We have 3 nights in Verona in June and would love to explore Lake Garda but have read renting a car to navigate around the lake can be challenging in terms of traffic. Any recommendations for tours ? Or is renting a car to explore ok?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17572 posts
I would just take the train from Verona to Peschiera del Garda, 16 minutes away, and catch a ferry there.
Here is the current schedule, valid through 19 May. Then a new one will come out.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16168 posts
You can also take a bus from Verona to Garda town or to Malcesine (change buses at Garda town). Then visit Malcesine or even boat across to quaint Limone.
Posted by
Chicago
3240 posts
I was just in verona last month and took a day trip to Desenzano del Garda. Only 23 minutes by train. We loved it!! I think we were the only tourists there. We walked from the train station to the castle and then through the small town to the lake. It was a great day and a nice escape from the crowds.
Posted by
3472 posts
IMHO, with only 3 nights in Verona, I would skip Lake Garda - or at least do it better than we did our day trip to Lake Garda in 2015 (the photos just came up in my Facebook memories today). The ferries were still running on their off-season schedule, and didn't mesh with our logistics at all. The RT train ride between Verona and Desenzano was lovely - the best part of the day.
We should have stayed in Desenzano. But a friend of ours had really talked up Sirmione. So we walked from Desenzano to Sirmione, which was nice, but nothing special. It struck me as a better place to stay for a week or so with friends/family than a day trip.
With that said, and with the ferries up and running, Lake Garda could be a great day trip.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17572 posts
I would recommend the ferry from Desenzano to Sirmione over walking along that busy street. The best part of Sirmione is out at the tip of the peninsula: the Grottoes of Catullus.
https://lakegardatravel.net/grottoes-of-catullus-sirmione/
If the OP wants to see this, they should take the train to Desanzano rather than getting off at Peschiera as I originally suggested.
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2421 posts
hey hey smjansen1978
we drove to lake garda from venice for their annual festa de uva at bardolino end sept beginning of oct. it was fabulous and fun. spent night at hotel nettuno, ate drank and be merry at the festival.
the lake is gorgeous with many small villages around the lake. wish we could have stayed longer but we double booked and had to get back to venice for our greek island cruise.
we stopped at pescheira del garda town for lunch. they do have water cruises up the lake, look at what others have said and check the ferry schedule. another "off the wall" excursion:
duetigarage.com
under trike rental in lazise, take a 2 hour tour on parts of lake to see and have an adventure. email them [email protected] for info, how to get there, maybe a taxi and come back on the ferry
tripsavvy.com
get to know lake garda
lakegardatravel.net
learn about the towns and what to do
rove.me/ santuario basilica madonna corona.
church built into the hillside of lake garda in spiazzi in northern area.
labottegadellagina.com
watch the making of the pasta in small shop and few tables outside to have lunch
i'm here to tell you to GO!! enjoy the day trip with lots of fun.
aloha
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10687 posts
We took a bus from Verona to Sirmione. It was a beautiful day in May and it was so nice to spend the day by the water. As a day trip we didn’t take a ferry. That said, with only 3 nights (2 full days) in Verona you might not want to take the time away from the sites there. I had been to Verona before and the trip to Lake Garda was during a 4 night trip there.