you don’t associate the Italian lakes with beaches and swimming, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with plenty dotted along the shoreline. At many you’ll find loungers and cafes or restaurants, traditional Italian lidos and wonderfully clear calm water to swim with few waves or currents.

Plenty of beaches around the lake are pebble or shingle rather than sand, such as Paina beach at Malcesine, with lifeguards, bars and restaurant, along with Lido delle Bionde in Sirmione, close to the Grotto of Catullus and surrounded by olive trees. Or popular La Cavalla, near Garda and Bardolino, is known for its astonishingly clear water.

For somewhere with plenty of facilities, Baia delle Sirene (Mermaid Bay) near Garda has showers and beach club, as well as kids’ club and other options for families. Or if you’re hoping for a classic sandy beach, head to Spiaggia La Marra in Lazise, with a bar and restaurant nearby.

Discover the thermal baths

People have been coming to Lake Garda for the thermal springs since Roman times, especially around Sirmione. And while the facilities have improved over the centuries, you can still enjoy the same warm, healing waters as those visitors two millennia ago.

Sirmione is still among the best places to enjoy the thermal spas, perfect for an unexpected rainy day around Lake Garda. The two main options are Terme di Sirmione (formerly Terme Catullo) in the Colombare area and the Spa & Thermal Garden in the historic centre.

Not far away, in Cola di Lazise, the Parco Termale del Garda is a 13-acre natural spa, with thermal lakes and pools surrounded by plants and trees, as well as a wellness centre. In the lake and swimming pool, the water is a delightful 33C, while there are hotter pools reaching 37-39C.

Lake Garda vineyard

Go wine tasting

There are few places in Italy where you won’t find wonderful, local wine and when you consider that much of Lake Garda is in the Veneto region, it will come as little surprise to find that wine-tasting is one of the tempting things to do in Lake Garda.

There are acres of vineyards in the hills around the lake and throughout the Veneto, famous for producing Prosecco as well as dry white wine Soave. For red wine lovers, there’s also the lighter Valpolicella and richer Amarone de Valpolicella to enjoy.

If you’d like to visit a vineyard, Bardolino is a great place to start with tours and tastings to enjoy.

Try local dishes

Once you’ve sipped a few glasses of local wine, it’s time to try the area’s best food – like the rest of the country, you’ll find regional specialities galore. In Lake Garda, bigoli con le sarde is one of the classics, a traditional pasta dish made using sardines from the lake along with pine nuts and sultanas.

You’ll find a string of other lake fish to enjoy, including carp and pike, plus fish soups. Or tuck in to carne salada, marinated and flavoured beef, eaten raw with some of the protected Garda extra virgin olive oil.

For a real taste of tradition, one of the best things to do in Lake Garda Italy is to try the dishes which the area’s poorer residents would have eaten; la carbonera is named for the charcoal makers who once lived here, made with more of the local extra virgin olive oil, polenta and local Monte Baldo cheese.

Explore the Valle dei Laghi

While you won’t be short of things to do in Lake Garda itself, the lake also makes a great base to discover some of the surrounding area, including the beautiful Valle dei Laghi.

This sub-alpine lake district stretches between Lake Garda itself and Trento with seven main mountain lakes tucked away behind the mountains, villages and little settlements close to their shores.

There are cycle paths linking the lake region, or you can also venture out into this enchanting landscape on foot. Then reward yourself with a glass of sweet golden-yellow Vino Santo wine which is made here.

Verona is less than an hour from Sirmione

Verona

Famously the setting of Romeo and Juliet’s love-struck tragedy, you’ll find echoes of the tragic romance across Verona, including a chance to visit Juliet’s balcony – not, of course, her real balcony but still one of the most popular places to visit in Verona.

And the city is less than an hour from Sirmione, making it a perfect day trip or longer stay when you’re planning what to do in Lake Garda. Don’t miss the imposing Roman amphitheatre, dating from the 1st century, which still hosts the annual Verona Opera Festival, along with other concerts year-round.

The town is also home to other Roman and medieval remains, including the preserved Roman Mercato Vecchio, the Piazza delle Erbe, which was Verona’s main commercial centre in the Middle Ages. And there’s a chance to see the tombs of the Scala family who played such a major role in the life of the city as well as around Lake Garda itself.

Discover our escorted tours to Italy, including holidays to the Italian Lakes such as the Southern Shores of Lake Garda