Create your free account
Sign in to your account
Save up to 16% by booking Flight + Hotel.
Search 590,000 properties and 550 airlines worldwide.
Lake Garda Holiday Guide
Lake Garda is one of Italy’s best loved holiday destinations, known for its incredible natural beauty and rich culture. The lake’s northern shores attract water sport fanatics looking to windsurf or those looking to traverse its rugged terrain. The south draws visitors looking for a relaxing break with its laid-back resorts, beautiful beaches, traditional vineyards and picturesque villages.
Thanks to the lake’s size and the local wind patterns, temperatures are milder and sunnier compared to the rest of the region. The landscape is peppered with citrus orchards, vineyards and olive groves, all of which give the lake a unmistakable Mediterranean feeling.
Visit the lake’s northernmost town, Riva del Garda, and enjoy some of the best windsurfing conditions in all of Europe. Take a stroll along the lake, people-watch and meet locals and fellow tourists alike, and watch expert windsurfers do their thing.
Soak in the natural hot springs in Sirmione. These natural attractions have made this town a popular holiday destination for centuries, being something of a holiday sport since Roman times. Make sure you savour a creamy gelato while wandering along cobblestone streets where – after all, eating good food is a massive part of a trip to Italy.
Don’t miss Grotte di Catullo, one of Northern Italy’s best-preserved Roman buildings. Spread across terraced hillsides and surrounded by cypress and olive trees, its crumbling stone arches and walls are truly something to behold. Stop and enjoy the breathtaking views across the lake or take a look inside the museum, and study it great collection of Roman artefacts.
Need more culture? Then delve into the eccentric world of 19th-century writer, Gabriele d'Annunzio at Il Vittoriale degli Italiani. Even though he’s deemed one of Italy’s greatest writers, d’Annunzio left his legacy has been tainted by his support for Mussolini and, to a lesser extent, wild lifestyle. Still, his flamboyant residence, which is decorated with leopard skins and black velvet drapes, is something to behold.
Explore the evergreen forests and orchid meadows of Parco Archeologico Rocca di Manerba by bike or foot. T his reserve is home to some of the lake’s best beaches, a popular spot for swimming, and is a UNESCO protected site.
Located midway between Milan and Venice, Lake Garda can easily be reached by train. Visit outside of the popular summer season, when there are many festivals and events, if you want to avoid the crowds. But if you’re not too fussed about fellow travellers, be sure to check out the Il Festival del Garda, with its music competitions, beauty pageants, and the boat races.
Top Hotel Deals
Hotel Flaminia
Piazza Flaminia 8, SirmioneSituated in Sirmione, this hotel is steps away from Church of Santa Maria della Neve and Scaliger Castle. Grotto of Catullus is 0.6 mi (0.9 km) away.
Hotel Continental Thermae & Spa
Via Punta Staffalo, 7/9, SirmioneSituated on a lake, this spa hotel is within a 10-minute walk of Center Aquaria Spa and Wellness Center, Scaliger Castle, and Grotto of Catullus. Church of Santa Maria della Neve and Church of San Pietro are also within 5 minutes.
Villa Cortine Palace Hotel
Viale C. Gennari, 2, SirmioneLocated in Sirmione, this beachfront hotel is in the historical district and within a 5-minute walk of Center Aquaria Spa and Wellness Center and Scaliger Castle. Grotto of Catullus is 0.4 mi (0.6 km) away.
Hotel Luna
Via Vittorio Emanuele II, SirmioneSituated in the historical district, this hotel is within a 5-minute walk of Center Aquaria Spa and Wellness Center, Santa Maria Maggiore and Scaliger Castle. Grotto of Catullus and Sea Life Aquarium are also within 16 mi (25 km).
Hotel del Porto
Lungolago Barbarani 1, Torri del BenacoSituated in the historical district, this hotel is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Museo del Castello Scaligero and within 3 miles (5 km) of Paolo Bonomelli Boutique Olive Farm and Parco Alto Garda Bresciano. Baia delle Sirene Park is 2.9 mi (4.7 km) away.
Palazzo del Garda
Via Desenzanino 7, Desenzano del GardaThis family-friendly Desenzano del Garda hotel is within a 15-minute walk of Roman Villa of Desenzano del Garda and Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene. Desenzano Castle and Port of Maratona are also within 1 mile (2 km).
Hotel Saviola
Via XXV Aprile, 40, SirmioneLocated in Sirmione, this beachfront hotel is in the city centre and within 1 mi (2 km) of Church of Santa Maria della Neve and Scaliger Castle. Grotto of Catullus is 1.3 mi (2 km) away.
Hotel Ristorante Gardesana
Piazza Calderini, 5, Torri del BenacoSituated in Torri del Benaco, this hotel is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Museo del Castello Scaligero and within 3 miles (5 km) of Paolo Bonomelli Boutique Olive Farm and Parco Alto Garda Bresciano. Baia delle Sirene Park is 2.9 mi (4.6 km) away.
Top Flight + Hotel Deals
Luxury Hotel Fifty House
5.0 out of 5.0Tue, 7 Aug - Sat, 11 Aug
Dublin - Linate
€673 per person
AS Hotel dei Giovi
4.0 out of 5.0Tue, 7 Aug - Sat, 11 Aug
Dublin - Linate
€511 per person
AS Hotel Cambiago
4.0 out of 5.0Tue, 7 Aug - Sat, 11 Aug
Dublin - Linate
€503 per person
AS Hotel Limbiate Fiera
4.0 out of 5.0Tue, 7 Aug - Sat, 11 Aug
Dublin - Linate
€498 per person
Top Deals on Flights
These prices were available within the past 7 days. Prices quoted are per person, return, for the period specified. Prices and availability are subject to change. Additional terms apply.
Book your Lake Garda Vacation
Travel commencing in the Republic of Ireland to destinations outside the Republic of Ireland are protected under license by the Commission for Aviation Regulation in Ireland, Travel Agent Licence No. 0671.
