Gardone Riviera Holidays

Bardolino Wine Festival

The Wine Festival in Bardolino (October) brings the summer season on Lake Garda to a close. Five days celebrating the new harvest of the grapes from which the famous Bardolino wines are made. Plenty of opportunity to taste the wines and sample regional food specialties, all accompanied by musical concerts ending in a spectacular firework display over the lake.

Musica Riva Festival

Taking place in May in Riva del Garda, the Musica Riva Festival is a celebration of music across different venues in the town. With the lakeside setting making the perfect backdrop, this small festival is a must for romantic music lovers.

Garda Jazz Festival

Even if jazz music isn’t to your taste, the Garda Jazz Festival isn’t to be missed. Taking place in Riva del Garda in August, the festival really brings the warm summer evenings to life with music.

Verona Opera

A night at the opera in the ancient arena in Verona must surely be one of life’s great experiences even if you’re not an opera buff. The 2018 programme (22 June - 1 September) with all-time favourite Aida by Verdi loved for its lavish scenery and costumes. A new stage design for Carmen by Bizet, there are also performances of Nabucco by Verdi, as well as Turandot by Puccini. If you are staying in any of the main resorts on Lake Garda, we can book most performances (listed on the Verona Opera page) and transport to & from Verona is included in addition to your opera ticket.

Resort Code: ITGR

Languages spoken: English

Time difference: GMT+1

Currency: EUR

Transfer Approx. 1hr 30mins by coach.

Supplements: are based on 7 nights departures.

Self drive is available

Car hire available: Yes

Evening resort bus service: No

Local bus services:

Parking available: No

Resort Ski bus available: No

Inghams Plus

• Inghams Saver Plus: Save £50 per couple for Summer 2019 departures - whilst stocks last!  
• Free excursion - see excusions tab
• Early Booking Offers at selected hotels
• Inghams Rep based in resort

Special Offers

FREE EXCURSION | Pre-book 3 excursions per person and receive Verona* full day FREE.

Pre-Bookable:

Wine Tour (half day)

From £39

Coming to the Gardone Riviera wouldn’t be a complete trip without sampling some of the delicious wines from the region. This wine tour, a carefully curated afternoon of tasting the best wines from the region, will lead you through stunning vineyards and down into cellars to learn the techniques of wine making and what makes Lake Garda wines so special.

Tour of Lake Garda (full day)

From £44

This full day tour will take you through the picturesque surrounding towns of Lake Garda and across the glittering surface of the water. Travelling by coach and ferry, this tour is ideal for those who are staying in the Lake Garda towns for a short amount of time and want to capture the whole area before their departure.

Venice (full day)

From £64

Enjoy a day trip to the wonderful City of Masks. Venice is an enchanting city and a full day visit will allow you to see the glorious city built on the water in bite-sized chunks. The full day trip will include boat trips down the Giudecca Canal, visiting St. Mark’s square, the Basilica, Doge’s Palace and can include a gondola ride.

Venice by Night (full day and evening)

From £69

An extension to the full day of Venice except this excursion leaves the wonderful city by boat as the sun sets and the lights come up, a wonderful end to the day and a memorable farewell.

Majestic Dolomite Mountains (full day)

From £48

This wonderful day trip to the majestic Dolomite Mountains is a must for our guests who are staying in Gardone Riviera. A scenic drive takes us north of the lakes and along the winding roads, deep into the heart of the mountains. There are plenty of photo opportunities along the way, at the 2,000m Pordoi Pass we stop for lunch and sit back and admire the view.

Verona (full day)

From £39

A day trip to visit the beautiful and romantic city of Verona. The home of the titular characters of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Verona is an ancient and fascinating city. Thousands of years old, there is no shortage of things to do in this city! From exploring the ancient Roman ruins, to visiting Juliet’s balcony, Verona has a little something for everyone to do.

Verona Opera

Not many people can return from holiday and proudly exclaim that they spent an evening at the prestigious, and world-renowned Verona Opera! Set in a 2,000 year old Roman amphitheater, the upcoming 2017 programme for the opera is exciting to say the very least!

For more information and a sneak-peek at the programme, please view our Verona Opera page >

All prices subject to change and correct at time of publication

Gardone Riviera restaurants and food

The number of delicious restaurants across Lake Garda and Gardone Riviera cannot be recalled- there are just simply too many! Classic Italian cooking and heritage is embodied in the food and you can expect to see delicious fresh ingredients that have been sourced locally, homemade pasta, homemade sauces and ragus, and plenty of fresh fish from the lake.

Emiliano’s Restaurant in Gardone has been tipped as being excellent and the ideal location on the lake makes it a truly special place to linger over lunch. The hotels along the lake front also serve some delicious food (Hotel du Lac, Grand Hotel Gardone and Al Valerio are tipped as being good) and you can enjoy the spectacular views from the terraces.

Gardone Riviera bars and wine

It’s no secret that this little corner if Italy is a haven for the wine lover. With the Bardolino bi-annual wine festival happening on the other side of the lake, and many of the delicious wines coming from the immediate area, it would be a mistake to leave the Gardone Riviera without sitting on the lakeside promenade with a drink and watching the sun slip below the mountains.

Aquolinae Bar has some absolutely excellent views and also serves as a café during the day if it’s too early for a tipple. Hotel du Lac has a fantastic lake side bar and restaurant and set slightly back from the lake front (up in the hills) sits Dai di Moro bar (on Via Ceriolo) which has some absolutely spectacular views once you reach it.

Gardone Riviera shopping

In the immediate area of the Gardone Riviera you will find plenty of food shops, souvenir and gift stores and some crafts here and there.

If you are looking for some proper shopping, then why not make the most of our excursions to nearby Verona and Venice? When not touring the beautiful cities, you may find some time to explore the shops selling high-end Italian fashion and leather goods like shoes, handbags and accessories.

Lake Garda is also famous for its wonderful markets that are held throughout the summer in different locations. Antique and flea markets are held regularly during the months and can be a real treasure chest for those of us who like to trawl through the old trinkets and items looking for a gem. Fresh food markets are also held regularly and you can see the wonderful colours of the locally produced fruit and vegetables of Lake Garda.

Gardone Riviera spas and relaxation

Situated in Colà across the lake, near Peschiera is the wonderful Villa dei Cedri Spa, which attracts plenty of visitors every year. Large outdoor lakes overlooking the beautiful Lake Garda, are kept fresh by nearby springs and warmed to a toasty 33-34°c by thermal sources from deep underground.

When not enjoying the tranquil bathing lakes, there is plenty to do at Villa dei Cedri with a grand house/hotel, winter garden glass pavilion, sunbathing in the carefully manicured gardens, massages, beauty treatments, and a wellness complex including medical fitness/therapies, biosaunas, solarium, Turkish bath, and a relax zone.

Sirmione has one of the top natural spa complexes in Europe, Aquaria, with thermal baths made with the heat that comes from deep below the lake and mountains.

Garda Thermae sits near Riva del Garda and celebrates wellness and peace of mind, body and soul. Saunas, indoor-outdoor swimming pools as well as beauty and spa packages are on offer here.

Gardone Riviera arts, culture and events

Throughout the summer, there is an action-packed events calendar for the Gardone Riviera and the surrounding towns of Lake Garda. Including the bi-annual Bardolino Wine Festival, Musica Riva Festival in Riva del Garda, Garda Jazz Festival (also in Riva del Garda) and more. The nearby cities of Verona and Venice are accessible through excursions organised by Inghams, and you can even venture up into the nearby Dolomite Mountains to see the breathtaking natural beauty.

There are plenty more cultural activities available for guests who stay in the Gardone Riviera which can be read about under our ‘Activity Information’ section:

Heller Botanical Gardens

A real gem for those with a love for natural beauty and serenity. The Heller Botanical Gardens are designed by the internationally renowned multimedia artist Andre Heller, who also designed the Swarovski Crystal World and the fabulous AFRIKA-AFRIKA circus. The Heller Botanical Gardens are a showcase of pioneering ideas on landscape design and how to integrate art into the setting. The location couldn’t be more ideal with the glittering Lake Garda and the mountains as its back drop.

Not too far from Gardone Riviera, The Heller Botanical Gardens are easy to access and make a fantastic day trip.

Villa dei Cedri Spa

Across the lake from Gardone Riviera in the small town of Colà is the wonderful Villa dei Cedri Spa which attracts visitors from all over the world with its healing and therapeutic thermal waters. Set in the grounds of a grand imposing house, two man-made lakes are supplied with warm (33-34°c) spring water that bubbles up from sources deep below Lake Garda and the surrounding mountains. Not only can you bathe in the natural lakes, but the spa complex also includes swathes of bathing lawns, a lovingly restored Victorian glass pavilion (now a restaurant and relaxing solarium), saunas, swimming pools, whirlpools, wellness suites with massages, beauty treatments and more.

You can access the Villa Dei Cedri Spa yourself as an excursion and pay locally for entrance.

Isola del Garda

Isola del Garda is the biggest island on Lake Garda and makes a very pleasant day trip out on one of the regular ferries. The island has a mixed history that dates back to the Roman settlements there, then housed a Franciscan monastery and now you can visit the beautiful villa that stands on the island.

Salò Duomo

Dating from the 1450’s, the Duomo in Salò is open for you to go and have a look around (except for when there is a service happening at the time. Modesty must be acknowledged and ladies must cover their shoulders and wear skirts/ shorts that are below the knee. Men must not wear sleeveless.

Il Vittoriale

A glamorous house that sits in the Gardone Riviera overlooking Lake Garda, the history of il Vittoriale house weaves a rich and fascinating tapestry. Most famous for being the home of the artist, writer and political activist Gabriele d’Annunzio. D’Annunzio criticised Mussolini’s political regime in 1922 but due to his popularity amongst the Italians, the decision was made to keep d’Annunzio happy and comfortable in the il Vittoriale house... and as far away from the politics in Rome as possible!

Today il Vittoriale is a wonderful complex of buildings, gardens and points of interest. Museums, beautifully landscaped areas, stunning statues, archives and libraries all look over the majestic Lake Garda. And there’s even a ship set into the side of the hill...! A great day out, you can walk to il Vittoriale from the centre of Gardone Riviera and pay locally for entrance.