We'll be based in Padova for 7 nights to explore the Veneto: Padova, day trips to Vicenza, Verona and of course in and out of Venezia for 3-4 of the days. Having not visited this section of Italy before, I'm not sure how possible/practical it is to stuff in one more day trip - to Lake Garda (photos/descriptions of it seem wonderful). The only other plan we have for the area is to maybe (BIG maybe) stop in Ravenna for a partial day on our way from Padova to Firenze where we'll be camped out for several weeks before heading further south. Any opinions on whether all this seems reasonable/rational/manageable? I've managed to successfully juggle the day trip schedule with the museum schedules of open vs. closed days, so whether to add Lake Garda is my one remaining dilemma.
Thank you!!
Posted by
Fort Lauderdale, FL
1263 posts
We went to Lake Garda, Pescheira, and loved it. It was just a day to eat, drink, and wander. I know there are boats to take you to the other towns, but we just stayed and chilled out. If you need a day to relax, this would be a good bet. The scenery is beautiful.
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
If you have time in Verona, Pescheria del Garda is a short 30 minute train ride. Maybe hit Lake Garda first,
then head to Verona if time is short.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16596 posts
The train will get you easily to the south side of the lake. To either Peschiera or Desenzano, both along the Milan to Venice railway line. Sirmione, a lovely medieval village on the south shore, can be reached by bus from the Desenzano station, and probably from Peschiera as well. Sirmione is very touristy and crowded with tourists in high season, and some people may advise you against going there for that reason. On the other hand there is usually a reason why some places have lots of tourists, and it's generally because they are worth seeing. If one had to avoid touristy places in Italy, then one should stay out of the Cinque Terre, Venice, Florence, Rome, and a whole slew of other famous places.
I know Lake Garda reasonably well, since I've been there since I was a youngster. In my opinion the most beautiful part is the north lake, where the lake narrows surrounded by the majestic Prealpi mountains. Unfortunately there is no train that can take you there, and the only option are buses from Verona (going up the Eastern shore) or from Desenzano (going up the Western side). An alternative is the ferries and boats, which can take you anywhere from Peschiera or Desenzano. Be aware that Lake Garda is the largest Italian lake, and it's a long (albeit beautiful) trip by boat from the south to the north and back and forth it will take the better part of a full day. You may not be able to do the north side (by boat or bus) and Sirmione in the south on one day.
Below is the official ferry schedule fo all major northern lakes. Click on English, then search your lake and schedules.
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it
Posted by
OP
North Carolina
362 posts
THANKS for all the info! So it sounds like it is a place where the main activity is to take a leisurely walk around a portion of the lake to enjoy the scenery, or perhaps take a short boat ride for the same purpose, or meander through the center of whatever town we can get to easiest, and have a nice, relaxing time for the day (or half a day), not a museum/historic sights kind of day, kind of what we might do if we visited Lake Michigan or one of the other huge lakes in the US..........would that be an accurate assumption of what we could do there?
Posted by
Carmel, CA, USA
2456 posts
Susan, my single experience on Lago di Garda was as a day trip from Verona in May 2014. I took a 1-hour public bus from Verona to Sirmione, and spent the morning there, not only at the very popular castle and town center, but a long walk through the residential and country-like areas out to the point sticking into the lake, where there are very interesting and photogenic Roman ruins and a small museum. Then I caught a ferry to Bardolino, where I wandered the town and took a local bus a few minutes up to the winery with a small wine museum. Then I caught another 1-hour bus back to Verona in the late afternoon. A nice, mostly relaxing, day on the lake. But, next time, after reading Roberto's comments so many times, I would certainly head to the north, and try to devote more than a day to this very beautiful, and large, lake.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16596 posts
There is much more to do on lake Garda, it is the most popular lake vacation destination in Italy (lots of Germans, Austrians and Northern European visitors).
There are beautiful towns and villages (like Sirmione, Limone, Riva, Malcesine and many others), wineries, the Mt. Baldo cable car which can take you up to 6000ft for a panoramic view of the lake, there is the Natura Viva Park (an auto safari zoo park), GardaLand (one the largest theme parks in Europe), and much more.
Here is the official tourism website for the Lake Garda:
http://www.gardalakeuk.com/
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
I think it may be overload to contemplate 4 visits to Venice from a base in Padova.
#1 Venice - San Marco
#2 Venice - Cannaregio & Castello
#3 Venice - Santa Croce, San Polo & Dorsoduro
#4 Vicenza
#5 Verona
#6 Lake Garda
Make sure you tick off a sight in Padova before heading out each day, and to book your Scrovegni Chapel visit.
http://www.cappelladegliscrovegni.it/index.php/en/
Have you considered a Brenta Canal tour?
http://www.ilburchiello.it/en/tour