Linate airport to Lake Garda

Are you staying in Ferrara in the city? If so a car is probably not necessary. In any case the drive from Linate to lake Garda is 1:5 to 2 hours. If you arrive early enough you can try to make it on the day or arrival. Otherwise you could stay at an airport hotel the first night and pick up the car the next morning.
Between the two there is Bergamo, but you might get lost in a city at night, and if you drive the almost one hour to Bergamo, you might as well make an extra effort and reach Desenzano.

Thanks Roberto! We are actually staying 3 weeks in Italy. Ferrara is the 1st stop. After that another week in Todi, followed by one more in Martina Franca. We will fly back from Bari. So we'll have a car and will try to avoid the over tourist areas:-).
The stop by Garda was my last minute idea, since we are so close to it, but my travel partners arrive to Linate late and don't want to drive all the way to Garda. I was hoping to find a place somewhere between. This would allow for an early start to see the lake area and still arrive in Ferrara at day time. Any recommendation where to stop?
Thanks.
Melitta

Linate airport is in the city of Milan and it's very easy via local bus (15 min) to get into Milan Centrale area, which has many reasonable hotel options. We did just that this past May.Have a great trip.

Thx, but we prefer to stay outside the city:-)

Todi to Martina Franca is a solid 7 - 8 hours drive. Check the status of the roads when you come, there are lots of interruptions due to wildfires now (I came to Puglia this week) , so September might be at risk too. What time do your friends arrive? Once you get on a roll on the toll freeway (A4 freeway in your case), getting out of it (pay toll at the exit) to go to an out of town hotel is more trouble than is worth. There is nothing interesting along the way except for Bergamo, which in any case is a bigger city and deserves a day visit, which you don’t have since you plan to go to the lake. Desenzano is the first freeway exit in the lake area and you can be there in 1.5 to 2 hours from Linate. Find a hotel there near the freeway exit that is easy to find even at night. The next morning go up the lake through the western shore all the way to Riva then come down to Peschiera on the eastern shore. Between Desenzano to Riva, there is the Strada della Forra, which is a great drive (Google it and see the videos) and also Limone that is worth a visit. Riva and Malcesine on the eastern shore are also nice to visit. You might not have time to see it all, but those are some suggestions. Once you arrive to Peschiera, on the southern side, get on the A4 again and drive to Ferrara.

Thanks Roberto. I would definitely like to drive the Strada della Forra, but we don't have enough time to go all around the lake this time. My friends have been by the lake before, but I have not.
We already have the travel arrangements made, so only have limited time for this additional stop.
My friends will arrive to Linate after 5:00 PM, then rent a car (I will arrive earlier the same day). So we think we should be on the road by 7:30 PM, but don't want to drive too far after the long flight, and don't want to make our first day driving too much either.
In light all that... is Strada della Forra still doable?
Thanks for your help!
Melitta

You can be on the road one hour after landing. Linate is not a huge airport. Unless there are flight delays you should be driving out of the lot by 7pm. By 9pm you can be in Desenzano, the first lake exit. Find a hotel there, maybe convenient from the freeway exit so you don’t struggle to find it. That is all you can do on the day of arrival. The next morning you can attempt the drive around the lake. The drive around the lake takes about 4 hours, plus stops. He strada della forra would add an additional hour up and down from the shore to Tremosine, but I think the road is closed currently because of a landslide a couple of years ago, so it may not be an option, depending on when you go. At the end of the loop, you reenter the freeway at Peschiera. From Peschiera to Ferrara the drive is about 2 hours. So if the day after your arrival you want to do the drive it depends on at what time you need to be in Ferrara.

Thanks Roberto! I will check on Strada della Forra situation!
Thanks again! You were great help:-)
Melitta