I have spent the most wonderful week in Lake Garda and would like to share my itinerary plus some helpful tips here.
We were situated at the north end of the lake in the beautiful town of Torbole (Pic 1). The north is closer to the mountains, so the scenery is more dramatic and the winds stronger - a firm favourite for those who enjoy water sports, hiking and cycling.
On our first day we took the ferry to nearby Malcesine (Pics 2 and 3). This historical town is famous for its medieval castle and stunning views. It is also home to the Funivia Malcesine - a cable car which takes you 1600 metres up to the top of Monte Baldo. We went from sunny 25 degree weather in Malcesine to hiking in the snow in the space of 20 minutes! The views of the snow topped mountains and the lake below really are something else (Pics 4 and 5.)
The next day we visited the quaint area of Riva del Garda. It has a beautiful town centre with lots of winding, cobbled side streets boasting boutique shops and cafes selling gelato. It is also know for its 13th century clock towers - the Torre Apponale. For the small price of €2 you can climb the 165 steps to reach panoramic views of Riva and the Lake (Pics 6, 7 and 8).
The final nearby town we visited was the fragrantly scented Limone del Garda. Here you can explore the lemon and orange groves, buy every lemon themed product under the sun, and of course enjoy beautiful views (Pics 9, 10 and 11). Special mention goes out to the delicious lemon ice cream served in frozen lemons! (Pic 12).
We really did have a wonderful time and we spent a week exploring just one part of the Lake. There is so much more that we didn’t get to see and I have no doubt that it is just as beautiful.
If you’re looking for a gentle pace, stunning scenery and historic towns - I couldn’t recommend Lake Garda enough.