Lake Garda is the single largest lake located in Northern Italy bordering Trentino, Verona and Brescia. This beautiful region was formed by melting glaciers from the Alps during the last Ice Age and has now become a popular tourist destination for Europeans.
There's plenty going on all over Lake Garda whether you're into sightseeing, water sports or taking in the Italian culture. Cycling, hiking and horse riding are all great ways to discover Lake Garda's hidden treasures including The Bastion, Monte Baldo or the historic town of Sirmione. Or if you would rather sit back and relax, cruise along on one of the ferry boats which take you to all the major ports in the region.
Cycling and mountain biking
Lake Garda has an ideal terrain for mountain biking and cycling, it's up to you to choose whether you want to take on the challenging Alps or a more relaxing and tranquil route along the shoreline of the river.
If you're staying in Riva del Garda and fancy hiring a bike, head over to Carpentari in Torbole where you can rent out a bike for the day from small kids bikes to extreme mountain bikes for adults. Or there's Garda Bike Shop where you can hire out bikes for the duration of your stay depending on your ability. They also provide guided bike tours with varying levels of difficulty.
Horse riding
Horse riding is a great way to trek along the shoreline and mountains of Lake Garda, however many of the riding stables specialise in show jumping and dressage but there are still some which provide daily hacks for tourists.
Club Basso Sarca Cavalli is located in Arco, the northern region of Lake Garda. They provide horse riding treks through the lush Italian forests and mountains. Further afield you will find The Agriturismo Al Lambic, a horse riding centre who provide unforgettable treks through the unspoilt area of Parco Alto Garda Bresciano and lessons for all abilities.
Another option to look into is the highly recommended Scuderia Castella in the town of Toscolano Maderno. Ride on one of the well trained horses through the mountainous region of the Alto Garda Park or stay at one of the rustic rooms on offer during your holiday in Lake Garda.
Golf
Golf can be played all year round at Lake Garda due to its moderate temperatures throughout the year.
Golf Ca degli Ulivi is located between fields of olive groves and Lake Garda. This 18-hole champion course boasts stunning views of Cyprus trees, olive groves and rolling mountains in the distance. The modern 18-hole Golf Course Paradiso del Garda is renowned for its carpet-like greens and challenging obstacles including many bunkers and five large ponds.
The Verona Golf Course is a beautiful and challenging course situated behind the shoreline of Lake Garda. The landscape here is typical to what you would find around the area of Verona with stunning Cyprus trees and lush green grass. On the other hand Chervo Golf San Vigilio can be found embedded between Desenzano and Sirmione. The breath-taking hilly landscape creates a challenging 27-hole course for both beginners and professionals.
Boat tours
Almost every town around Lake Garda provides a ferry boat service where you can just hop on and off throughout the day to different destinations during the summer. There are many different varieties of boats including cross channel car ferries, hydrofoils, motorised catamarans and paddle steam boats. Tickets for these boats can be purchased from any major port or on board some ships. There's no better way to enjoy the mountainous scenery on board one of these boats and are a great way to travel to the major towns such as Sirmione and Salo.
Shopping
It's no secret that the Italians love their clothes! You will find many designer shops located around Lake Garda as well as more affordable high street shops and markets.
Densenzano is a small town found to the south-east of Lake Garda, it's famous for its shopping and picturesque harbour. In the centre you will find many luxurious designer shops such as Dolce & Gabanna and Cavalli. However, there are also more economical shops like United Colors of Benetton.
Every Tuesday morning there's also a market selling traditional goods and souvenirs in the centre which is very popular with tourists and locals. If you're interested in antiques on the first Sunday of every month apart from August and January there's a renowned antiques market in Piazza Malvezzi.
The cultural city of Verona is not far away either, so if you're planning a day trip here head to the main shopping streets of Corso Porta Borsari and Via Mazzini. You will find exclusive shops such as Macando, which stocks edgy labels from Italy and abroad.
Historical sites
If you don't mind hiking head up to The Bastion on top of Mount Rocchetta, which takes about 20 minutes starting from the bottom. Even though some areas are closed off the views are absolutely stunning over the lake. It's also worth having a look at Saint Barbara chapel right at the top, but you must be ware it can take several hours to get here, but the views are simply breath taking and worth the effort.
Sirmione Castle is one of the most significant historical structures in the whole of Lake Garda. This defensive castle was built between the 13th and 14th century and was used as a barracks for over 300 years. After being renovated several times during the First World War it was finally left open to the public.
You can spend several hours in Il Vittoriale degli Italiani in Gardone Riviera just exploring this unusual house and intriguing gardens. This remarkable place was built between 1921 and 1938 by Gabriele d'Annunzio and architect Giancarlo Maroni in memory of the poet-soldier and life of Italians during the First World War.
Natural attractions
Lake Garda is a natural attraction in itself, you can spend the whole day walking around the shoreline of the lake and discovering the ancient towns of Sirmione or Desenzano del Garda, or just sit back and relax on one of the many benches.
Monte Baldo is a large mountain, reaching over 2000m, found in the Italian Alps near Malcesine. The best way to get to the top is to climb into on one of the cable cars at the bottom, which take you to the top and rotates 360° halfway so you can get the best possible view over Lake Garda and the Alps.
Stroll through Gardone Rivera and discover many varieties of exotic plants and unusual statues or sit down and unwind at the small lake whilst listening to the relaxing water feature. This is a great place to go to on a cool summers evening.
Hop on a bus from Riva del Garda and after 30 minutes you will arrive in Valle di Ledro. This is a great place to try out activities such as canyoning, hiking and cycling or if you would rather relax and take in the refreshing air there are many spots to sit down and enjoy a picnic with the family.
Museums
If you're into learning about the history and culture of this beautiful region there are plenty of museums to visit in Lake Garda.
If you fancy some wine tasting look no further than Zeni Cantina Wine Museum based in the vine growing land of Bardolino. You will learn about the ancient wine making culture in this region from the Zeni family and set your eyes upon the panoramic views over Costabella. However, if you want to learn about the art and culture of this area, Museo Riva del Garda showcases famous paintings and archaeological wonders from the Roman and Medieval ages.
In the town of Lonato you will find Fondazione Ugo Da Como a Visconti-Venetian fortress, as well as an interesting museum and library. A tour guide will take you round the furnished rooms of the house and show you the stunning library filled with ancient books. Italy is also well known for its renowned olive oil, it's certainly worth a trip to the Olive Oil Museum in Cola' di Lazise, where you will receive a 0.25l bottle of Yellow Label extra virgin olive oil.
Water sports
For water sport activities its best to head towards the north of Lake Garda as the winds are a lot stronger here making it ideal for wind surfing and sailing.
Adrenaline junkies will love Easy Kite Surfing Lab in Malcesine where you can learn how to kite surf with trained professionals or rent out a kayak and a stand up paddling board. However, if you enjoy windsurfing or have always fancied a go, Wwwind Square is the place to head to. Take in the beautiful landscape of Lake Garda whilst learning how to windsurf or sailing in a catamaran.
Another place to try out kite surfing is at Power Skull Kite Boarding, also in Malcesine. If you're a beginner you can sign up to the basic course, where you are taught how to practice safely or if you are more experienced put your name down for the advanced course and pull off some daring jumps. However, if you're near Torbola it's worth having a go at windsurfing at the highly recommended Vasco Renna Wind Surf Centre.
Amusement parks
Gardaland is the number one amusement park in Italy, located in the area of Castelnuovo del Garda. Hop on one of the exhilarating and hair rising roller coaster rides including the 'Raptor' and 'Blue Tornado' or discover over 100 different species of marine life at the aquarium.
Found at the south-eastern tip of Lake Garda is Caneva World near Lazise. There's so much going on such as the movie land park which includes scary rides like 'Horror Park' and 'Hollywood action tower'. Or if you fancy cooling off when it's a hot day go to the aqua park and slide down the 'Stukas Boom' and 'Typhoon'. If you decide to spend the whole day here it's also worth attending the 'Medieval Times' show, where you can watch knights and squires battle on horseback whilst tucking into a roast chicken meal.
Verona
The nearby ancient city of Verona is an excellent place to visit for a day trip. There are many tour operators in Lake Garda who provide excursions to this beautiful city or if you like you can just hop on a train or bus.
Whilst in Verona the best places to visit are Juliet's Balcony, which is the very spot where William Shakespeare based his famous tragedy play. Don't forget to bring your camera as this is the perfect place to take a photo on the balcony and look out for the engravings of thousands of couples from around the world on the walls. The Roman Arena is worth a visit for just a small fee, located in the main square. This building goes all the way back to AD 30 and could host 30,000 spectators in ancient times. Now it is used as a large-scale opera house hosting performances throughout the year.