I've just started reading about Lake Garda and I'm wondering if anyone recommends it and, if so, which towns to consider in particular. The photos and articles I'm reading sound pretty awesome.

Type Lake Garda into the search field (top right), lots of previous posts you can learn from.

Hi travelbug99,

I spent 4 or 5 nights in Malcesine in May, 2016. I loved the town -- it was very pretty and very interesting, with plenty to keep you busy for a few days. I'd bought the Cicerone book Walking the Italian Lakes to help me find hikes & walks in the area. I did a few of them.

However, I was disappointed that the public transport wasn't better. I could get to nearby towns ok (Limone & Riva), but getting to the other end of the lake was a problem. The busses only ran every other hour or so, and they tended to run 5 or 10 minutes late; if you had to connect to another bus, you'd risk getting stranded at the mid-point for a few hours.

One of my favorite destinations is Lake Geneva, Switzerland, and I've been looking for a possible alternative closer to me (south of Munich) for years. I went to Lake Garda thinking it could be the alternative, but the lack of good transport turned me off.

The lake was pretty, but for me it wasn't as pretty as Lake Geneva.

Have fun as you plan!

s

I love Lake Garda. It's my favorite of all in the lakes region. I just came back from Lake Como which I had not been to in over ten years and wondered to myself why Como gets all the attention when I really think Garda is prettier. I've also been to Maggiore, Iselo, Lugano, and Geneva and I do think Garda is my favorite.

I also based in Malcesine. The three towns at the north which include Malcesine, Limone and Riva del Garda are the prettiest and the lake gets more narrow and fijord like up there than in the south.

The poster above is correct though about public transportation (though I think that is similar for the the other lakes). So depending on how much time you have and whether or not you want to visit several of the lower towns, you might consider renting a car for a few days.

Here's my trip report from my most recent trip to Lake Garda: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nd-castles.cfm

Photos: http://andiamo.zenfolio.com/p144853272

I went to Lake Garda several years ago for a friend's birthday for a few days. I thought it pretty, but not particularly interesting. I'm not sorry I went but wouldn't have gone on my own and won't be tempted to return. With so many places in Italy to visit, I think you can do better.

I have been to Garda, Como, Maggiore, and Orta. I vastly preferred the last two.

StCirq, why did you prefer Maggiore and Orta to Garda and Como?

Maggiore because of the ease of transportation all over and the islands and the hikes in the hills above, and Orta because if its small size and less touristy, out-of-the-way atmosphere. Garda, especially around Sirmione, put me off with its commercialism and tour groups. Como I don't know as well, but I didn't think the setting was as magical as Maggiore's (though they are all gorgeous in their own ways). Just my opinion, of course.

I keep a very good opinion of semione and the lake. I think we went via a télécabine (rope something?) for a nice hike.
We were the only tourists and had difficulty finding a restaurant. Everything was closed I suppose we were off season;-)
We had a car.
I take note of Orta and Maggiore.

It depends when you want to go if you want to see Lake Garda. In the summer most places in Italy will be swamped, especially when the children are off school across Europe, so if you get there before the end of June or after mid September it would be better. With the latter, you need to hope for good weather.

I've stayed in three or four of the villages and although the northern end is OK, I do think it's a bit too remote unless you've got a hire car. Using the buses or ferries takes too long to get from north to south. Tourists flock to the Lake because it's worth seeing and even in Sirmione, which is possibly the busiest of the villages, it's pleasant in the evenings once the day trippers have gone. As we were out during the day the coach parties didn't affect us.

The western shore of the lake is less populated and IMO less attractive and the roads especially through the tunnels are a bit fraught. Smaller places on the eastern side are attractive and worth seeing like Bardolino or Torre del Benaco. If you want to stay somewhere less busy than Sirmione, try one village east-Peschiera del Garda. It has a rail station, which Sirmione doesn't and you can do a day trip to Verona or Venice (via Verona) in a short time. The same is true of one village in the other direction-Desenzano-which also has a station and good ferry connections.

Thanks so much for all the great info. I'm basically debating between taking my family of five (three kids ages 9-16) in July to Monterosso in the Cinque Terre versus Lake Garda. Lake Garda is less out of the way for us, since we end our trip in Venice. Plus, the photos of villages such as Sirmoine and Malcesine really appeal to my husband and myself. The looming mountains over the lake look stunningly gorgeous and unlike anywhere we've ever been before. The CT is gorgeous as well, but rather remote, and once we're there, there's apparently not much to do other than go to the beach and hike. I love that there are so many places like Verona to visit near Lake Garda.

We will have a rental car at Lake Garda (not at CT, if we do that instead), so that will help with mobility.

In that case I would definitely do Lake Garda. Stay in Malcesine and do day trips by boat to Limone and Riva. Go up the gondola to the top of the mountain to hike. By car do a day trip to Sirmoine. And if you have time there is an amusement park in one of the lower lake towns which kids might enjoy.

"I love that there are so many places like Verona to visit near Lake Garda."

If you're staying at the southern end of the lake, take the train to Verona. If you're staying at the northern end of the lake, I think Verona is a bit far for a day trip. it would be 90 minutes each way from Malcesine. BTW, Verona has a ZTL, so research the zone and parking options.

The Lake Garda and the towns around it are very lovely. Last year, I stayed in Pai and had nice holidays. The town was very small and old, but it had many interesting sights to see, for example a castle or a grotto. You could also do a lot of sport like swimming, surfing etc. This year, I will spent my holidays in one of the Belvita hotels in Italy and I'm very excited because the hotel offers a spa and activies as well. If you are interestend in the hotel: http://www.belvita.it/en/

The theme park on the Lake is called Gardaland:

https://www.gardaland.it/en/

It's certainly suitable for your 9-16 kids and is situated on the south east corner of the lake, a few k's north of Peschiera.

WoinParis, it sounds like you took a ride on the cable car in Malcesine up to the top of Monte Baldo. There's a small cafe at the top and that's about it, apart from the base jumpers who parachute down to the lakeside (and occasionally the lake).

Out of season there's not much open in some of the smallest villages, although we have stayed in Desenzano in November and enjoyed it immensely, including driving around the lake from place to place and found enough places open to eat and drink well.