Hi there. Heading to Lake Garda in July of 2023 and want to hear from any of you who have been to get recommendations of what town to stay in and how to get around. Specifically, we have not booked our flights so we could fly into Milan, Venice or Bologna. We chose Decenzano because it it easy to get to by train as we don’t want to spend too much additional time travelling but wonder if it is very noisy and busy there as it is described as having a livelier nightlife than most other areas. We plan on heading to Bolzano then into the Dolomites afterwards. Again, easy travel as we won’t have a car until the Dolomites. Happy for any recommendations or ideas for routes. I
Posted by
Maryland
872 posts
Access is very east from Venice... Venice to Verona to Lake Garda, and then back to Verona for going up into the Dolomites via Bolzano. We stayed in Verona and did day trips to Lake Garda. One can go by train or bus. The bus goes up the east shore of Lake Garda. The train stops in towns at the south end of the lake.
We have done the Dolomites with both car and train and bus. A car is not necessary since your hotel will give you a free Mobicard for local bus travel everywhere...
Some useful websites.
https://www.visitgarda.com/en/garda_lake/
Posted by
Northern California
88 posts
Desenzano would be a good location due to its train station (since you don't have a car). It is livelier than other lake towns but you could check in with your accommodation regarding noise level and proximity to nightlife. Salo (about 25 min from Desenzano and farther from direction you will be heading) is another nice option but it would be less convenient based on your transportation needs. Without a car you can use the ferry to visit other towns on the lake. Depending on how much time you will have there consider the fast speed ferry (costs more than the regular ferry) - it's a big lake. (We always have a car so not sure of public road transportation.) From what I remember the train station at Desenzano is about a 15 min walk from the center.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16401 posts
We spent 2 nights in Desanzano at the end of August, on our way to the Dolomites. We took the train there from Milan, a short easy ride on Italo.
We loved our hotel, the Park Hotel, and our room with large terrace fronting the lake, and a rooftop swimming pool. The hotel restaurant was so good we dined there both nights, as well as enjoying the nice breakfast in the garden. It looked like there were good restaurant options in the old town area as well. We did not find it noisy or too busy, although the road along the lake goes right by. There was the occasional motorcycle, but not late at night. The main piazza and old town area are attractive for wandering, or chilling with an aperitivo in late afternoon. The commercial/residential area above the lakefront, toward the train station, is not worth a any time unless you need something from the grocery store.
https://www.parkhotelonline.it/en/
On the intervening full day, we rode the passenger ferry over to nearby Sirmione to explore the Grotte de Catullus, some impressive Roman ruins.
https://visitbeautifulitaly.com/the-archaeological-site-of-grotte-di-catullo/
Sirmione itself was packed with tourists, although we did find a nice spot for lunch, and my husband enjoyed a swim at the Jamaica “beach” by the ruins.
While we enjoyed Desanzano and I highly recommend the hotel, if you have more than 2 nights for Garda, I suggest you take the ferry or other transport farther up the lake, where the mountains are more impressive and the scenery generally better. We have been to Malcescine before and really wanted to return, but a British Airways cancellation cut a day off our available time so we could not do this. But what we planned, if you want to consider it, was to take the fast ferry up the lake from Desanzano to Malcescine, and spend 3 nights (their minimum). at Hotel Venezia on the water near the ferry dock. They also will arrange a shuttle from Verona for you if you prefer that to the ferry. And after our stay, we planned to use their shuttle to the Rovereto train station more to the north for our onward travel to the Dolomites. It is an easy hop by train from there to Bolzano to pick up your rental car.
https://www.hotelvenezia-malcesine.it/en
I am sure other hotels in Malcescine will arrange transport for you as well. Hotel Castello, with its own beach right below the castle, is a place I have always wanted to stay ( they were all booked up this time). They have links on their website to transport options, including taxis and approximate fares (€65 from/to Rovereto, which is the closest train station).
https://www.h-c.it/en/index.html
I personally would choose Malcescine over the south lake area if I had 3 nights or more, and I would consider the ferry ride there from Desanzano to be part of the fun—as in “the journey is the destination”. And there are other attractive towns in the north lake area, such as Limone sul GRda, but I believe Malcescine offers the best transport option for onward travel to the Dolomites if you are traveling without a car.