Overview
A five day Italian idyll of a short break, walking in South Lake Garda, with three nights in the lakefront town of Peschiera del Garda, and your final night in Verona, which is a veritable Italian idyll. Walking highlights include the lake’s Sirmione Peninsula, a 4km strip of land on the lake’s southern shore, which is also home to some Roman ruins and thermal baths. All in all, an easy, exquisite and epicurean walking holiday that has a superb finale in one of Veneto’s most romantic cities. This holiday is also accessible by train.
- Peschiera del Garda
- Sirmione Peninsula
- Borghetto sul Mincio
- Valpolicella Wine District
- Verona
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Peschiera del Garda
Arrive in Peschiera del Garda, a town at the southern tip of Italy’s Lake Garda. Enclosed by its Venetian walls and known for its fortress, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town is the perfect gateway to the southern area of Lake Garda.
- Accommodation: Hotel Puccini in Peschiera del Garda or similar
- Optional hotel upgrade: Palazzo ai Capitani in Peschiera del Garda or similar
Day 2: Sirmione Peninsula | 5km
Take the public bus (payable locally) to Sirmione and begin the walk across the peninsula. Highlights include the medieval Castello Scaligero and the Roman ruins of the Grottoes of Catullus at the peninsula’s tip. Its thermal springs and lake views make it a perfect place for a leisurely lakeside walk. At the end of the walk, take the ferry back to Peschiera del Garda (payable locally).
- Walking for the day: 5km, 2h ↑31m ↓31m
Day 3: Ciclopedonale del Mincio and Borghetto | 15km
Starting from the hotel, follow the Ciclopedonale del Mincio, a scenic cycling and walking path that follows the Mincio River all the way to Mantua, through countryside and several ancient villages. As well as Borghetto sul Mincio, a well-preserved medieval village known for its ancient watermills, stone houses and wooden bridges. Don’t miss Visconti Bridge, a massive 14th-century fortification that looms over the village. Walk as far as Valeggio sul Mincio where you take the bus (payable locally) back to Peschiera del Garda.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 3h 30mins ↑62m ↓30m
Day 4: Valpolicella Wine District | 14km
You are transferred to the Valpolicella Wine District. Its name, valley of many cellars, perfectly captures its deep viticultural heritage, and this is a region that still practises appassimento, which is an ancient method of drying grapes. Famous worldwide for its Amarone and Ripasso wines, there are some superb walks through terraced vineyards and wine estates. At the end of the day, there’s a wine tasting with a view over the surrounding valleys, before meeting your driver for a transfer to Verona, bringing your trip to a close in one of Veneto’s most romantic cities.
- Walking for the day: 14km, 4h 30mins ↑520m ↓520m
- Accommodation: Hotel Verona in Verona
- Optional hotel upgrade: Hotel Accademia in Verona
Day 5: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is in just two places, in small family-owned B&Bs or well-established hotels. They have been carefully selected based on various criteria, including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food, and commitment to natural adventures. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view sample hotels
- Hotel Puccini (Peschiera del Garda)
- Hotel Verona (Verona)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotels
- Palazzo ai Capitani (Peschiera del Garda)
- Hotel Accademia (Verona)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated easy and is suitable for walkers with a basic level of fitness. Most days offer 2-5h of walking. The routes cover a variety of terrain, including dirt roads, mountain trails, and asphalt, with no challenging elevation gains (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you only to follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April to October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date within the season.
The Lake Garda region generally experiences mild to warm weather. Spring and autumn temperatures range between 05–20C, with occasional rain. Summer temperatures typically range between 20–30C, with plenty of sunshine, so it’s advisable to start walks early to avoid the midday heat. For more information please read our Best time to go to Italy blog.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this tour are Aeroporto di Verona (VRN) and Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY)
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to Italy without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail with train stations in Peschiera del Garda and Verona. For more details, see the national rail operator Trenitalia or use the Omio planner above
- From Verona railway station take the Regionale train to Peschiera del Garda (15mins). For more details, see the national rail operator Trenitalia, or use the Omio planner above.
- Private transfers to and from the airport can be arranged on request
Inclusions
Included
- 4 nights accommodation
- 4 breakfasts
- Private transfer from Peschiera to Valpolicella wine district on day four
- Private transfer from Valpolicella to Verona on day four
- Wine tasting with food pairing in a Valpolicella winery on day four
- Digital tour materials: detailed roadbook including maps, a navigation app for smartphones and GPS tracks. Please note that no printed documents will be provided on-site.
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- International flights and land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Additional travel-related changes in the programme due to bad weather
- Entrance fees for attractions and museums
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights in Peschiera del Garda and Verona
- Hotel upgrades in Peschiera del Garda and Verona
- Airport transfers from any major airport in the area on request
- Local private transfers
