Malcesine holidays, Italy

Once a quiet fishing village, this has grown into an active and beautiful resort – one of the most visited on Lake Garda. With sloping, cobbled streets, a traffic-free town centre and a lovely lakeside promenade, it offers shopping, cultural sights and culinary delights. In the evening, join locals down on the lakeside or in Piazza Vittorio Emmanuelle for favourite aperitivo Aperol Spritz. Remember to try the ice cream from the gelateria on Corso Garibaldi, whose adventurous flavours include Gorgonzola! Find more places to eat and drink on our Malcesine Restaurants and Bars pages.

A big selling point of holidays here is the cable car which can take you up Monte Baldo - Lake Garda’s highest mountain at 1760m - in around 10 minutes. Transport-wise, the area is served by a local bus and has excellent ferry services to towns including Limone, Riva and Desenzano.

As well as cultural events, Malcesine hosts sports competitions including a marathon and regular music concerts take place in the castle. This is also one of the towns that compete in traditional Bisse regattas throughout the summer. You can read more about what’s on here.

In terms of activities, a trip up the mountain is definitely worth taking whether you’re seeking adrenaline-pumping descents or amazing panoramas (Baldo’s nicknamed the ‘Garden of Europe’ for a good reason – the flora and fauna is beautiful).

Besides high altitude mountain terrain for hiking and mountain biking, there are less challenging paths like the one to lovely Val di Songo and this is a top water sports destination if you’re looking for a week on the lake. Our Activities page has everything you need to know about what you can do and see during a holiday in Malcesine.

With history dating back to Etruscan and Roman settlement and the documented reverence of artists and literary figures like Goethe, this is a place knee deep in history and culture.

You can get a real feel of past times and traditions by soaking in the sights and sounds around the town centre but Malcesine’s most fascinating landmarks, worth taking time to appreciate, include the striking Castle and the Palace of the Captains. Both regularly host a variety of cultural events, shows and exhibitions including pieces by world-famous artists and you can learn all about the natural history of the local area in the castle museum.

One of the weekly highlights here is the market which is perfect if you want a taste of local life. You can find out more about the town in days gone by on our History page.