Lake Garda

The train runs only on the southern side stopping at Peschiera and Desenzano.
Personally I like the northern side of the lake. More dramatic landscape with mountains coming down the lake. The southern half of the lake is in a plain and aside from the towns which are nice (Sirmione in particular is very quaint albeit overrun by tourists), the overall scenery is ok.
One popular town people like to stay on the north side is Malcesine. It can be reached by bus from Verona or from Peschiera.
Torbole and the bigger town of Riva are also nice.
The bus from Verona I think requires a bus change at Garda (town).
Bus from Garda to Malcesine (and back) is no. 484
Then from Garda to Verona the buses are 162/163/164/165 (164 passes also by Peschiera)
https://www.atv.verona.it/en/LineeLago

Bus no. 483 goes along the Eastern shore of the lake all the way from Malcesine to Peschiera (and viceversa) without needing to change (does not go to Verona)
http://tech.atv.verona.it/atv_www/orari_extraurb/pdf/483.pdf

Malcesine is great because it has Mt. Baldo above which you can reach by a cable car. Also it has frequent boat service to beautiful, albeit small Limone on the opposite side of the lake.

Roberto--what do you think is the best way to get from Malcesine to Verona on public transportation? Bus to Garda and then change to Malcesine or bus to Peschiera and then train?

I am not Roberto and maybe he has a better answer, but I believe from Verona a good option is train to Desenzano (one stop after Peschiera del Garda) and ferry up the lake from there. That to me seems nicer than buses.

Another, if you are staying in Malcescine, is to book a hotel that offers arrangement of shuttle transport from Verona ( train station or airport) directly to your hotel. This would be my preferred option. We had this arranged through our hotel for our trip last September, but we had to cancel because of a flight schedule change.

https://www.hotelvenezia-malcesine.it/en

Scroll down to see the transport options. Other hotels must offer the same .

I am Roberto but I don’t have a better answer, also because all the times I went to Lake Garda I went by car (actually when I was a kid I also went on an organized bus tour with my Florence church) and never by public transport.

It also depends on what you mean by best. If best means fastest, then you need to check the various schedules combinations. The ferry option to Desenzano (or Peschiera), followed by the train may be more scenic, but definitely the slowest option.

Thank you both for your reply! And yes, I know “best” can mean different things. I had not thought of the ferry option.

And the hotel, Lola, looks beautiful!