Verona Arena
Verona, Italy
Lake Garda from Verona
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Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsThe essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free; castle, ferries and cable car paid
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Year-round; ferries most frequent spring to autumn
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 8 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- From Verona
- Train to Peschiera or Desenzano ≈ 15–25 min
- Highlights
- Sirmione, the Scaliger castle, ferries, Monte Baldo
- Swimming
- June to September
- Time needed
- A full day
- Location
- 30–40 km west of Verona
Key facts
c. 370 km²area, making it Italy's largest lake
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English Wikipedia3 regionsLombardy, Veneto and Trentino share its shores
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English Wikipedia13th c.the Scaligers built Sirmione's castle
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English WikipediaCatullusthe Roman poet whose name the Sirmione villa bears
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English WikipediaMonte Baldothe mountain above the lake, reached by cable car from Malcesine
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English WikipediaAbout Lake Garda
Garda is Italy's largest lake, about 370 km². In the south it's broad and ringed by gentle hills of vines and olives; in the north it narrows into the mountains like a fjord. Three regions, Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino, share its shores, and a chain of towns with promenades, harbours and old castles lines the water.
The mild climate lets lemons and olives grow within sight of the Alps. In summer people swim, sail and windsurf; in spring and autumn they stroll the promenades and taste the local Bardolino wine and olive oil. For Verona, it's the classic day trip.
Sirmione: a castle on the water
The best-known town is Sirmione, on a narrow peninsula on the south shore. You enter the old town over the drawbridge of the 13th-century Scaliger castle, a fortress of Verona's rulers standing right in the lake, with battlemented towers and a small inner harbour. The keep looks out over the whole town and lake.
At the tip of the peninsula are the Grottoes of Catullus, the ruins of a huge Roman villa on rocks above the water among olive groves, linked with the poet Catullus. Nearby are beaches of flat rocks and the thermal springs that bring spa-goers to Sirmione. It's very busy in high season, so come in the morning.
What to see on Lake Garda
- Sirmione — the Scaliger castle and the Grottoes of Catullus.
- Bardolino and Garda — promenades and wine cellars.
- Lazise — medieval walls by the water.
- Malcesine — a castle and the Monte Baldo cable car.
- Limone sul Garda — old lemon houses.
- Riva del Garda — mountains and the north shore.
- Ferries — hopping between towns.
The east and north shores
The east shore, on the Verona side, has Lazise with its medieval walls, Bardolino, which gave its name to the wine, and Garda, which named the lake. Expect pleasant promenades, cafés and wineries with tastings. Buses from Verona take about an hour.
The north end is mountainous. Malcesine has its own Scaliger castle above the water, and a rotating cable car climbs Monte Baldo to nearly 1,800 metres, with the whole lake below. On the west shore, Limone keeps its old lemon houses, and at the far north Riva del Garda is a sailing centre.
How to get to Lake Garda from Verona
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- Train from Verona Porta Nuova to Peschiera del Garda, about 15 minutes, or Desenzano, about 25.
- From Peschiera or Desenzano, a bus or ferry to Sirmione.
- Buses from Verona to Lazise, Bardolino and Garda, about an hour.
- By car, 30 to 40 minutes on the A4 motorway.
Tips for the trip
In a single day, pick one part of the lake: the south with Sirmione and Peschiera, or the east shore with Bardolino and Lazise. Doing the whole lake in a day is nearly impossible, as it's more than 50 kilometres long. For the mountains, give the north its own day or stay a night on the lake.
Summer weekends are packed and parking is scarce, so go early or on a weekday. Bring swimwear from June to September: the water is clean and most beaches are pebbly. With children, combine the trip with Gardaland, the theme park near Peschiera.
Before you go
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Verona and the lake
Piazza Bra and the Arena in the morning, the train to Lake Garda for the afternoon.
- Piazza Bra30 min · Free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopVerona Arena1 h 15 min · Paid
- 580 min walk from the previous stopLake Gardayou are here8 h · Free; castle and ferries paid
3 places · about 19 h 28 min with walks · 583 min on foot in total
How to do it right
- 15 minutes by train to Peschiera.
- Sirmione early, before the crowds.
- Ferries double as an outing.
- One part of the lake per day.
Questions
How do I get from Verona to Lake Garda?
By train to Peschiera del Garda (about 15 minutes) or Desenzano (about 25), then a bus or ferry; buses reach Bardolino and Lazise in about an hour.
What can you see at Lake Garda in a day?
Sirmione with the Scaliger castle and the Grottoes of Catullus, or the east shore with Lazise, Bardolino and Garda.
Can you swim in Lake Garda?
Yes, from June to September; the water is clean and most beaches are pebbly.
What's the prettiest town on Lake Garda?
Sirmione, with its castle on the water, is the best known; in the north, Malcesine with its cable car and Limone.
How long do you need at Lake Garda?
At least a full day for one part; 2 to 3 days for the whole lake.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Lake Garda, Sirmione and Scaliger Castle (Sirmione)
- Navigarda ferries, navigazionelaghi.it
