Lake Garda Italy

Lake Garda, located in northern Italy, is a popular Italian vacation destination, and is Italy’s largest lake. Scenic and charming, it is only a 57-minute train ride from Milan, a day trip from Venice, and a short 14-mile ride from the beautiful, must-see city of Verona.

A trip to Lake Garda will surely give you the opportunity to engage in many activities and excursions including hiking and swimming. In addition, the lively and picturesque towns will keep you entertained and busy. Additionally, you can enjoy relaxing beaches or people watch sitting at one of the many cafes.

A Sirmione anacronism – finding an ancient castle moat being used by a modern boat!

Southern Lake Garda

We were lucky enough to visit some towns in the southern area of the lake. Exciting and beautiful, Sirmione, which is my favorite! Chic and delightful, Lazise. Garda Town with a shoreline filled with restaurants and views of the mountains. Lastly, Bardolino with a beautiful marina filled with colorful boats. All of these towns were so nice and special in their own way.

We visited southern Lake Garda for 3 days and made Sirmione our home base. It was a great decision for us because we loved it there! We found Sirmione to be a bustling town with so much to see and do. Furthermore, there is a beautiful castle, a few beaches and everything within walking distance. We found many vistiors strolling the streets, eating ice cream and shopping.

Discover moated castles, wineries, as well as ancient ruins sprinkled in between. There is truly a lot to discover and worth the trip if you are in northern Italy.

Lake Garda has a wonderful fleet of ferries that can transport you from town to town. All the coastal towns are beautiful and special in their own way. If you have the time and plan carefully, you would be able to visit all the towns from north to south. Go to Navigazione Laghi for ferry information. Print out the timetable for advanced planning or just wing it!

Visit my other posts regarding the southern coastal towns in Lake Garda which we visited. Moreover, you will find in depth information about Sirmione, Bardolino, Lazise and Garda Town. All of them are worth a visit, especially Sirmione, which was my favorite and perfect as my home base.

Of course there are the northern lake towns which are supposed to be wonderful also! If you have the time to go – let us know what you thought! Feel free to send a comment below.

Garda Town, Italy

Not only is Garda Town picturesque and charming, but it also give us a double whammy of beauty! Because it is located in a perfect position on Lake Garda, we have beautiful mountains and stunning views across the water. Certainly, there is a photo opportunity everywhere.

Snuggled into a small bay on the lake, Garda is just a short ferry ride from Lazis e, Bardolino and Sirmione. We visited for a day, but realized that it would make an excellent home base. From Garda Town you can easily explore the southern or northern lakeside villages. Moreover, please make sure you explore amazing Verona in you are in the lake area! It is only a short 40 minute drive away and absolutely worth the visit.

It is a delight to walk around the narrow cobbled alleys with all the cafe’s, shops and restaurants. You can buy numerous local products and unique clothing at the many shops in Garda Town.

In Garda, you can wander along the long curved promenade and find a beautiful relaxing spot to enjoy some gelato! Honestly, it really is beautiful and you’ll want to have photo shots everywhere!

Although, during the summer season, restaurants and bars along the promenade are a hive of activity, whether it is day or night. Not to mention, this is the place to people watch while enjoying a gorgeous setting.

Equally important, just about every sport can be had in Garda town, both on and near the Lake. Such as sailing, rafting, swimming and other water sports. On the land there is biking, hiking, climbing and horseback riding. In parts of Lake Garda, you can even find hang-gliding.

Garda Town Pictures

Here are some pictures of our day in Garda Town! All in all, I would say that it is definitely worth a visit. And remember, it is very close to Gardaland, which has rides, shows an aquarium and much more. It is great place for family fun!

Bardolino, Italy

One of Lake Garda‘s most popular towns is Bardolino. Located on the Verona side of Lake Garda’s southern point, it has easy access to other surrounding towns. Also, it can make a nice home-base for your lake vacation. Not only is it a delightful, lively village, but it is also the center of wine country since it is surrounded by hills covered with vineyards and olive groves.

We had a beautiful day visiting Bardolino. We started by taking the ferry from beautiful, bustling Sirmione, with a stop in enchanting Lazise and then arriving at the picturesque town of Bardolino.

One of the first things we noticed, was the tranquil marina filled with colorful motor boats. It definitely made me want to take a picture of the vivid part of daily life here. In addition, long lakeshore promenades add to the charm of village. There are many photo opportunities on the promenade, so definitely take a walk with your camera.

Bardolino’s historic center has a beautiful blend of narrow stone alleys and pretty pastel buildings. The town is fairly compact, therefore it is an easy walk from one end to the other. It is certainly lively with numerous shops, cafes and restaurants. The evening comes alive with several bars and clubs.

Restaurants in Bardolino use the local fish and fresh produce from their crops. In addition Bardolino is famous for it’s namesake red wine, Bardolino and for their Rosé, Chiaretto,

San Severo is a Romanesque church that has beautiful frescos and is worth a visit. Also visit the church “Santa Maria” in Cisano and the Olive Oil Museum which is on Gardesana state road.

Things to Do in Bardolino

You can find many things to do and keep busy in this town. First of all land sports include golf and tennis and of course hiking trails. You can even horseback ride, and mountain bike. Secondly there are many water sports available along the lake. Let’s not forget to visit some wineries. You will be able taste the area’s unique vintage, Bardolino DOC.

Lazise, Italy

Lazise Italy is a charming lakeside village on Lake Garda’s southeast shore with an old town dating back to the 12th century. Not only is it a picturesque, pristine village, but it also has an upscale, impressive vibe. In fact, the lakefront promenade was designed in an exceptionally elegant fashion. Furthermore, you will be happy to discover a wide range of shops and restaurants sprinkled in the charming alleys of town. To be sure, I found it to be one of my favorite southern villages on Lake Garda.

Lazise Harbor — The picturesque harbor promenade.

The first thing to stand out when visiting Lazise, is it’s alluring 9th century medieval castle, Castello Scaliger di Lazise. Moreover, at the center of the village lies Lazise’s attractive busy harbor. Here, the ferries and boats glide frequently alongside the shore. In addition, Vittorio Emanuele Square is a delightful grand piazza containing a beautiful Romanesque church.

Lazise Lake Garda — Lazise with a view of Castello Scaligero di Lazise on the left

The lakeside promenade is bustling with people enjoying the wonderful view or enjoying the many bars, restaurants, cafes and gelato shops.

All things considered, yes, it’s worth the visit! In fact, Lazise is only a 30 minute drive from Verona and a short ferry ride from Sirmione.

Lazise Photo Tour

Photos always help me with getting to know a destination. Here is a photo tour of my time in Lazise…..

Lazise Village — A delightful and attractive old town to browse, shop and find a quaint cafe

Such a enchanting harbor and promenade! Just beautiful!

By and large, Lazise Italy is one of the most important villages on Lake Garda. Especially because of its natural beauty, a white sandy beach, and several water and land sport options. In addition, it is in close proximity to Gardaland and Canevaworld parks – both great for families with children.

Sirmione Italy

Sirmione Italy is a beautiful, small resort town on Lake Garda’s southern tip. We loved this beautiful, colorful little village and it is definitely worth a visit when you’re in Italy. During the tourist season, it is bustling with people walking the mostly pedestrian cobblestone streets. In fact, I found it to be a perfect home base for visiting other nearby towns of Lake Garda via ferry.

Things to do in Sirmione Italy

Sirmione is picturesque, vibrant and totally walkable. The historical center has no shortage of cafes, restaurants and bars. Of course there are many boutiques and stores for those who love to shop. In addition, you have a choice of two beaches to enjoy fun in the sun. Not to mention, you will find the ferry conveniently located right in the middle of town in Piazza Giosue Carducci. This a a very pretty piazza with many places to sit, eat, people watch, and enjoy the view!

Rocca Scaligera – Sirmione Castle

Sirmione Lake Garda is well known for it’s medieval castle – the Rocca Scaligera. This beautiful Sirmione castle is an imposing structure at the entrance of the historical part of town. Built in the 1400’s, it is one of the most well-preserved and spectacular castles built by the Della Scala family who once ruled Verona during the late 13th and 14th centuries.

Castle moat – still in use!

Lake Garda

Of course, Lake Garda is one of the beautiful attractions of Sirmione Italy. The water is crystal clear and alive with swans and ducks. The ferry was just a few steps from our hotel which made it so easy to visit other towns. Bardolino, Lazise and Garda were wonderful towns and a short ferry ride from Sirmione.

We see so many swans everyday in the lake – so sweet!

Sirmione Beaches

Lido delle Bionde

Only a short 20 minute walk from town on a scenic lakeside path, you will find Lido delle Bionde. This has a real sand beach with rentals available for lounges and umbrellas. In addition, there are also water toys to rent such as paddle boats and kayaks. We loved the outdoor restaurant here with a large terrace overlooking the beach. The menu included a large assortment of pasta, pizza, panini, snacks and drinks. All things considered, Lido delle Bionde was my favorite Sirmione beach!

Jamaica Beach

Jamaica Beach is a pretty 25-30 minute walk from the historical part of town. It has a casual small bar/restaurant area, therefore you can relax with a drink or something to eat. The no-sand beach is mainly limestone formations with a beautiful view of the lake and mountains. Since there are no lounge rentals, bring a towel and enjoy the Sirmione sunshine.

Grotte di Catullo Sirmione Italy

Visit the remains of a Roman villa with panoramic views of the lake. Make sure to take your camera for the beautiful views. This villa was built between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD. In addition, the museum has artifacts from this villa and others finds on Lake Garda.