Top 10 Lake Towns to visit in Northern Italy

Northern regions of Italy can boast not only magnificent ski slopes and inspiring mountain views, but also crystal-clear Northern Italian lakes. When we talk about lakes of Northern Italy, we usually mean Lake Garda, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore. All of these lakes and the lake towns around them are easily reachable from any large cities, be it Milan, Verona, Venice or Turin. You can use either public transport or a rented car to get to the shores of these lakes.

Besides a classic beach holiday, the lakes can offer a lot of other entertainment as there are a lot of tiny picturesque towns scattered around. Activities include swimming & sunbathing, boat trips, sightseeing, hiking and much more. Although these lakes are located in the Northern regions of the country, they are available for swimming during the summer time. Isn’t it a lovely opportunity to spend your time exploring the towns around the lakes in northern Italy?

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Famous Lake Towns in Northern Italy

Let`s explore to figure out what to see & do on the lakes when travelling in Northern Italy. 

Best Lake Garda Towns

Sirmione

The resort of Sirmione is located on the shores of Lake Garda and can offer not only relaxing on the beaches, but also various thermal spa activities. Some thermal springs were found here in 1889. And now Sirmione has become one of the popular thermal treatment resorts available all year round. There are a lot of thermal complexes open here as well as spa centers in the local hotels.

Besides thermal treatment and water activities, Sirmione is full of historical attractions. Do not miss the famous Scaliger Castle, which was built in 13^th century and is currently open for viewing. Another great archeological site is the Grottoes of Catullus, which dates back to the period before BC. Narrow streets and spacious squares, magnificent churches and beautiful promenade can also be found in Sirmione as well as cozy restaurants and cafes on the shores of the lake. A popular tour is cruise around the Sirmione peninsula at sunset.

How to reach: The best starting points for going to Sirmione are Milan and Verona. There is no train station in Sirmione. But you can get to neighbouring Desenzano and then take a bus or a taxi to reach your travel destination. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio.

The distance between Verona and Sirmione is just 40 km; the distance between Milan and Sirmione is about 130 km. If you travel by car, then follow the road # A4/E70 from Verona or # A4 from Milan. 

Desenzano del Garda

Desenzano del Garda is often a “gateway” for travelling around Lake Garda as it has a train station and it is quite convenient to get there by public transport. This is a traditional lake resort with a wide range of hotels, gastronomic activities and opportunities for sightseeing. Colorful buildings combine with churches, cathedrals and museums here. One fun activity here is to ride a Vespa scooter and see all most scenic spots on Lake Garda in a single day.

I would recommend visiting the local Archaeological Museum and the Castle of Desenzano del Garda with an impressive Tower in its area. The squares of Mateotti and Malvezzi will please you with their open-air cafes and shopping opportunities. Local beaches also look charming, but can be a little over-crowded during the summer time. You can also book a sunset boat cruise to admire the Sirmione Peninsula from the port of Desenzano.

How to reach: The trains from Verona can take you to Desenzano in just 20 minutes as the distance is no more than 45 km. The trains from Milan can take you to the resort in 1-1.5 hours, depending on the type of train. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio.

If you travel by car, then follow the road # A4/E70 from Verona or the roads # A4 or A35 from Milan. 

Peschiera del Garda

Peschiera del Garda is a cozy resort town on the very south of the lake. It also has a train station so tourists can get to the resort quite fast and easily. The main attraction of the town is the Gardaland WaterPark. The place is very popular among families with kids. Gardaland can offer a lot of entertainment, including water attractions, Aquarium, roller-coasters, etc. The Water park is open from May until November, plus some days during the Pre-Christmas time.

Another advantage of Peschiera is its beach area. The local beaches are mostly pebbly but equipped with everything tourists need, including piers for diving. Peschiera has also preserved some historical monuments, for instance, the Porta Verona gates and the medieval fortress. It is easy to do a Lake Garda cruise on a half-day trip from Peschiera del Garda.

How to reach: As mentioned before, it is quite easy to get to Peschiera by public transport. Direct trains run from Verona and Milan. You can get to the resort from Verona by train in just 13 minutes! The travel time from Milan is a bit more – in about 1.5 hours. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio.

If you travel by car, then follow the road # A4/E70 from Verona or the road # A4 from Milan. You can also get to Gardaland Park from Peschiera by a shuttle bus. They run during the day, and the journey time is about 30 minutes. 

Malcesine

Malcesine is a real “pearl” of Lake Garda. Tiny, colorful and very picturesque, Malcesine will impress you at first sight. You should definitely see the Scaliger fortress, located on a cape. The views from the fortress are truly inspiring. If you book a Vespa scooter, there are no traffic jams or parking problems for sightseeing.

Another great idea of what to do in Malcesine is climbing up Mount Baldo, but don`t worry – you don`t need to climb up on foot. There is a funicular that runs back and forth daily. We also recommend taking a boat trip in Malcesine to admire Lake Garda. You can try boat trips in any town around the lake. But Malcesine is situated close to the opposite shore. So you can reach the opposite side quite fast and there will be another beautiful town called Limone sul Garda there. 

How to reach: There is no train station in Malcesine. So you need to take a train from Milan or Verona to Desenzano or Peschiera, 2 of the closest towns with the train stations. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio.

Then you need to take a local bus either from Desenzano or from Peschiera to get directly to Malcesine. The way is quite complicated, but Malcesine is definitely worth it. By car, you need to follow the motorways # #A22/E45 and SR249 from Verona or #A4 from Milan. 

Limone sul Garda

Limone is a “hidden gem” of Lake Garda. The town is located quite remote from the other lake towns, and travellers can reach Limone only by bus or by car as there is no train station here. The town will charm you with its natural scenery and lovely architecture. The location of Limone is unusual as the town is squeezed between the lake and the mountains. You will be surprised how close mountains are situated here. Colorful houses and narrow streets of Limone sul Garda look especially lovely among steep cliffs.

Strolling around the town, you will see such interesting sites as the Cathedral of San Benedetto, the Church of San Rocca, plus a couple of palazzos, which were built during 17^th – 18^th centuries. You can take a tour to admire the historic center of Limone sul Garda. One more curious detail is the doorbells on the houses with the image of the lemon. This is the symbol of the town – do not miss it!

How to reach: If you plan to travel by public transport, first you need to take a train to Desenzano del Garda. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio. Then, in Desenzano, you need to take one of the local buses, running between the towns along the Western shore. The total travel time may take you about 2 hours from Verona and slightly more than 2 hours from Milan.

By car, you need to follow the route # A22/E45 or # A4/E70 from Verona. If you travel by car from Milan, then follow the road # A4 via Bergamo or # A35 via Brescia. 

Riva del Garda

Riva del Garda is one more “hidden gem” of Lake Garda as it is located the most remote from the other towns, to the very north of the lake. This charming colorful town has a lot of attractions, be it the Tower of Apponale, Fortress La Rocca or numerous palazzos. A scooter ride is the best way to see all of Lake Garda’s highlights in one day. No traffic jams or parking problems. 

Natural scenery of the town is also picturesque as Riva is located between the lake and the mountains. Besides, you can find a beautiful waterfall called Cascata del Varone and Monte Baldo funicular at the closest surroundings of the town. If you have enough time, you can also take a scenic boat trip from Riva to the other lake towns, for instance, to Limone sul Garda. 

How to reach: By public transport, you need to go to Rovereto town by train and then take a local bus directly to Riva del Garda. This route is applicable both from Verona and Milan. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio. By car, you need to follow the motorways # A22/T45 and SS240 from Verona and # A35 and SS45bis from Milan. 

Lake Como towns

Lake Como is famous for its historical triangle of towns which includes Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio. You can take an unforgettable private trip of Lake Como on a classic wooden boat that departs from piers in Bellagio, Menaggio, Varenna, and Tremezzo.

Varenna

Varenna is the easiest reachable as the town has its own train station and is on most travellers’ Lake Como itinerary. Tourists often combine visiting Varenna with two other towns of historical triangle as they are connected by ferry routes between each other. 

In Varenna you can find a lot of historical and architectural monuments. I would recommend visiting the Church of San Giorgio, which is in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the villas of Cipressi and Monastero. Both villas will charm you with its exteriors and gardens. It is possible to visit villa Monastero inside as some rooms with authentic decoration are open for observation. Book this entrance ticket to Villa Monastero with an aperitif. The Castle di Vezio is also worth visiting when travelling around Varenna.

How to reach: The best way to visit Varenna is from Milan as the distance between them is slightly more than 70 km. You can take a regional train, which directly runs to Varenna. The journey time is just 1 hour. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio. If you travel by car, just follow the route # SS36. 

Bellagio

Bellagio is no less interesting than Varenna so do not miss this location! The town can boast a great number of attractions, among which we would definitely recommend Villa Serbelloni and Villa Melzi for visiting. Both buildings have just stunning architectural features as well as wonderful landscaped gardens around the villas. Please note that the villas are open for visitors only during the period from March to November. Only a half hour from Bellagio you will find another well-kept mansion. Wander through the enchanting gardens of Villa del Balbianello by booking this entrance ticket with roundtrip ferry tickets.

The best way to spend your time in Bellagio is just to stroll around the town where you can see a lot of colorful houses, magnificent squares and medieval churches. Narrow cobbled streets stretch up and down in Bellagio and you can find a lot of cozy cafes and bars to relax a little bit after a busy day.  

How to reach: To get to Bellagio from Milan, you need to take a train to Varenna. The trains are direct, and the journey usually takes no more than 1 hour. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio. Then there is a ferry waiting for you at the pier of Varenna.

Ferries are running between Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio all day long. The whole ferry trip takes about 15 minutes. By car, you need to follow the routes # SS36 and SP583 from Milan. 

Menaggio

Menaggio is the tiniest town among the historical triangle in Lake Como, but it is pretty much charming and definitely worth visiting. The main attraction of the town is Villa Mylius which is open for visitors from April to October. Both interiors and gardens are available for observation. The villa was built in 19^th century and can impress you with its elegant facades and picturesque views around. The gardens are executed in traditional English style.

Walking around the town, you can also view some churches of 17-18^th centuries and beautiful palazzos. We would recommend visiting Menaggio with two other towns of the “golden triangle” – Bellagio and Varenna. 

How to reach: The best way to get to Menaggio from Milan is to take a train to Varenna, where you can make a change to a local ferry. It takes you about 15 minutes by ferry and here you are. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio. If you travel by car, you need to follow the roads # A9/E35 and SS340 from Milan. 

Best town at Lake Maggiore

Stresa

Lake Maggiore is the most remote lake from Milan, but it definitely deserves tourist attention. Besides, you can get to Lake Maggiore not only from Milan, but from Turin. Lake Maggiore is the northern lake located close to the mountains and on the territory of two countries – Italy and Switzerland.

One of the most-visited towns here is Stresa. Stresa is a charming resort town with a lot of activities for tourists. You can find numerous hotels, cafes and restaurants on its streets. Perhaps, the most popular entertainment in Stresa is boat excursions to Borromean islands and Santa Caterina monastery, literally hanging over the water. The monastery dates back 12^th century and has kept its authenticity since then. If you have enough time, you can also add visiting villa Pallavicino and villa Taranto to your travel list. They are located in the surroundings of Stresa. 

How to reach: There are direct regional and high-speed trains between Milan and Stresa. This is why it takes only 1-1.5 hours to get to the desired travel destination. You can check out the train schedule and purchase tickets at Omio. By car, you need to follow the road # A8.  The distance is 90 km. 

Conclusion: Famous lakes of northern Italy

As you see, there are a lot of places of interest in Northern Italy. They are not only ski resorts or metropolises like Milan, Verona or Venice, but tiny colorful towns scattered around the picturesque lakes Garda, Como and Maggiore. All 3 lakes can offer a lot of activities and entertainment, including beaches, cafes, restaurants, sightseeing, hiking, etc. All these travel destinations are a good choice for a one-day trip from Milan or Verona, and in some cases from Venice and Turin as well. 

If you are short on time, day trips to consider from Milan –

Planning a trip to Italy? Check out these posts:

For a 2-week Itinerary: The classic two-week Italy Itinerary.

Italy has show-stopper cities: 4 days in Rome, One day in Florence, 2 days in Venice, Florence or Rome

Don’t forget Tuscany. Day trip from Florence Tuscany, Where to stay in Tuscany

Spend time doing the Amalfi coast itinerary, take a day trip to Capri, or experience Cinque Terre and Lake Como.

Complete guide on Italian Souvenirs: Good Souvenirs from Italy and the Ultimate Italy Packing List

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This is a guest post by Julia from Bandeguide. Julia has been travelling around Europe since 2008. And now she helps tourists to plan for various travel destinations in Europe.

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