January 8, 2025, 6:30 am | Read time: 9 minutes

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. In the north, the mountains rise up close to the crystal-clear water. And the further south you drive along the more than 50-kilometer-long coastal road, either on the western or eastern shore, the more Mediterranean the atmosphere becomes. TRAVELBOOK shows you the special places to discover along the way.

9 Charming Places on Lake Garda

Punta San Vigilio

The headland known as Punta San Vigilio (see large photo above) is one of the most romantic spots on the entire lake. It is appreciated all over the world. Winston Churchill, Vivian Leigh, and Prince Charles, for example, spent the night in the exclusive “Locanda San Vigilio”. The headland is located exactly at the intersection between the wider southern and the narrower northern part of the lake. And it offers fantastic views. You can also see the small 13th century church of San Vigilio, which is dedicated to St. Vigilius of Trento and gave the Punta its name. There is a café in the small harbor of Punta San Vigilio.

Malcesine

One of the most beautiful vacation resorts on Lake Garda can be found on the eastern shore in the Veneto region. Malcesine, with its population of just under 4,000, is affectionately dubbed the “Pearl of Lake Garda”. South of the old town of Malcesine, a pretty lakeside promenade leads to the Val di Sogno peninsula. There are also several bathing spots here. To the north of the old town, there are several beaches that are also suitable for families. The largest is also popular with windsurfers and sailors.

Sights in Malcesine

Malcesine’s landmark is the medieval castle of the Scaliger family on a rocky promontory on the lake. In the 17th century, architects from the Republic of Venice extended the fortress. The Palazzo inferiore was built in the lower area to house a complete garrison. A memorial stone commemorates a visit to the castle by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1786.

The “Palazzo dei Capitani” was built in Malcesine around 1290. For centuries, it was the seat of the governor of the Republic of Venice. In front of the palace, a palm garden stretches down to the shores of Lake Garda. On a hill above the winding old town, holidaymakers can visit the baroque church of Santo Stefano with its many paintings of art-historical value.

The small town of Malcesine with its picturesque old town lies directly at the foot of the Monte Baldo massif. A cable car runs from the town to the village of Tratto Spino. Over a total distance of more than 4300 meters, a difference in altitude of around 1,650 meters is overcome in two sections. Even mountain bikes can be taken along in the spacious, modern cabins. The view over Lake Garda from the 45 and 80-seat cabins is spectacular. The return trip to Monte Baldo costs 27 euros.

Limone sul Garda

In picturesque Limone sul Garda on the north-western shore, with its small old town center and pretty lakeside promenade, there are two harbors: the Porto Vecchio (Old Harbor) and the Porto Nuovo (New Harbor). Although the romantic fishing village on a hillside does not offer much space for expanding tourism, there are many smaller and larger hotels, guesthouses, and vacation apartments.

Sights in Limone sul Garda

Those who want to do more than just swim, sail, hike, and enjoy the fresh air can visit the baroque parish church of San Benedetto in Limone sul Garda. It was built in the 17th century. It contains four extraordinary altars and paintings by the 15th-century painter Andrea Celesti.

At the end of the only north-facing alley in the town, you can also discover the even older chapel of San Rocca from the 16th century via a staircase.

Sirmione

Sirmione lies at the very end of a headland on the southern shore of Lake Garda. The small town of around 9,000 inhabitants has a Mediterranean character. Narrow, winding alleyways in the picturesque old town; restaurants, cafés, and hotels on the lakeshore; stately villas between park-like gardens on the three hills behind. The medieval castle of the Scaliger family, built directly into the water, is also a real eye-catcher.

Sights in Sirmione

The “Grottoes of Catullus” from the 1st century BC have been preserved in Sirmione from Roman times. They are named after the poet Gaius Valerius Catullus. He was full of praise for the vacation resort of wealthy families from ancient Rome. For tourists, the excavation site directly on the picturesque shores of Lake Garda is one of the main attractions.

In the 13th century, the ruling della Scala family from Verona built the Castello Scaligero in Sirmione on the foundations of a Roman fortress. A drawbridge still provides visitors with access to the well-preserved castle with numerous battlements, a moat, and its own landing stage. The main building is the 47-meter-high Mastino Tower.

The Boiola, Virgilio, and Catullo thermal baths in Sirmione, renowned for their iodine, bromine, and sulphur-rich waters, rank among the most celebrated thermal springs beyond the Alps. The spring water has been used to treat rheumatic and skin diseases for more than 100 years.

Bardolino

Bardolino is a wine-growing center on the south-eastern shore of Lake Garda in the Veneto region. Its red wine, Bardolino Rosso, is particularly famous around the world.

Sights in Bardolino

Holidaymakers are drawn to the heart of Bardolino by its pedestrian zone, featuring the Piazza Mateotti and the neoclassical church of Santi Nicolò e Severo, erected in 1840. Also worth seeing are the two Romanesque churches of San Severo and San Zeno, as well as the ruins of the Scaliger Castle. From the city center, the route leads through the medieval city gate, Porta Verona, to the 16th century Villa Guerrieri Rizzardi park.

After a good meal in the numerous restaurants, osterias, and wine bars, the kilometer-long lakeside promenade invites you to take a pleasant stroll. It passes pretty hotels and a small marina. Because Bardolino is also known for its excellent olive oil—Lake Garda is considered the northernmost olive oil producing region in the world—strollers can also look out over extensive olive groves.

Riva del Garda

Riva del Garda, nestled on the northern shore of Lake Garda, is one of the most charming places in the region and a favorite among holidaymakers. The town boasts a rich, eventful history. Its landmark is the leaning tower of Riva at the harbour, the 34-meter-high Torre Apponale. While not as tilted as its famous counterpart, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, it certainly has its own charm. But at least it is about as old. Given its mountainous surroundings, the largest town on Lake Garda with approximately 17,000 residents, is a favored destination for mountain bikers, climbers, and hikers.

Sights in Riva del Garda

Even before the leaning clock tower was built at the harbor in the 13th century, the princes of Trento built the Rocca di Riva, a town castle in the water. Similar to the Scaliger castle in Sirmione, the castle is still well-preserved despite fierce battles in Riva del Garda between the Italians and Austrians during the First World War.

For several centuries until the end of the First World War, Riva belonged to Austria-Hungary as “Reiff am Gartsee”. It was only returned to Italy after the Treaty of St. Germain. Today, the elegant fortress houses the municipal museum. Among other things, archaeological finds from Roman times and the Scaliger period can be admired there.

Mountain bikers, hikers, climbers, and mountaineers appreciate the numerous paths and routes on the 376-meter-high Monte Brione and the 1,575-meter-high Monte Rocchetta.
The bay of Riva on Lake Garda is also popular with sailors and windsurfers. Several sailing schools rent out boats and boards here and also offer beginners’ courses. There are two family-friendly pebble beaches with gently sloping waters for swimming enthusiasts. Of course, Riva also has numerous pavement cafés and restaurants with terraces overlooking the lake.

Gardone Riviera

Gardone Riviera, the “garden town”, attracts visitors with its elegant, car-free lakeside promenade and evening orchestral music. It owes its name to the botanical garden created in 1920 by the doctor Arthur Hruska, now called Fondazione André Heller under its new owner.

Particularly worth seeing in Gardone is the park and residential complex of the eccentric Italian poet Gabriele d’Annunzio (1863-1938). He gave the town the pompous “Vittoriale degli Italiani”, the monument to the victory of the Italians. His palazzo became a temple of art and the park is bursting with curiosities. For example, a torpedo boat, d’Annunzio’s ancient Fiat, and the bow of the battleship “Puglia”, which he commanded in 1919, are on display here.

Saló

Saló, picturesquely nestled in a horseshoe-shaped bay, epitomizes the quintessential Italian charm of lakeside towns. This in turn explains the high quality of the restaurants and the enormous density of boutiques. The late Gothic cathedral with its magnificent Renaissance portal made of white marble is particularly worth seeing. To the south, between San Felice and Manerba, there are long, fine pebble beaches. Above the coast, the hilly Valtenési wine region is ideal for hiking.

More on the topic

Hidden gem Paros This Greek Island Is as Beautiful as Santorini, but Cheaper

Through the Tramuntana mountains GR 221 – the most beautiful long-distance hiking trail on Mallorca

A hidden gem in Italy This City Is as Beautiful as Venice but Much Cheaper and Less Crowded

Desenzano

With just under 30,000 inhabitants, Desenzano is the largest town on Lake Garda. And it is one of the most charming places in the area. The omnipresent clatter of scooters, the many street cafés, and the characteristic arcades in the old town give the town its charming Mediterranean flair. For art lovers, the colorful mosaic floor of a Roman bathing villa (from the third century) is a must-see. So is Tiepolo’s “Last Supper” in the parish church. Shopping fans want to make a note of Tuesday. On this day—ever since the Middle Ages—a lavish weekly market has been held regularly on the lakeside promenade.