Lake Garda Day Trip From Milan

Lake Garda (Lago di Garda) is the largest of the Italian lakes and perhaps the most scenic. Situated in northern Italy, about halfway between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan, it’s surrounded by three distinct regions – Lombardy, Trentino Alto-Adige and Veneto.

The lake offers indeed an amazing natural diversity on its backdrop: snow-capped Alpine scenery on the north, with mountains creating its fjord-shape configuration and providing a very mild Mediterranean climate, vine-covered rolling morainic hills on the east and Lombard plains on the west.

Our Lake Garda day trip from Milan will allow you to discover great views, the historic and picturesque villages on the lake’s shores and the fascinating ancient Roman villas, castles and caves surrounding the lake.

You will also understand why the romantic Lake Garda has always attracted poets and politicians, divas and dictators. And why it still attracts 7% of the tourism flows in Italy.

Trip Details

• Lake Garda full day trip from Milan

• Duration: 12 hours

• Departure from your hotel in Milan at 8,00 am. Arrival in hotel in Milan at 8,00 pm

• code: 01313

 

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Highlights

• Round-trip transport from Milan by  minivan (or coach on demand) with air conditioning

• Explore an enchanting Roman villa, the Grottoes of Catullus, and a 13th century castle in Sirmione, a beautiful lakefront village

• Visit Verona and see Juliet’s House (Casa di Giulietta), the fictional setting of scenes in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

• Admire Verona’s Roman arena, the largest opera stage in the world

• Stroll down the medieval centre of one of Italy’s loveliest towns, declared UNESCO World Heritage site

• Taste the amazing diversity of food and wines from the surroundings

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Itinerary

After leaving Milan early in the morning and a comfortable two-hour drive by  minivan, you will reach Sirmione on the Lake Garda.

The stunning lakeside towns around Lake Garda have fascinated visitors for centuries. Romans fell in love with the area and left beautiful villas and many tracks of their love. Sirmione hosts some of those tracks.

It lies between the blue waters of Lake Garda and green olive trees, and is a very romantic village, of Roman origin, whose beauty has been praised by famous Latin poet Catullus.

It has been famed for its thermal baths since antiquity, and hosted Catullus’s summer residence, and a grand Roman villa whose ruined walls are still clearly visible.

You will have time to visit the Grottoes of Catullus (Grotte di Catullo), the grand Roman villa with mosaics and musem, Sirmione’s narrow medieval streets that burst with colour, and the moated castle, Rocca Scaligera, a rare example of a medieval port fortification, used by the Lords of Verona in the 1200s.

And admire Sirmione’s breathtaking lake views: Sirmione stretches along a thin peninsula that protrudes into Lake Garda for about 4 km. It’s one of the most beautiful places of the lake, from which one can enjoy the splendid views of both shores.

After Sirmione, one-hour drive by minivan (or coach) will take you to Verona, one of Italy’s loveliest towns, a beautiful and romantic city, a prosperous medieval town in its own and also a popular tourist destination.

Famous as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, this enchanting Veneto city has gained UNESCO status for its collection of monuments dating back to 1st century BC.

You will have time to visit top Verona attractions like Piazza della Erbe and the exceptionally preserved ancient Roman’s Arena, the city’s grandest sight, where concerts and operas are still performed in summer.

The amphitheatre had the capacity to accommodate 20,000 spectators. The surroundings of Piazza Bra, where the Arena is located, are a stylish area lined with cafes, government buildings and fashionable shops.

You will also visit Juliet’s House, the principal point of interest for lovers of Shakespeare. Step back into Shakespearean times and lose yourself in the setting of the world’s most romantic story.

Verona also offers a beautiful medieval center, with narrow streets lined with impressive medieval and Renaissance buildings.

Do not forget to taste food and wine.

Veneto’s cuisine is one of the richest in Italy and it combines Mittleeuropean culture, Alpine and Mediterranean influences, recipes with ingredients from the Lombard plains. The area has been particularly active in wine production since ancient times. Among the local wines: Valpolicella, Soave and Bardolino.

At the end of your tour, you will be returned to your hotel in Milan.

What’s Included

• Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Milan

• Transfers by  air-conditioned minivan (or coach on demand)

What’s Not Included

• Tour guide (on demand)

• Gratuities (optional)

• Food and drinks

• Entrance fees to attractions