Are you planning a trip to Lake Garda but don't know where to start? I put this 5-day Lake Garda itinerary together whilst I was planning my trip to Lake Garda so you don't have to do the research as well.

Is this right for you?
- You want to take the stress out of a planning a trip and have an itinerary planned for you
- You like to visit musems and churches
- You want a jam packed itinerary to see and do as much as possible
- You are travelling on a budget
If you said yes to any of these then this itinerary is right for you

Lake Garda, Italy

Lake Garda itinerary

Spend the afternoon making friends at the hostel and wandering around the streets of Peschiera del Garda. The town has two main parts and the old part of the town is full of busy resturants and great places to do some shopping. 

Once in Peschiera del Garda it is time to check into the hostel (or accommodation that you have booked). I booked the Meet Garda Lake Hostel as I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone so I was travelling solo and wanted to meet people. 

Take a day trip to Verona which can be easily done by hopping on a 15 miniute train. Once in Verona head straight over the Arena before the queues start to build up later in the morning and afternoon. 

If you would like to visit Lake Garda but want to visit as a day trip then you can take an organised day trip from Milan

Fly into one of the nearby airports such as Milan or Verona.

Take the train from Bergamo to Peschiera del Garda. This takes about 1.5 to 2 hours with one change. Tickets for trains can be booked through Trainline or Omio but can also be purchased at a ticket machine at the station. Just make sure to validate your ticket if you purchase it at the station. 

I flew into Milan Bergamo as I wanted to start my trip exploring some of the Cittá alta. You can take the bus from the airport which will drop you off outside the train station. This takes about 20-30 minutes. 

Book tickets through Trainline

Book train tickets through Omio

Book through HostelWorld

Make sure to book tickets in advance for the arena so that you can join the skin-the-line queue and not have to waste time queuing to get in. I would personally recommend getting the Verona card for 24 hours as it including the entrace to the Arena and lots of churches and museums thorughout the city. 

Book tickets for Verona Arena

Or you could also start the day with a walking tour around Verona to familiarise yourself with the beautiful city if you are not worried about visiting the arena.

Book a walking tour

Lake Garda and Verona day trip from Milan

If you want to spend more time in Verona then I have a 2 day itinerary that will help you get started. 

How to spend 2 days in Verona

Peschiera del Garda, VR, Italy

Spend the day exploring Sirmione. You can take the bus from Peschiera del Garda to Sirmione using the arriva bus company. The bus jouney takes about 20 minutes and costs about £2. You can purchase bus tickets from a tabacchi and also some tickets online. I bought my tickets using the Arriva MyPay app which made it so easy. 

Check bus schedules online

Stop by All'Orologio for some delicious Italian food for dinner. Head back to the hostel and get some rest after an early start to be well rested for the rest of the trip.

Today is the final day in the beautiful Lake Garda. 

Grab some breakfast from the Hostel and get the train back to Bergamo. If you have an evening flight then you have plenty of time to explore Bergamo a little more.

From the station you can walk stright ahead down Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII  and continue all the way round the bend to the right to the funicular station. On the way to the funicular you can grab some breakfast just off the main road at T-bakery. 

From here you can either take the fanicular up to the Cittá alta or take the stone path to the left of the staition. The path isn't too long and I even lugged a suitcase up the path (and passed people on the way up). Make sure you are wearing some sturdy shoes though as the path is made up of stones in places. 

If you take the stone path up to the Cittá Alta you will pass through Porta San Giacomo to reach the city. From here there are beautiful views over the modern part of the city and surrounding mountains.

Stroll further into the city and you will find Piazza Vecchia Bergamo Alta which is a beautiful sqaure lined with resturants. You will also find the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore which has a beautiful interior and worth a visit. 

Within Piazza Vecchia you will also find the civic tower and Palazzo del Podestà. You can purchase a combined ticket to visit both for 5 euros and learn about some of the history of Bergamo. 

Once you have finished exploring the tower and Palazzo head to California Bakery for a light lunch and then head back to the train station.

Once you have passed through Porta San Giacomo you can turn right and continue the beautiful views at Piattaforma di Sant'Andrea and grab some beautiful photos.

From the arena you can walk 10 minutes to Piazza delle Erbe. There are a few monuments that you can admire here such as the beautiful Fontana Madonna and Colonna di San Marco. You will also find a lot of local stalls selling souveniers, leather bags and purses. There are also plenty of cafes and resturants here to come back to for lunch. I've picked up a few things from these local stalls. 

After visiting the tower, head back to Piazza delle Erbe and grab some lunch from one of the many resturants and cafes (suggestions below). 

From the square you will see the beautiful Torre dei Lamberti. This tower offers some stunning panoramic views over the city of Verona. Entrance is included with the Verona card or 1 euro if you would like to use the lift otherwise it is 6 euros. 

Get your Verona card here

Other places you can visit if you have more time

After your lunch stop it's time to head over to one of the most popular places in Verona. So be prepared for some crowds. If you are planning to visit Verona then you have probably heard that this is where you will find Juliet's House and the famous balcony. There isn't too much to see here, there is a very small museum with some items displayed and you can walk out on Juliet's balcony for some photos and that's about it. So this won't take you too long but worth a visit as it's included in the Verona card. 

Afterwards, head on over the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Matricolare (Verona Cathedral). Entrance to the cathedral is included with the Verona card or 4 euros. Here you can visit the Cathedral complex which includes the Cathdral itself, the Baptistery, 

Church of St Helen and archaeological excavations, and the first church of diocese. You can spend as little or as long as you like here. Do not skip the churches and cathedral's in Italy, they are stunning and an important part of their history.

From the Cathedral you can head over to Ponte Pietra which is only a 5 minute walk. Here you can admire the views over the river Adige and the river banks. You may even see some people river rafting.

Head over the bridge and you will very quickly find the Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano. Spend some time exploring the museum and learning about the history of Verona. From the museum you have some amazing views over the city and a lovely view of sunset. 

Hop on a train and spend the day in the city of Brescia. Brescia is only a 20 minute train journey from Peschiera del Garda and is full of history.

Set at the tip of a peninsula, the Archaeological Site of Grotte di Catullo encompasses a Roman villa, a museum and olive trees. There is an entrance fee of 8 euros and you can explore in your own time. There were also scannable QR codes dotted around with a really useful audioguide along with display boards. 

Sirmione is one of the most popular "sights" on Lake Garda, with thousands of visitors flooding in each day to view the picturesque peninsula, and it's clear why. 

If you are looking for the perfect one week Italy itinerary to give you a good taste of Italy then this is the itinerary for you. You will explore the beautiful food that Tuscany has to offer along with the stunning architecture and history that the capital city of Rome has to offer.

This guide includes:
- Tips for getting around
- Where to stay
- Things to do that aren't just for tourists
- Cafés, bars and restaurants

Follow me on Instagram and Tiktok @postcardsfromrachael

Italy

Pisa, Province of Pisa, Italy

Lucca, Province of Lucca, Italy

Siena, Province of Siena, Italy

Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy

Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy

How to spend one week in Central Italy

From visiting the beautiful city of Florence multiple times and doing extensive research I have compiled together an extensive list of the best places to eat and drink in Florence.

I have included over 10 great spots to eat, including the best places for gelato, and 6 places to enjoy a drink for the evening.

Tuscany, Italy

Florence, SC, USA

Your guide to where to eat, drink and sleep in Florence

Cattedrale di Santa Maria Matricolare

Juliet’s House

Booking information

Scaliger Castle

Need inspo for your trip to Verona? 🇮🇹 #verona #veronaitaly #skyline #italysummerinitaly #cablecar #panoramicview #funicolarediverona 

Funicolare di Castel San Pietro

Visiting Verona Arena

Verona Arena

Ponte Pietra

Discover the Basilica of St.Anastasia - Verona. History and timetables

Basilica di Santa Anastasia

These elaborate gothic monuments honor Verona's medieval lords.

Scaliger Tombs

📍Piazza dei Signori, Verona - Italy  . . . . . #verona #veronarestaurant #veronaitaly🇮🇹 #veronaitaly #summerinitaly #italyfeels #italyfeelings #italiansummer #italiansummeraesthetic #vintagevibes #italiansummervibes #travelitaly #slowtravel #ladolcevita #italianplaces #bellaitalia #summervibes 

📍Piazza dei Signori, Verona - Italy 

Piazza dei Signori

Piazza delle Erbe

Arco dei Gavi

Verona

Lake Garda

Meet Garda Lake Hostel

Sirmione

Purchase your Verona card

Torre dei Lamberti

Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano

Milan Bergamo Airport

Città Alta

Forte San Marco

Parish of St. Martino Vescovo

Sirmione beach

☀️ Where are YOU going this summer? 😎 Comment to let me know! 🌴 #Italy #Sirmione #GrotteDiCatullo #RomanVilla #SummerHoliday #MVHilton #ComeWithMe #FYP #History #Travel #Holiday

Archaeological site of Grotte di Catullo

Stazione

Check out their Instagram

T-Bakery

Cableway to Citta Alta Bergamo

Porta San Giacomo

Stairs to Citta Alta

Piattaforma di Sant'Andrea

Piazza Vecchia Bergamo Alta

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

Museo Del Tesoro Della Cattedrale

Campanone

Palazzo del Podestà - Museo del Cinquecento

California Bakery

Fontana Madonna Verona

Colonna di San Marco

Make sure to visit this place at your trip to Verona 🇮🇹😍 #bestview #reisetipp #travelhacks #italytravel #italybucketlist #verona #gardasee #lakegarda #städtetrip #citytrip #mustseeplaces #secretplaces  Best view over Verona, must visit places in Italy 

Castel San Pietro

Caffè Barbarani

Casa Mazzanti Caffè

Amorino Gelato - Verona Corso Sant'Anastasia

Brescia

Parco archeologico di Brixia romana

Santa Giulia Museum

Duomo Vecchio (Catedral Velha) -  Co-Catedral de Inverno de Santa Maria Assunta - Brescia - Itália #duomocathedral #italy #catedral #duomo #visititaly #history #cristianismo #catolicismo #italia #brescia #italytraveller 

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

Tostato

Old Cathedral

Edicola Stazione di Rosini snc

all'Orologio

My favorite restaurant in Verona, Italy!  #verona #restaurant #thingstodo #thingstoeat #veronaitaly #veronaitaly🇮🇹 #italy #italiansummer #vacation #summervacation #viral #familyvacation #solotravel #femalesolotravel #vacay #summerfun #solotraveler #solotravelerwoman #europeansummer 

La Bottega della Gina XXL

Flego

La Prosciutteria Verona

Spiaggia Grifone

Dove mangiare a Sirmione ?! #sirmionefood #sirmione2022 #sirmione #lakefood #lakegarda

CIVICO 48

La Speranzina Restaurant & Relais a one Michelin star is worth a stop.  With its romantic atmosphere, This Mediterranean-style restaurant located in the heart of Sirmione, offers a beautiful terrace with spectacular views of the lake and castle. We had a chance to head into the kitchen a see how they get ready also stopped by the wine cellar. A superb variety of champagnes and wines. The menu was exquisite.  #sirmione #sirmionedelgarda #lagodigarda #gardalake #michelinstar #italia #food #italy #lasperanzina #loveitaly #port #portovecchio #architecture #architecturephotography #lakeside #travel #travelphotography #reisen #grotte #restaurants  #boats #beautifuldestinations #visititaly #wonderfulplaces #michelin #michelinguide #europe #italiastyle #foodies #italy_vacations 

La Speranzina Restaurant & Relais

The dreamiest restaurant in Lake Garda, Verona (I recommend the tiger prawn tagliolini!) Location at the end. #lakegarda #lakegardaitaly #sirmione #verona #veronarestaurant 

Villa Pioppi Restaurant & Pizzeria

Church of Santa Maria della Neve

Cremeria Bulian

Gelateria Mancini dal 1933

Al piano superiore dell'Oratorio di Santa Maria in Solario, sotto il cielo stellato affrescato da Ferramola, brilla la Croce detta di re Desiderio, mirabile manufatto databile all'VIII-IX secolo D.C. #croce #crocedidesiderio #santamariainsolario #brescia #bixia 

Lake Garda itinerary

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