Things to do
So, you've made the trip all the way to Lake Garda. Make the most of your stay by exploring the surrounding area. Reach out to us if you'd like more specific recommendations!
Malcesine
Famous for its olives and olive oil, peaches, citrus, black truffles, chestnuts and Kiwis.
Monte Baldo cable car
Take the rotating cable car up Monte Baldo for incredible views of Malcesine. Mounte Baldo is known as “The Garden of Europe” for a reason, so don’t miss out. This is an extremely popular activity so you might need to queue.
Palazzo dei Capitano
Visit the beautiful Palazzo dei Capitano. This is free of charge and was built during the Scaliger dynasty. The Captain of the lake who oversaw 10 lakeside municipalities lived there, so be sure to visit it for great views of the lake.
Historic City Centre
Wander around the historic City Centre, which is full of beautiful quaint shops selling all sorts of local products from wine, truffles, leather goods and lots of souvenirs. Stroll through the town at your own pace, stop for lunch and don’t forget to have gelato!
The Old Olive Mill & Olive Oil Tour
Malcesine harvests around 400 000kg’s of olives each year, which equates to about 80 000kg of olive oil. The olives that are farmed in the area are known to be of the highest quality and enjoy protected designation of origin status. To experience the rich culture of farming and processing olives into olive oil, take a guided tour of the old Olive Mill and learn more about the process as well as sample various olive oils from the region.
Punta San Viglio
Punta San Viglio is a small promontory that juts deep into the Lake. This is known to be the most romantic and beautiful part of the lake and is definitely worth a visit, if anything just for the photos!
Sirmione
Famous for its thermal spa and its beautiful castle. Sirmione is around a 1 hour ferry from Malcesine and is definitely worth a visit.
Sirmione Castle
Sirmione Castle is a fortress that dates back to the 14th Century and is one of the best preserved castles in the whole of Italy. The castle tower offers incredible views of the lake and the town itself.
Jamaica Beach
Jamaica Beach is a popular tourist site as it is not your typical beach, but rather a beach that is lined with smooth rocks to sit on and enjoy the calm and clear waters of the lake.
Grotte de Catullo
Found next to Jamaica Beach are the Grotte de Catullo, a massive Roman villa built in 1st century BC and then abandoned. It has been excavated since then and has been the subject of numerous scientific studies. This will take around an hour to visit and shows the sheer grandiosity of the wealthy Romans and the incredible feats of construction for such an enormous structure.
Thermal Spas
Sirmione is home to numerous thermal spas, which are sulphate rich waters which bubble from natural springs underground. The water is believed to have medicinal properties for numerous conditions and people travel from around the world purely to relax in these waters, so it is certainly worth checking out. Aquaria Thermal Spa is a day spa which offers indoor and outdoor pools (all naturally heated) as well as jacuzzi’s, saunas and massage rooms.
Limone Sul Garda
As the name suggests, famous for its lemons that grow in abundance as well as the Italian favourite, Limoncello. Limone is 20 minutes by ferry from Malcesine so don’t miss out.
Limonaia del Castel
Sitting high up the mountain, this museum it is a tribute to the history of the beautiful citrus that grows around Limone. Learn about the history of the citrus in the region, taste, feel and smell the produce and take in the views offered from any of the limonaia (original lemon house).
Limoncello
This alone is worth the visit. Visit all the small shops that pay homage to all things lemon, and most importantly, limoncello. There are numerous versions of this gentle drink, including slushies, shots and long drinks, all home made and delicious.
Limone Sul Garda city centre
Wander the city centre for endless rows of all thing’s lemon. From lemon tress to lemon inspired shops selling souvenirs, foods, clothing and gelato, amongst other things.
Verona
Possibly one of the most famous cities in Italy thanks to Romeo and Juliet. Verona is around a 1 hour taxi or a 2 hour train from Malcesine.
Juliets Balcony
Romeo and Juliet – arguably Shakespeare’s most famous novel, which was set in the beautiful city of Verona. Visit Juliets house for a photo of the famous balcony, which you can take a photo on if you are prepared to queue.
Verona Arena
The Verona Arena is one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres in Italy and is still in use today for concerts and events. The arena is the centrepiece of Verona and cannot be missed once you enter the city centre. Be sure to pre-book a ticket for a tour as it gets extremely busy.
Piazza Bra
Found in the historic city centre is Piazza Bra, an open air square lined with café’s and restaurants, a beautiful place to stop for a lunch or dinner.
Torre dei Lamberti
For possibly the best view of the city, visit Torre dei Lamberti, a huge tower that overlooks the city and offers uninterrupted views from the top.
Ponte Pietra
Stroll across Ponte Pietra, an enormous walking bridge which connects the old city of Verona with Teatro Romano and Castel San Pietro. This is a must-do photo spot as you get views of both parts of Verona, as well as the massive river that divides it. Across the bridge be sure to climb the stairs and enjoy the view from Piazzale Castel San Pietro.
Scaliger tombs
The Scaliger tombs (arche Scaligere) is one of the most significant examples of gothic art and architecture in the world. It is found in the city centre and is a tomb for members of the Scaligero family, a wealthy family that ruled over Verona 13th to late 14th century.
St Peters Hill
You can reach St Peter's hill by car, funicular or through a stairway situated just right in front of Ponte Pietra. Along with the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is another one of the best viewpoints in Verona.
