Lake Garda Highlights & Tips

Do you want to escape the bad weather in Germany for a short while or just try out nature and all sorts of outdoor activities for a week? Then Lake Garda is the perfect place for you.

Garda Trentino is located at the northern part of the famous Italian lake and is just a stone's throw away for many from southern Germany!

Especially in the summer, many Germans head down the Brenner Highway every weekend towards the south! My last visit to Lake Garda was 20 years ago. The memories have faded over time, which sparked the idea for a trip to this outdoor paradise.

Exactly what I need! Whether on land hiking or via ferrata, on the water while kayaking, stand-up paddling (SUP), or canyoning, or even in the air while paragliding, Trentino truly has something to offer for everyone!

Since I feel at home both on climbing walls and in the water, I planned the following activities in advance: Via Ferrata on Cima Capi, canyoning through the gorge of Rio Nero, stand-up paddling (SUP), and kayaking on Lake Garda.

Now all that was left was for the weather to cooperate!

The tour begins in the morning. Around 8:15 AM, we will be picked up by Mauro from Friends of Arco (mMove) in Riva del Garda. The drive to the starting point of the tour in the small village of Biacesa (418m) takes about 15 minutes. From here, we should begin our ascent to the summit of Cima Capi (920m). After an introduction on how to handle the via ferrata set, the tour will commence.

The via ferrata not only offers a breathtaking panorama of Lake Garda and the northern region, but also passes by old fortifications from World War I. Thanks to our smartphone flashlight, we were able to explore the small bunkers in the rock from the inside. Especially on hot days, the visit to the mountain's interior is a pleasant way to cool off.

The via ferrata is almost continuously secured with a steel cable on the rock. However, there are also small, unsecured passages. Being free from vertigo and having surefootedness is definitely a plus.

Tip: The tour, especially the view, is most beautiful the day after a rainy day. The rain cleans the air, allowing one to clearly see the southern Dolomites, including snow cover on the horizon, from the summit of Cima Capi.

Duration: 6 h

Elevation gain: 500 m

Fitness level: Moderate

Difficulty: Moderate

Mountain: Cima Capi

Provider: Via Ferrata Fausto Susatti

Cost: 80 Euros

If you've never heard the term "canyoning" (Definition Canyoning Wikipedia), let me explain it to you: Canyoning involves traversing a gorge along the watercourse, which means getting wet and rappelling down waterfalls and streams. The brave among us take the leap into cold water and skip the rappelling altogether. The height difference can be more than 5 m. This was our most extraordinary and probably the most challenging outdoor activity at Lake Garda.

Andrea and Andrea from Friends of Arco (mMove) pick us up at 2:20 PM in Riva del Garda. We head straight to Val di Ledro. Hardly had we arrived when we put on neoprene suits despite the high temperatures. Because even though the outside temperature is over 25°C, the glacial water in the gorge is cold. Without a wetsuit, it's not a pleasant activity.

Our group consisted of 18 people, including two guides. At first, we had to hike uphill through the forest to reach the entrance to the gorge of Rio Nero.

In the gorge, we move 'with the water': We slide down natural slides of the river, rappel down waterfalls with the help of our guides, or jump from heights of up to 7 meters. This way, we slowly make our way down into the valley over a duration of 2.5 hours.

Note: Due to the group size of 18 people, there may be wait times, especially when rappelling. At some points, it can get quite cool. Sturdy footwear that can get wet is strongly recommended.

Duration: 4 h

Difficulty: Hard

Fitness level: Moderate

Provider: Rio Nero Short

Cost: 72 Euros

Kayaking offers a completely different perspective of Lake Garda. We rented the kayaks in Torbole. Two hours of rental cost 15 Euros per kayak. We just paddled out, ignoring the winds that pick up around noon. This made it more challenging to return to the starting point.

You always account for double to triple the time for paddling against the current/winds, depending on your endurance and skill level.

Tip: I recommend paddling eastward, as the wind and thus the waves increase in the afternoon, making it strenuous to paddle back from the west. Always keep an eye on the current and winds!

Kayak rental: Vasco Renna (Torbole)

Price: 2h - 15 Euros / kayak

Stand Up Paddling is really easy. If you've ever stood on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), you can start right away. If you haven't, give it a try, as it's really not hard to maintain balance.

You rent a Stand Up Paddle Board including a life jacket (e.g., here). Life jackets are mandatory on Lake Garda. To leave it off and get caught would be careless and would result in a fine.

I recommend starting your tour in the morning when the lake is mirror-smooth. In the afternoon, the waves and current increase significantly.

Since we had already been kayaking in the western part of Lake Garda, we aimlessly paddled along the shore near Riva del Garda on our last holiday day, enjoying the beautiful weather.

What we would do differently next time: With the SUP from Riva del Garda, you can explore the rocky coast in the west near Cima Capi very nicely. One should keep a distance from the coast here due to rock falls.

Note: If you've never stood on a SUP before, you can also book SUP courses at Sail du Lac. For 45 Euros, you get a 2-hour course including board and life jacket.

Provider: Sail du Lac (Riva del Garda)

Cost: 2 h, 20 Euros/SUP

If you want to experience a breathtaking panorama of Lake Garda and the surrounding mountains, I recommend taking the cable car up to Monte Baldo.

You often have the best opportunity and clear visibility on a sunny day following a rainy day. However, the visitor flows are also large during that time, and you must expect waiting times when going up and down.

Malcesine - Recommended on a sunny day after a rainy day

2h from ticket purchase to summit including ride

1.25h back down including ride

Breathtaking panorama over Lake Garda

Take-off point for paragliders

Who doesn't know this? You plan a hike or outdoor activity, and when you wake up, the sky is black and it's raining? Unfortunately, that's how it went for us as well. So, I've put together my four tips for rainy days at Lake Garda:

In the Garda Trentino region, not only is top-class wine and olive oil produced, but also other agricultural products like cheese or ham. All these products can be tasted and later purchased at Cantina Frantoio. A true insider tip for foodies.

The thermal baths between Riva del Garda and Torbole are unfortunately not very large, but they are suitable for a short stay and warming up in the 32°C warm water. The thermal baths also include a spa area with a sauna, which we did not test.

The shopping center on the main street in Riva del Garda is not particularly large but offers something for everyone's taste.

For those who prefer a sporty approach, the Climbing Stadium in Arco offers a suitable shelter. Here you can prove your skills on climbing routes up to 25 meters high. Of course, beginners can also book a climbing course.

I found more tips for rainy days at Lake Garda on the blog Sommertage.

Our accommodation, a two-room apartment, is located in the center of Riva del Garda, less than 200 meters from the shore of Lake Garda. The Casa Sembenini has several apartments that accommodate 2-5 people.

The spacious apartment provides all utensils from a microwave to a stove to cook for yourself. A larger supermarket around the corner offers the appropriate ingredients for this. But beware: Here, you must weigh the rolls and vegetables.

In Riva del Garda and Torbole, there are over 100 restaurants combined, and although we often cooked ourselves, we can highly recommend these two:

Here, you will find not only good Italian cuisine but also a wide selection of various steaks. The owner is extremely friendly, and almost all the service staff speak German.

In a meat counter, you can even choose your piece of meat, which will then be grilled before your eyes on an open grill.

I was particularly surprised by the local olive oil served with Caprese, which we were allowed to taste just a few days ago at Cantina Frantoio.

The restaurant is located right on the shores of Lake Garda. Here we had the best pizza of our entire vacation. The ambiance is very nice, with many pictures - also from Germany - on the walls. The owner is very attentive as well.

Traveling by car from southern Germany is very convenient and, depending on where you are coming from, just a stone's throw away. We drove through Austria and chose the toll road. The vignette for 8.80 Euros is valid for 10 days.

Shortly after Innsbruck, you go over the Brenner Pass towards Bolzano. The one-time toll for the Brenner Pass costs 9 Euros (as of the summer of 2016). Then you continue on the Italian highway until you reach Lake Garda. In Italy, the maximum speed limit is 130 km/h on highways, but only 110 km/h in case of rain or poor visibility.

For the drive to the exit Rovereto Sud-Lago di Garda Nord, an additional 12.80 Euros is due for the highway toll. After another 30 minutes of travel time, you reach your destination Riva del Garda.

Generally, parking spaces around Lake Garda are scarce. Therefore, pay attention to the markings on the ground for parking:

White curb: You can park here for free

Blue curb: Paid parking here

Yellow curb: Reserved for buses, taxis, or customers of a particular business

In Riva del Garda, there is a large free parking lot located 10 minutes from the promenade (Via Galas, 2 38066 Riva del Garda).

Do you have more tips for Lake Garda? Leave a comment!

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This trip to Lake Garda was supported by Garda Trentino. We paid for the extension ourselves. My opinions and tips are still my experiences, which are not influenced by that.