Sea or mountains? If you are in Garda, the question won’t occur to you. Because between water and wind, lake shore, beaches and small villages, hills and dream villas, trekking and amusement parks, the possibilities double, with the advantage of being able to choose your destination without covering impossible distances, getting family and friends to agree on choices, fulfilling your passions and trying out new experiences. Garda is the perfect base for a week exploring the town, the lake and the province of Verona.
DAY 1
IN THE HEART OF GARDA, FROM FISHING VILLAGE TO THE "DOLCE VITA" OF THE LAKE
Start gently, by making time for breakfast in one of the pastry shops in the centre or by sitting at a lake-view table in Piazza Catullo. Accompany your coffee with typical sweets such as fogassa or San Vigilini, the shortcrust pastry and sultana biscuits favoured by Winston Churchill.
Stroll through the narrow streets and alleyways of the historic centre, among the hidden and most picturesque views, following the traces of the past, among the noble palaces and historic shops. The style of the architecture is reminiscent of Venice, but Garda retains the atmosphere of the old fishing village.
It’s time to take a break in the sun, amidst the colours and scents of the Lake Garda waterfront. From the shade of the Losa arcade, you stroll down to the harbour, where small fishing boats lazily float alongside pleasure craft and elegant sailboats.
You can continue along the lake front towards Punta San Vigilio.
After a snack on the beach at Al Corno or a lunch with local flavours in Piazza Catullo, you can spend the early afternoon at the delightful Lake Garda Territorial Museum. Get closer to the memory and roots of the area amidst old-fashioned nets and hulls, black and white photographs, archaeological finds and a faithful reconstruction of the Pal del Vò.
It’s time to experience the lake. To see the bay from a different perspective, board one of the fishermen’s boats that offer guided tours with all the comforts on board. Enjoy the breeze, the scents of the water, the views of the coastline, the views of noble villas and their gardens by the water’s edge, and enjoy a sunset aperitif on the water.
The experiences of the day can be found at the table, in the flavours of Garda recipes, the authentic ones from traditional taverns and inns and those interpreted by the great chefs of historic and Michelin-starred restaurants.
DAY 2
THE NATURE OF GARDA, ON FOOT
If you felt regenerated on day one, today we’re off to discover the nature surrounding Garda. Follow your own pace, on foot or by bike, as this land of gentle features and intense colours will welcome you. As you leave the lake behind you, the landscape becomes green, the hills are lined by vineyards and shaded by olive trees, and by following paths and byroads with little traffic you will reach vantage points from which to enjoy the most beautiful views of the Gulf of Garda.
Dedicate the morning to an outing in nature. If you want to get around on foot, choose the path between Val Longa and Le Colle, a walk through the vineyards, or take the Pignoi-Beati loop. With a slightly greater climb, from the Valle degli Ulivi (Valley of the Olive Trees), one passes through the village of Canevini to reach the Rocca Vecchia (Old Peak), attaining one of the most impressive viewpoints of the lower lake and discovering the origins of ancient Warda, which gave its name to the ancient Benacus.
After a light lunch overlooking the lake, the afternoon is perfect for dedicating yourself to wellness and body care: allow yourself to be welcomed into the regenerating environment of the Gardacqua Spa, with saunas, pools and customised treatments.
Want to experiment? Then choose your element first. If you prefer water, our advice is to try an SUP session at Al Corno beach, where you can set off on a free excursion or rely on a school that will give you the right advice on how to take off on a Stand Up Paddle.
The sunset in Garda paints the evening sky, and to enjoy it till the end the perfect place is Punta San Vigilio, where you can sip a spritz by the lake.
DAY 3
GARDA CYCLING, GOLF AND SAILING
If your passion is cycling, you can choose gravel routes between the gulf, the Fortress and Mount Luppia to admire a postcard view of the lake in the morning light. If you prefer a route suitable for everyone, you can cycle along the cycle path that connects Garda to Bardolino and Lazise.
In the afternoon, two golf courses await you, depending on your level. The well-kept green of the Cà degli Ulivi Golf Club, amidst olive groves and small ponds, offers 18 holes plus 9 holes that dominate the Gulf of Garda from above. Alternatively, the Poiano Golf Resort with its brand new two holes and driving range is the ideal place to take your first lesson with a Golf Academy instructor.
To regenerate and enjoy the sunset over the lake from one of Garda’s most beautiful spots, take a seat on the clubhouse terrace: elegant yet informal, it is perfect for nibbling and making a toast to the day.
But the evening has only just begun, and the “Gardesana”, a gentle thermal breeze, will blow over the bay. It is time for a night sailing with a skipper from the Lega Navale di Garda. All you have to do is book to enjoy a night off the coast. Evening lights on the shore, stars twinkling in the sky.
DAY 4
BY CABLE CAR FROM MALCESINE TO MOUNT BALDO, THE LAKE FROM UP THERE
An excursion you can’t miss. Breathtaking views of the lake and the experience of a cable car offering 360-degree panoramas await you. From Garda to Malcesine is a ride of just over 25 kilometres and not even 45 minutes, by car or bus, following the Veronese shore of the lake heading north.
Malcesine is a graceful village, gathered within its crenellated walls and dominated by the castle that watches over it from a spectacular spur of rock. The morning can be spent gently strolling through the tiny streets of its historic centre, with pastel coloured houses and green vegetable patches and gardens.
Take time for a visit to the castle and the Palazzo dei Capitani (Captains’ Palace), then a coffee at the harbour and you are ready for the day’s adventure, a ride on the Malcesine-Mount Baldo cable car.
After a few minutes you will be in mid-air, with the blue expanse of the lake at your feet, and the mass of the Baldo above you, at an altitude of 1760 metres. The best part is that between departure and arrival the cabins swivel 360 degrees. It’s exciting and wonderful.
From the arrival of the cable car, there are several trekking routes lasting an hour or more, among flowering meadows, malghe (mountain shepherds’ huts) and pastures, scents and colours that have gained Baldo the nickname “Europe’s Botanical Garden”.
Before returning to the cable car, stop at one of the malghe on the Baldo ridge to enjoy a snack with Alpine flavours.
Time to go down the valley.
If you want to have an unforgettable experience, the opportunity is at hand. Baldo is a natural training ground for paragliding. Local school instructors are equipped to organise a tandem lift for a spectacular flight over the blue and a breathtaking landing.
The less adrenaline-pumping but equally scenic alternative is to return the way you came. Not bad, right?
DAY 5
VERONA, BEAUTIFUL AND POSSIBLE
Verona, beautiful, painted, narrated in letters and celebrated in masterpieces of art.
From Garda, you can reach it in an hour to then spend an intense day immersed in beauty. The panorama that announces it is already picture-perfect, among the last inclines of the foothills of the Alps, the hills lined by the vineyards, the loops of the Adige River. And once in the city, you will be delighted to discover the intertwining of the characteristic streets of the ancient city, the bridges over the Adige, the elegant boulevards and jewels such as Castel Vecchio, San Zeno and of course… the Arena, the Roman amphitheatre with perfect acoustics that hosts classical music and pop concerts.
For your one day in Verona, head straight for the heart of the city. In the space that once housed the Roman Forum is Piazza delle Erbe, the oldest square in the city, animated by the market in the stalls of the “piassaroti” (sellers), packed with small tables and tourists from all over the world.
From here you move on to the famous Arena, the third largest amphitheatre in Italy. The Arena is known worldwide for hosting the best of world opera and international pop and rock concerts. Spectacular as it is, gladiators fought here in Roman times and then over the centuries it hosted events, fairs and markets of all kinds, until the 1913 opera début with a famous Aida.
A day may be short, but make the most of it for a “best of” the city of lovers: Juliet’s House, Castelvecchio, the Ponte Pietra (Stone Bridge) with the Roman Theatre and San Zeno maggiore church.
And why not, experience it as Veronesi, by “going to Bastioni”, relaxing in the greenery that follows the 19th-century walls or by “going for cicchetti” for an aperitif, among the ancient osterie (taverns) in the centre where small tastes of Veronese and Venetian tradition are served, as you sip a delicious glass of Valpolicella or Soave.
Let the curtain close on the day with an evening of music at the Arena of Verona, the summer programme is packed and you can enjoy opera in the “most beautiful theatre in the world”.
DAY 6
EXCITEMENT AND FUN AT GARDALAND
From Garda it takes just under 30 minutes to reach Peschiera.
And if Garda is the intimate and cosy village, Peschiera is a haven for groups of friends and parents who want to have fun with their children. After a walk on the walls of its UNESCO World Heritage Site fortress, and an ice cream or a coffee, the destination to give yourselves at least one day for is obviously Gardaland.
Perhaps the ancestor of amusement parks in Italy, Gardaland has had the merit of remaining, even in the virtual age, a hothouse of irresistible attractions, including water games and 4D animations, references to cartoon stars, magic journeys and the acrobatic roller-coasters… you will return to Garda full of thrills and pictures of an intense day.
DAY 7
WELLNESS SUNDAY, SUNBATHING AND CHILLING AT THE SPA
If the week was a bundle of excitement, including nature, culture and fun, Sunday can be dedicated to recovering mental and physical energy.
Garda’s beaches are perfect for sunbathing with your eyes half-closed taking in the sounds of the lake. Ideal for this festive rest is the charming La Cavalla beach. Access is free, but for embracing relaxation, the advice is to rent a deckchair and let time flow without a care.
For an all-round wellness experience, even when the weather is not particularly favourable, you can instead choose Gardacqua: a park with a splendid panorama, with whirlpools, saunas and biosaunas, salt and steam baths, Kneipp circuit and the dream-room, to dream in colour.
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