Malcesine

Have you tried the Tripadvisor Forum as well? They get more viewers than this site, and have more specific subforums in their Italy section, including one specifically on Lake Garda (and maybe Malcesine).

Ciao Nancy, Malcesine would make a nice stop. We drove that side of Lake Garda in 2010 from Cortina to Sirmione. This year we'll be driving the opposite (west) side of the lake from Riva del Garda to Sirmione. Cordiali Saluti,
David

We spent three nights in Malcescine a few years ago and loved it. With a few hours, you could walk the old town area, see the castello ( not open to the public but the outside is cool), walk the beach, have lunch. If it is a nice day you could ride the rotating cable car up Monte Baldo.

We went to Malcesine on the ferry from Sirmione. We were charmed with the town, but I think the ride up Mt. Baldo is a big waste of money. A lot of money. The car is circular with way too many people (60 or so) in it; there is nothing to hold on to through all its swoops and bumps unless you're lucky enough to be on the railing at the edge; the car is made of thick plastic, not glass, so everything is fuzzy. When we got to the top, although on the lake it was a perfectly clear day, we couldn't see the water for the mist. We greatly regretted not just spending several hours roaming the town instead. Lake Garda is beautiful. We spent three days in Sirmione.

Thanks Everyone. We went and thought that indeed the town is charming but it being a beautiful Sept Saturday it was teeming with tourists and "day trippers"? and we could barely find a place to park, or navigate the streets and we had a very disappointing lunch at a tourist cafe on the lake. Whatever, lake Garda is breathtaking and someday I hope to go back and really have time to explore, swim and enjoy it. Maybe late sept or oct would be less crowded
Also it was the last day of our vacation so we were too melancholy to really enjoy ourselves!