The beautiful medieval town of Malcesine is not only renowned for its picturesque castle on the rocks and narrow cobbled streets, but also for the huge variety of activities it has on offer. Malcesine is where Lake Garda meets the Monte Baldo mountains, and the conditions of the natural environment opens up loads of things to do for visitors!
When it comes to activities on the water, Malcesine has a huge variety of water sports you can try. You can go windsurfing, sailing, kitesurfing, stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking. And that’s just above the water! If you want to explore below the lake’s surface you can also go diving.
Windsurfing, sailing and kitesurfing: Malcesine is one of the best spots on the lake for water sports that rely on the wind. In the morning, the wind blows off from the mountains in the north and breezes south. You haven’t seen a full car park until you’ve seen Malcesine car park on a windy morning – all the local enthusiasts head out on to the water at sunrise, before going to work!
In the afternoon the wind switches direction, blowing from the south up to the north. As the day continues, it gets hotter and thermals pull the wind up to the colder areas in the north. Malcesine’s location on the lake has a consistent breeze in both the morning and the afternoon. This makes for happy sailors, windsurfers and kitesurfers and is the reason why this part of the lake is so popular.
For paddle sports enthusiasts, there are sports centres around the lake where you can do SUP (stand-up paddle) boarding and kayaking. This is a great way to get out on the lake and explore up the shoreline. It provides a different perspective on the sights of Malcesine. You can even paddle past the beautiful Malcesine Castle.
Lake Garda is one of the cleanest lakes in Europe, so it very popular for those who like to explore under the water. There is a dive centre in Val di Sogno, close to Malcesine, which provides ready access to the sunken iron cruiser underneath the Isola di Sogno (Island of Dreams).
Just off the tip of Malcesine, is another island called the Isola degli Olivi (Island of Olives). This is very popular with divers as there is magical cave underneath – perfect for underwater photo opportunities!
Of course, if extreme water sports aren’t your cup of tea then you can always stick to good old-fashioned swimming. Around Malcesine, there are many lovely stone beaches along the shore, so you can take a dip and enjoy the refreshing, crystal-clear waters of Lake Garda.
Like throwing a pebble, this blog post only skims the surface of the water activities you can enjoy in Malcesine. We look forward to seeing you in this beautiful Lakes and Mountains resort so you can find out more about, and give these exciting water sports a go yourself!