Map of Lake Garda Italy and best places to see along one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy [2025 Update]

Map of Lake Garda Italy: see where Lake Garda, is, layout of Lake Garda region and the best places to visit on Lake Garda.

Lake Garda is the the biggest lake in Italy and a popular tourist destinations for locals and foreigners alike.

Blessed with beautiful views, pretty towns and excellent tourism structures, it is a wonderful destination to add to your Italy itinerary but where is Lake Garda exactly? How do you get there and what are the best places to see there?

I know Lake Garda well: I have been going on vacation here since I was a child and every time I go again, I fall in love with the area a little more.

In this article, I share a map of Lake Garda region and mark the places we believe you should not miss!

Map of Lake Garda – where is Lake Garda?

First things first: let’s start with a map of Lake Garda and its position

Lake Garda is in the North East of Italy and its shores are in the regions of Veneto (on its East and South East Coast), Trentino Alto Adige (North East) and Lombardia (West/South West).

The closest big cities are Venice, Verona and Milan.

Verona is the nearest airport to Lake Garda and the main getaway towns to visit the area are Peschiera and Desenzano, east to reach from Verona by train.

Map of Lake Garda with best places to see

There are many beautiful towns on Lake Garda that are the perfect base to enjoy the lake and explore the area. This is a handy Lake Garda map with the best spots.

Best places on Lake Garda TL;DR

Lake Garda is all beautiful but the northern and southern parts of the lake have a very different feel.

The northern park of the lake (Limone, Riva, Malcesine) is close to the mountains, it has a higher and more scenic coastline and is very suited to people who love the outdoors, have a car and want to explore the lake and the mountains nearby.

The southern shore, as the map of Lake Garda suggests, is wider and flatter. This area has a more ‘beachy’ feel than the north and it is very popular with families especially due to the presence of large campsites and the Gardaland theme park.

How many days on Lake Garda?

I recommend to spend on Lake Garda a minimum of four days, ideally more, like 7-10.

With 4 days, you have a chance to get a sense of the area and get a peek at the different feel of the northern and southern part. You can find here my recommended Lake Garda itinerary over 4 days.

A longer stay is even better: in that case, I recommend to choose two home bases and spend a few days in Lazise / Desenzano / Garda area and additional days in the Malcesine / Riva area.

The Best places to see on Lake Garda

Lake Garda is a large lake in an area of great natural beauty.

The southern part of the lake is large and alternates flat areas and higher coastline while, as the map of Lake Garda above suggests, the northern part of the lake is close to the Alps, and therefore gets a more mountainous silhouette.

Both areas are worth seeing.

Riva del Garda

On the northern shore of Lake Garda, in the Trentino region, Riva del Garda is a lovely small town with a distinctive Austrian charm to it.

Riva is located at the extreme north of the lake, where Lake Garda is at its narrowest and this position makes is exceptionally scenic: unlike the south of the lake, where views are vast and expansive, here the lake is narrow and the high mountains of the area give almost the feel of being in a fjord.

The effect is stunning!

Close to the mountains and offering stunning views over rocks plunging into the lake, Riva is perfect if you want easy access to the mountains especially, but it also has a lovely lakeside promenade and a lively town life that make it lovely as a base.

A lovely lawn allows easy access to the water and you can easily enjoy long afternoons here lounging with a drink in front o the view, bringing the kids to the playgrounds and just watching life pass by.

Not to miss in Riva: the pretty town center, the bastion and its stunning views. Ferries allow for easy access to the pretty towns of Limone and Malcesine and there are easy options for nature walks and cycling days

Canale di Tenno

Canale di Tenno is a small, delightful village close to Riva, again in Trentino, and a joy to visit.

Canale di Tenno is listed as one of the ‘most beautiful villages in Italy’ and indeed super pretty!

A medieval hamlet with stone arches, alleys and towers, it is one of the best places to immerse yourself in the Middle Ages and the evocative architecture of those times especially if you come in summer: on selected dates in July and August, the town hosts a festival called ‘Rustico Medioevo’ which performances, music, markets and costumes all based on the medieval tradition of this area.

If you come in winter, the towns is also adorable especially at Christmas, when you find decorations and a Christmas market: the town truly lends itself to being a natural backdrop to Christmas atmosphere! Top tip! If you have a car, you should visit both Canale di Tenno and Arco, also amazing home to one of the best Christmas markets in the area!

As you can see on the map of lake Garda, Canale di Tenno is not on the water but so close, it is a fantastic place to visit if you are based in Limone or Riva.

Limone sul Garda

Limone is on the Western shore of the lake, in the Lombardy region and one of the prettiest towns on the lake.

Its name means ‘lemon’ and this is because this town has a long tradition of growing lemons that is still very much part of its identity.

As you stroll in the village’s beautiful ancient streets, you will notice plaques with street names decorated with lemons and you can still visit the ancient ‘limonaie‘ (lemon groves) growing on the slopes above the lake!

The town is very well known to tourism and this means that, sadly, if you came here for a day trip in the high season, you may get the sense of the place being rather overrun, its pretty alleys easily filling with the crowds

Howeve, the town is really worth seeing and makes for a lovely base if you wanted to stay overnight

Not to miss in Limone is also the ‘suspended’ cycling path on the lake (ciclovia del limone), which is very scenic.

Tremosine

Just south of Limone you find Tremosine, a pretty town on the Lombardy shore of the lake one of the most scenic locations on Lake Garda.

Perched high up on the coast, Tremosine is small and quiet but offers an incredible panoramic terrace that makes the most of the rocky promontory Tremosine is perched upon yo offer breathtaking views of the lake!

Malcesine

Malcesine is a small town on the north-east shores of the lake, in Veneto, with a wonderful castle that gives the town a distinctive skyline.

The town is pretty, peasant and it is also where you get access to the Monte Baldo cable car, that is wonderful to catch views over the lake.

As the map of Lake Garda above suggests, the town is on the northern, narrower part of the lake and indeed in terms of atmospheres, Malcesine is closer to the quiet feel of Riva than to the, campsites and beachy feel of the south.

Absolutely perfect for outdoorsy visitors and great to access Limone and Riva by ferry.

Torri del Benaco

Torri del Benaco is a lovely small village on the Eastern shores of Lake Garda.

The village has a lovely medieval center, a pretty castle, pleasant lakeside promenade and it is a quiet and atmospheric place to call home for a few days and enjoy the lake. Torri is best reached by car and it is ideal especially for those who want a quieter yet still scenic homebase on the lake.

You can find our travel guide to Torri del Benaco here.

Peschiera sul Garda

Peschiera is a larger center on the Southern shores of lake Garda, in Veneto, and one of the gateway towns to the area, thanks to the easy train connection to Verona especially.

The town has a beautiful walled center which you access via a bridge across the canal surrounding the city, and fantastic bastions open to visitors from where to catch views of the city and the lake. It is a beautiful fortress-town so peculiar, that it entered the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2017.

Good to know: Peschiera is close to the area’s theme parks such as Gardaland, which makes it one of the best places on Lake Garda for families with kids.

Lazise

Lazise is on the south-eastern shore of the lake, in Veneto, and it is a lovely small town with colorful houses overlooking the water, plenty of cafes and a lively family feel.

The town has a pretty center, a flat lakeside promenade and a strong vocation as a summer holiday place for families especially, due to the presence of very many excellent campsites with activities, pools etc

Not to be missed here is the historical city center, the lovely Piazza del Comune, castle and, more in general, the pretty and laid back atmosphere of the town, one of the most popular in the area from visitors from all over the world. Find here >>> my practical travel guide to Lazise.

Bardolino

Bardolino is a nice small town on the eastern shore of the lake, close to Verona, in Veneto.

The town has a pretty town center and a nice lake shore that make it one of the best beaches on Lake Garda and a popular destination for families especially.

Like Lasize, the town has a strong summer holiday destination vocation and it is a great place for those looking for well equipped campsites, easy swimming opportunities, getting bikes etc.

Bardolino is close to Gardaland and the theme parks of this area, which makes it particularly popula with families with kids.

Sirmione

Sirmione is one of the most beautiful places on Lake Garda and a town like no other.

Located on the southern shore of the lake, in Lombardy, Sirmione has a peculiar position on a promontory stretching into the waters of the lake, which surround the town on three sides and it is famous for its incredible Scaligero Castle, whose turreted walls now surround water! If you look at the map of Lake Garda, you will quickly see how unique its position is!

Sirmione is very well known and you may have heard it mentioned as place with an overtourism problem This is true however, it is possible to enjoy Sirmione: if you can, come and stay a few nights rather than visiting for a day trip, and Sirmione is guaranteed to woo you!

You can find here >>> my essential travel guide to Sirmione.

Desenzano del Garda

Desenzano del Garda is the biggest town on Lake Garda shores and it is located on the southern shores of the lake, in the Lombardy region.

It is a town often overlooked by international tourism, mostly drawn to nearby Peschiera (for the theme parks), Lazise (for the campsite) and Sirmione (for the wow factor) but Desenzano is adorable and manages to still retain local charm, without compromising on tourism offerings.

Desenzano has a lovely historical town center, a nice Castle, a fantastic lakeside promenade, is also a good place for boating, sailing and water sports in general. You can find here >>> my essential guide to Desenzano del Garda.

Salo’

Salo’ is a beautiful town on the western shore of Lake Garda, in Lombardy.

The town has a lovely lakeside promenade, a pleasant historical center, nice beaches and it is a good place for sailing and cycling thanks to the presence of the local sailing school and cycling path along the lake

Garda Town

Garda (Garda town) is a town on the southern shore of the lake, in Veneto, only a short drive or cycle up from Bardolino and Lazise.

The towns is small and delightful: the center is nestled on a green and luscious bay surrounded by a beautiful rocky promontory which gives the town impressive views.

The town is medieval in feel, it has pretty restaurants and and adorable lakefront and tends to get smaller crowds than nearby Lazise, probably due to being a little more detached form the theme parks and campsites. I absolutely love it, I find its position truly scenic!

I hope you enjoyed this overview of the best places to see on Lake Garda and found the map of Lake Garda useful. Safe travel planning!