Lake Garda

[OnebusyMum]

Can anyone recommend the best place to stay in Lake Garda?
We did have Bardolino booked, but got cancelled three times due to covid!
I'm looking to book for next year. I'm not too sure on Bardolino now, I'm wondering if South of the lake is a better option?
Although I've just read that the lake is cleaner for swimming away from the South!

The north is prettier, and Riva and Malcesine are both lovely.

Thanks , I havnt actually looked at the North yet.

We stayed at Bella Italia. It was good, despite the awful weather.

I’ve stayed in the north (Riva and Torbole) and the south (Peschiera).

I’d agree that the north is probably prettier, but tbh, it’s so easy to hop from one town to the next, that it really doesn’t matter where you stay. We used to criss cross all the time by boat.

Malcesine is indeed beautiful. It all is, it’s just magical

Thanks everyone, @TheDuchessOfMN was Peschiera nice? It's one of the places I've been looking at

Stay in desenzano it’s so easy to get around from there

We’ve stayed in Peschiera and near Bardolino. Both were nice. Peschiera has a train station so easy to get to Verona or Venice. You can do ferry trips to other towns from either though Bardolino was easier to get to the other side of the lake. We swam in the lake in both places, no problem. I haven’t been to the North of the lake but think it is a bit cooler/ more alpine like. Lazize is a lovely town and easy to get to from Peschiera or Bardolino

Thank you. Everywhere looks so nice!!! I'm thinking Lazise looks nice now! 🙈

We stayed at Gardone Riviera. It was gorgeous

I did quite a lot of research and decided that the two best places to stay are Bardolino and Riva del Garda. So we are doing a split stay in both.

Other places I considered were Lazise and Malcesine.

I had my honeymoon in Gardone Riviera way back in 1989.

It was beautiful, and a lovely time. Wonderful memories

We did two centre holiday, Riva in the north and Sirmione in the south.

Very different - Riva definitely cooler and alpine whereas Sirmione was milder and felt more Mediterranean (!). Evidently the Italians are more inclined to holiday at the south end of the lake.

It's easier to get to places like Verona and Brescia from the southern end.

Bardolino has some fantastic restaurants - we were there during the wine festival and had a lovely time .

Malcesine and Limone are both gorgeous. Getting around is easy if you buy the multi boat tickets. Restaurants are full of gorgeous food at reasonable prices.

Sirmione was fab, was only reminiscing about it this morning!

Another vote for Malcesine. Just gorgeous.

Desenzano is great - basically full of Italians whereas other resorts tend to have far more tourists. Northern towns get a lot of Germans, for example.

We loved people watching in the evenings. Plus you have ferry connections to the other towns on the lake, as well as trains to places like Verona. We also went to Venice from the day from there.

Thanks everyone, I just need to make a decision! We are planning on visiting Verona and Venice, so looking at train links to them, as well as the Cable Cars one day - not that I do heights!
You have all been really helpful, thank you.

We stayed in Desenzano last year - was lovely. Big enough to have a huge choice of restaurants, train station, and easy to get the boat up the lake.

@OnebusyMum

Thanks everyone, I just need to make a decision! We are planning on visiting Verona and Venice, so looking at train links to them, as well as the Cable Cars one day - not that I do heights! You have all been really helpful, thank you.

Desenzano is the best place to get to Verona and Venice from on public transport.

Thanks, what is access to the lake like at Desenzano?

We stayed on lake Garda when we had teenagers my husband took the boys up the cable car as I had hurt my ankle in shorts and t shirts and it was absolutely freezing at the top! So be prepared! We couldn’t afford foreign holidays so it was a special treat we had a lovely time. The menfolk also went to Milan to visit the football stadium

I've got Lake Garda booked for the summer - a night in Verona then a few nights in an Air b n b in Lazise. We have kids so wanted easy access to lake and theme parks so seemed a good location to us, plus it seems to be good size town and pretty!

@OnebusyMum

Thanks everyone, *@TheDuchessOfMN* was Peschiera nice? It's one of the places I've been looking at

Yes, it was beautiful. Like I said, it all is really, so you won’t be disappointed wherever you go.

My only regret was that we went during summer, twice (June & August) The heat was unbearable both times. If I were to to again, I’d go may or September. But maybe you don’t mind hot, hot sun? The last time we were there was during that European heatwave in 2019, which was so unfortunate but apparently not as unusual as you might think.

Malcesine is beautiful !

@OnebusyMum

Thanks, what is access to the lake like at Desenzano?

As in swimming? There are several different beach areas with pedalos etc.