Lake Garda: all information
Find out everything there is to know about Lake Garda: from villages to castles, from museums to typical products, from trails to the best holiday tips!
Written and edited by Michele, who lives in Toscolano Maderno
Lake Garda is a basin of water, the largest in Italy and among the largest in Europe, born several centuries ago that touches three different regions: Lombardy (and the province of Brescia) to the west, Veneto (and the province of Verona) to the east, and Trentino to the north. Being one of the most visited tourist destinations of the entire peninsula, Lake Garda boasts a length of about 50 km and a width which, at its widest point, reaches about 17km. The northern part of the lake is much narrower and definitely dotted with mountains all around, where the towns of Riva del Garda, Limone and Malcesine are located; in the southern part, however, the Po valley opens up where the most characteristic and accessible cities are certainly located, such as Sirmione, Desenzano, Peschiera and Lazise. The lake is bathed by several tributaries but the main one is the Sarca, which is located to the north-east, while the only emissary is represented by the Mincio river, a stream accompanied by a splendid cycle path that can reach Bardolino . There are 5 main islands on Lake Garda (I’ll go into all of them more below) but the best known are certainly Isola del Garda, currently a deprived island and can only be visited by booking in a few periods of the year, and the island of San Biagio or more commonly known as Isola dei Conigli, very famous for its crystal clear waters and for the possibility of reaching it “walking on the water”.
What visit and see
The territory of Lake Garda is dotted with a myriad of things to see depending on the place visited: from the Brescian side to the Veronese one up to the Trentino tip, each area has its own particularity. I have collected the best ones in this article, which you can learn more about on my blog!
The beaches of Lake Garda
In summer, Lake Garda is besieged by tourists and inhabitants of the nearby areas also and above all for the refreshment offered by its waters which have nothing to envy compared to that of the Italian seas. I have collected the best beaches where you can spend days in total relaxation with family or friends!
The Museums of Lake Garda
Not only nature, water and beaches but Lake Garda is also much more thanks to the many museums distributed throughout the territory: from the wine one to the fishermen one, from the lemon houses to the castles, without forgetting art and historical ones such as the Toscolano paper mills.
The villages of Lake Garda
Small, beautiful and with a lot of intrinsic history: these are the villages of Lake Garda or close to Lake Garda. If you pass by these parts you cannot forget a passage in these places with a real medieval taste and breath!
