Walking through the centre of Malcesine you’ll experience the hustle and bustle of the cobbled streets, where locals and tourists mingle alongside each other. If you want to find more tranquillity, and explore Malcesine’s surroundings, you should gently stroll the lovely lake promenade that stretches north and south of the old town – an enjoyable way to explore the area.
Heading north, you come to Campagnola where you’ll find a small patch of grass next to the lake. Contrary to appearances, this is not a suitable spot for sunbathing. In fact, you may be kicked-off the grass if you try to sit here! This is where the paragliders land after taking the leap-of-faith off nearby Monte Baldo. Instead, look for a nice safe seat in the beach bar where you can enjoy watching the paragliders land – hopefully on the grass and not in the water!
Reaching the most northern part of the Malcesine promenade brings you to a small town called Navene. The town used to be a little fishing village. Today, the town is packed with various water sport centres. As you approach this part of the lake, you will see countless wind sport enthusiasts in action taking advantage of the consistent winds blowing off the Monte Baldo.
The main centre of wind sport action is the Fraglia Vela Malcesine. They offer a range of different water sports including yacht sailing. Connected to the centre is Europa Surf & Sail where you can try a range of water activities including dinghy and catamaran sailing, windsurfing, stand-up boarding and kayaking. The water-sports centres also host various competitions throughout the summer, including the Moth Sailing World Championships.
Heading south along the shores of the lake from the centre of Malcesine will bring you to the beautiful bay of Val di Sogno – the bay of dreams. You can admire the small islands, which are only a stone’s throw away from the promenade. There are many pleasant restaurants and cafés en route where you can find refreshment. Act like a local and stop off for a cheeky Aperol Spritz. After all, you are on holiday – salute!
Continuing further along the promenade, you will reach the little fishing village of Cassone. A small museum will carry you back in time to when transportation on the lake was predominantly by boat. Cassone is also home to the Aril River – one of Lake Garda’s twenty-five tributaries. At only 175-metres long, it is the shortest river in Italy!
Along the length and breadth of Malcesine’s promenade, there are many fascinating sights and excellent spots to relax and enjoy the scenery. There are convenient transport connections. If you walk one way and get too tired to walk back, you can always catch the tourist bus, which does a loop around the area, home to your hotel. We hope that you will visit the enchanting town of Malcesine soon, so you are able to explore the area for yourself.