With Love from Lake Garda: A Week Living La Dolce Vita
We all have our bucket list places, and for some reason visiting a lake town in Italy was one of ours. So many people flock to the exclusive, busy (and expensive) Lake Como, but Lake Garda, still in the same region in Northern Italy, was the place we wanted to visit and stay for an extended time. This post covers four of the key towns to visit in and around Lago di Garda (Lake Garda): Desenzano del Garda, Sirmione, Limone Su Garda and Lazise.
There are lots of ways to get around Lake Garda. We had a rental car, which had the great advantage of helping us get around the lake pretty easily. There are also buses, water taxis and a great ferry system around the lake.
Desenzano del Garda
We decided that Desenzano would be a good base for our visit. It sits on the southern tip of the lake, making it easy to access the other towns on the east and west side. It is so charming, with lots of shops and restaurants in close proximity. There are charming small hotels and short term rentals. We we fortunate to find a short term rental within a 5 minute walking distance to the main piazza and 10 minutes to the lake.
Since we were in Desenzano for most meals, we found a few favorite restaurants. We found the food, like most of Italy, fresh, local and very delicious. Three of our favorite restaurants in the city were Kapperi, The Cave Wine Bar and The Lemon Tree. For a great cappuccino and the best croissant ever we also liked Vibes Cafe. There are also higher end restaurants but what we loved about these restaurants were their local flavor.
Sirmione
Soon it was time to explore outside of our little town so we chose Sirmoine. This area is probably the most visited town along Lake Garda. It spans out to a long peninsula complete with a castle and drawbridge along the way.
On the day we visited, we rented e-bikes and rode from Desenzano. It was a very hot day, but the bike lanes make the almost 10 mile trek pretty easy. Once you get just before the castle, you must park your bike and walk. Our rental company provided locks, making it very easy. We then strolled along the shoreline to the center of the action.
A Great Way to Cool Off
Just before the drawbridge sits a lemonade and fruit stand. What a great, refreshing idea for a hot summer day!
Once inside the walls of the castle area sits Piazza Castello where there are tons of shops and restaurants. This area is very safe, although can be very crowded! You can hike to the top of the tower in the center of town, but on this warm day, after a bike ride, we opted to just see it from the piazza.
Out on the long peninsula of Sirmione on a warm summer day you will see a mixture of tourists and locals enjoying the beautiful shore and lake waters.
Kissing Spot!
As you walk along the lake you find all kinds of vistas for seeing the beautiful scenery. The sign tells you to kiss in next to the castle, lakeside in Lake Garda. Well ok!
Since the peninsula is long and the weather can be hot, there is a shuttle that can take you throughout the town.
There are beautiful restaurants along the water, but they tend to be more expensive than in the town center. We opted for the view and the cool breeze with a Hugo Spritz and a shared pizza. Soon it was time to bike back to Desenzano, ending our perfect day in this busy but charming lake town!
Limone Sul Garda
There are so many beautiful spots all along Lake Garda, but we would give Limone our vote for the most beautifully, charming of all. This area was once a very important lemon growing region in Italy, with groves built along stone trellises along the mountain side. You can still see some of the old trellises below the swimming pool.
Since we had a car, we drove over an hour to Desenzano. The drive itself is spectacular, winding along the lake through a series of tunnels. Once we arrived, there was easy parking in a modern parking structure, where we could then explore the charming town on foot. Like the other towns along the lake, the ferries and water taxis come to Limone, as well as the bus.
Like many mountain towns, Limone is subject to short summer rains, so it was raining when we arrived. It was still beautiful at every turn down the narrow streets.
A warm rain didn’t stop the sightseers and shoppers. Everyone can endlessly wander through the narrow cobblestone streets and pastel buildings.
It made me wonder if the shopkeepers and restaurants like the rain on these busy days, because everyone was seeking out a dry spot. We found an adorable shop featuring all things lemon, where we tasting, none other than, Limoncello! (Of course we bought a small bottle)
Since the rain persisted it was time to stop for an early lunch. Since you’re in a town built into a hillside, why not have lunch in a cave? It was delicious and they were happy to let us linger for a bit.
Once the rain cleared, Limone was even more spectacular showcasing the town literally built between the lake and the cliffs.
Since the sun was out, why not pose with the lemons? There is much more to see in Limone sul Garda and we would have liked to spend more time in this quaint town, but it was time to make the drive back to Desenzano. We would highly recommend spending time in Limone while visiting Lake Garda!
Lazise
Lazise feels like a step back in time. Encircled by well-preserved medieval walls and anchored by a striking Scaliger castle, this historic town is both romantic and relaxed—offering cobbled streets, colorful buildings, and a lakeside promenade. We visited this town on a Sunday after a local morning wine tasting. By afternoon the town was filled with locals and mostly European tourists enjoying lunch, gelato and hanging out by the water.
Once a fortified Venetian outpost, Lazise now welcomes visitors with charming piazzas, bustling cafés, and some of the best gelato on the lake.
The small yellow‑ochre church at the heart of Lazise is the Romanesque Chiesa di San Nicolò, nestled right beside the old harbor
Sunday Afternoon Shopping
On a warm summer Sunday afternoon, the shops had their goods spread out onto the piazza. We took advantage of some time and found a great men’s linen shirt and custom sized leather belt, along with some Italian made sandals for me!
Like all the Lake Garda towns, a ferry goes to Lazsie from the other lake towns, making it very convenient to check out each town without a car. We loved our afternoon in Lazise and would happy to explore more again!
Lago di Garda (Lake Garda)
Probably one of our favorite days was when we rented our own boat to explore the lake with. There are a lot of options around the lake. In Desenzano we chose Easy Boat which was a 10 minute walk from our short term rental right in the center of town along the water. They have boats for both unlicensed and licensed drivers. If you have just a little experience with a boat you’ll be fine once receiving their instructions.
The company does a great job also providing, based on your rental time, guidance as to where you should go along the lake for the most scenic views. There are also great places to stop an swim, which we did not do as it was just a nice, not hot, day.
We first motored the boat to a small private island called, “Isola di Garda.” There is a castle where you can tour as well as the gardens. Of course, they also host weddings there. It was just beautiful to boat around. This is also the spot where you can anchor the boat and go for a swim in a very calm cove.
After going around the island we were getting hungry. We motored over to San Vigilio, a spot the boat company told us that was a good lunch choice. The fun part is that you anchor your boat and then a small boat comes and picks you up, tendering you into the restaurant
We had a delicious lunch in one of the most idyllic spots we’ve ever been to. Everything was delicious, looking out at the peaceful lake.
Of course, our little boat had nothing on some of the beauties coming in.
Soon it was time to tender back out to finish up a dream day boating alone on Lago di Garda.
There is also a beautiful hotel right at the point, but we had just a short time left before we had to return our boat. San Vigilio, is definitely another place worth exploring more along Lake Garda!
On our last night in Desenzano, we took one final walk by the lake under a glowing full moon. The water was calm, the town still beautiful, and it felt like the perfect way to end our time here. After a week of exploring, eating, relaxing, and soaking up the best of Lake Garda, we left feeling full—in all the best ways. This place truly stole our hearts, and we already can’t wait to come back.
A week of lakeside strolls, water adventures, and lemon-scented moments—our unforgettable stay in Desenzano and the magic of Lake Garda.