Garda holidays, Italy

Garda is one of the bigger resorts on the south-eastern shore of Lake Garda set in a sheltered bay surrounded by gentle hills. The lovely setting amongst olive groves, vineyards and cypress trees gives the resort a very relaxed feel even though it’s a bustling and vibrant town.

The traffic-free promenade that lies beside the lake stretches down to Bardolino and Lazise and is lined with cafes, open-air restaurants, ice-cream parlours, bars and boutiques. It really comes to life in the evening - most of the night life is found either here or in the piazzas and streets behind it. See our restaurants and bars pages for the best places to eat and drink here.

You can catch any number of hydrofoils and ferries from the harbour to explore Lake Garda, there’s a bus service along the east coast of Lake Garda and you can catch a train from Peschiera.

There are a range of events and activities for all ages and kinds of holiday in Garda. Events include the traditional Sardine festival, which is held nearby every year to honour the fishing port this once was. The town is also well placed for day trips to Verona, which hosts a fantastic opera festival in the summer months and Bardolino which has wine festivals in May and October.

There are a brilliant range of activities both on land and water from scenic bike rides to pedal boat hire. You’ll also find plenty of attractions from ancient buildings to water parks as well as some lovely beach areas which are perfect in hot weather.

To find out more about the main events here and the different things to do in Garda, see our Events and Activities pages.

Steeped in history with settlements dating back to prehistoric times, there are many sites to take in whilst strolling around the quaint, cobbled, traffic-free streets. The Venetian Palace of the Captains used to be at the harbour and is now the town’s centrepiece in the main piazza. There are some fantastic legends surrounding the Rocca and local churches house ancient frescoes that are well worth a visit.

Take the coast road and visit the Villa Canossa with its beautiful lakeside garden. Keep going out on the promontory of San Vigilio to the Villa Guarienti, opened as a ‘Palace of delight’ which in later years served as an exclusive hotel for dignitaries and celebrities including Winston Churchill.

Get involved in some local culture at the traditional market and tour the Valpolicella vineyards. More information about historic attractions and Garda in the past can be found on our History page.