Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and just oozes natural beauty. Surrounded by mountains and stuffed with authentic Italian culture, it’s the kind of place you could easily stay for an extended period. But if you’ve only got a few days to spare, let me share the top 5 things to do in Lake Garda!
1. Enjoy a relaxing cruise of Lake Garda
Hop on board a lake steamer and take a tour around the lake. I’d definitely recommend stopping at one of the towns around the lake edge for a bite to eat. I personally enjoyed both Salò and Bardolino as they have great lakefronts lined with restaurants that serve delicious local wine!
2. Visit the castle at Sirmione
During the same day I’d also suggest seeing these wonderful 13th Century fortifications. It’s only €5 to enter and you can climb all the way to the top of the towers for panoramic views like these…
3. Feel the thrill of Gardaland
If you’ve got children then you’ll have to set aside a day for Gardaland. It’s the largest theme park in Italy and has a great mix of smaller rides for little ones and large rollercoasters for thrill seeking teens. Candy floss and chocolate covered churros are a must.
When I visited I hired a bike from our parc and cycled along the shores of the lake to get there, which was a great way to see more of the surrounding area.
If you don’t fancy cycling, stay at Del Garda Village which is less than 2km away.
4. Take the 360⁰ rotating funivia up Monte Baldo
On your last day you won’t want to miss ascending the 1,760m above sea level, via 2 cable cars, for the stunning aerial views of the lake from Monte Baldo. One of the reasons I stayed at Bella Italia is because there’s a bus stop right outside the entrance where you can take a ride all the way up to Malcesine. It’s then just a short walk to the foot of the mountain and is well worth spending a full day here. You’ll also find a little cafe at the top that serves great pizza and you can even stroke the resident alpacas.
Top Tip: Even if it’s sunny be sure to take a jacket as it’s often fairly chilly at the summit.
5. Watch a spectacular sunset over Lake Garda
After a day of mountaineering find a quiet spot on the waterfront and put your feet up – time to contemplate when you’re coming back to Lake Garda for a full week! And when you do, don’t forget we’ve got 10 lovely parcs just waiting to welcome you back.
What is your favourite thing to do at Lake Garda? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below or over Facebook and Twitter.