Lake Garda without a car

[Alices Aunt]

I’m just looking at booking a holiday for October with my mum and she would like to go to Lake Garda.

I think we will look to stay a in Desenzano del Garda due to the train station. Is this a good choice?

Will we be able to get to other places easily enough using the ferries at this time of year?

Any most importantly which airport? Flights are looking reasonable for both Milan and Verona. With Verona being closer is that better? There is only 1 flight a day. It’s so long since I’ve planned a holiday I’m excited and nervous at the same time so any help would be gratefully received. Thanks

[tiggertastic]

Bergamo Airport is closest to desenzano.

Verona closer to peschira and there is also a train station there.
Busses run all round the lake and I think are quicker than the ferries? I think ferries are reduced in winter.

Verona is lovely. Not a fan of milan. Venice is I think less than 2 hours by train from Verona. Love Lake garda, riva del garda at the northern point is my favourite place. Sirmione is also nice which is between desenzano and peschira.

[Alices Aunt]

Thanks. I can check the flight prices now.

[quartergill]

I would choose Peschiera over Desenzano. I have stayed in both. It depends where you are in Desenzano but the railway station is up the hill at top of town. As said previous Peschiera is relatively close to Verona.

[RM2016]

Myself and the children stayed in Peschiera in summer 2020. We didn’t have a car but as others have said there is a train station in Peschiera which gives you access to Verona and Venice. Verona is the closest airport to Peschiera but Bergamo may be cheaper. We used Paola at Garda Easy Travel for transfers and she was fantastic giving lots of hints and tips on the area. Sirmione is lovely via the ferry, there is timetables etc online. The cable car at Malsecesine gives stunning views if that’s your thing too.

[porridge]

We stayed in bardolino in august 2020 - no car, and our first visit. I would definitely stay in that area again.
You do not need to be near a train station. There are lots of buses to verona and around the lake. The locals use buses and the ferries.
We prebooked a transfer from the airport, and the rest of the time used the buses. The only thing with the buses, is that they don’t run late in the evening. Last one was before 9pm. But it might be different now.
If you stay right at the bottom of the lake, it will take you ages to get to the top - 4 hours each way on the boat. Whereas where we stayed, we could reach the very top in less than an hour (bus), and the bottom in less.
We went to Venice on the train - got the bus to verona station. Lots of trains per hour from there to Venice, and fast ones. The station at peschiera only had two trains a day go to Venice, and they were slow and you had to change, hence us going from verona.
I’d definitely look at staying in bardolino or Garda. And I’d recommend (if you stay there) visiting malcesine, limone, sirmione. Bardolino has many more shops and restaurants than Garda. It was perfect for us. But you can walk between the two in maybe 45 mins.