Hotel Villa Madrina

The Verona Opera is definitely one for the bucket list! The season runs from mid-June to early-September and covers all the classics including Aida by Verdi or Turnadot by Puccini. Whichever performance you choose; you’ll have an incredible evening.

Garda and Bardolino are fantastic bases on the lake if you want to explore nearby towns and cities.

Jump on a ferry and visit the other towns on Lake Garda. Sirmione will take about an hour- head here to get some fab holiday photos of the castle and moat, plus try the town’s famous ice cream! Hop across the lake to Gardone and visit the Heller Botanical Gardens- we love spending the summer afternoons admiring the flowers and the art.

Our Tour of Lake Garda excursion is another way to take a pit stop tour of various towns around the lake. You can book onto this by calling us up, by heading to Manage My Booking or asking your Destination Expert when you get to resort.

There are a couple of fantastic theme parks in the south of Lake Garda- great for a family day out. It's worth scoping them out in advance, so you can make the most of your day!

Head to Gardaland, Lake Garda's famous theme park and get your adrenaline pumping on one of their exciting rides.

If water activities are more your speed then the Caneva Aquapark is great fun. You could also head to Movieland, a movie themed theme park with rides, shows and film sets. It's the Universal Studios of Lake Garda! Head there as part of your day trip to Caneva, you can also buy combined tickets.​

Bardolino and Garda have a great choice of activities that the family will love!

If you and your family love sleeping in nature, then Camping La Rocca is a great campsite on La Rocca in Garda – where you can enjoy water sports such as paddle-boarding and canoeing. Or, if you'd rather be on land, try out mini-golf in Bardolino or rent some bikes for the day and go cycling along the lakeside. Make sure you stop off in Bardolino's Bar Cristallo for the best ice-cream!

One of our favourite ways to soak up the sun on a beautiful day in Bardolino is to rent a couple of sunbeds on the beach for the day and hire a yellow pedalo, or paddleboard. You can also rent pedalos with slides, which are great fun!

Baia delle Sirene & Punto San Vigilio is a lovely park area with a swimming pool and lake access. Or, for something a little different, why not take the family to see the Santuario Madonna della Corona for a walk, you can get there by taking the bus from Garda to Spiazzi. Alternatively, head to Verona for the day on the train, or on one of our excursions!

Southern Lake Garda has some lovely cycling, including mountain biking trails and more peaceful routes that follow the lake edge. You can cycle round the whole lake if you want to, or just choose part of it and head back on a ferry. There are local places where you can hire bikes and some of our hotels have bikes you can borrow.

Who doesn't love a wine tour. On this trip you'll get to visit a traditional wine cellar in Valpolicella, where you'll have a wine tasting with a very knowledgeable guide. Enjoy a lunch of fresh, local ingredients where you can experience 'agri-turismo' first-hand. After lunch, you'll be taken to the historic church and cloisters of St Giorgio. There's no better way to spend a day than by indulging in wine, food, history and stunning vineyard views.

Details: Departs on Thursdays. Available from Bardolino, Garda, Riva, Limone & Malcesine.

We act at all times as a selling agent for the suppliers. All excursions require minimum numbers to run and are subject to change. Some excursions may not be available to pre-book in low season but may be available to book locally subject to numbers. Prices will be confirmed at the time of booking. Please see our terms & conditions.

Venice is not to be missed! This excursion allows you to explore the city with a guide and at your own pace. You’ll arrive by coach and grab a water taxi to the centre. You’ll also have the option to add on a gondola ride (payable locally). There’s plenty of time to take in sights of the Basilica, Doge's Palace, St Mark's square and the Rialto bridge- this is the perfect introduction to one of Italy's most magical cities.

You may also have the option to join an optional lagoon trip, which is a lovely opportunity to experience the lagoon and its monuments and learn more about Venetian history from the water (optional extra, payable locally to the excursion guide). If you're not going on the lagoon trip you'll have an hour of free time to roam around Venice at your own pace.

Details: 

• Departs on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Available from all Lake Garda resorts.
• Guests taking part in this excursion on Monday 2nd June 2025 will need to pay a €10 tourist tax to enter Venice in addition to the cost of the excursion (ask your Destination Expert for more details on how to pay).

We act at all times as a selling agent for the suppliers. All excursions require minimum numbers to run and are subject to change. Some excursions may not be available to pre-book in low season but may be available to book locally subject to numbers. Prices will be confirmed at the time of booking. Please see our terms & conditions.

Start with a scenic drive through the exceptional South Tyrol, Val di Fiemme, Cavalese and Moena regions. You’ll then stop off at Passa Pordoi and take in the incredible views from this 2,000-metre-high vantage point. There’s some free time to explore the terrain at your own pace, either by taking one of the trekking paths or simply enjoying an Aperol at a rifugio and taking in the views. A stop off at the chocolate box town of Ortisei is included on the way back to your hotel as well as plenty of stops for photo opportunities in this awe inspiring landscape. Make sure you take some warmer clothes as temperatures really drop when you get up to the top!

Details: Departs on Mondays & Fridays. Available from all Lake Garda resorts. Guests may have the opportunity to go up in a cable car for an additional fee of approx. €23pp (payable locally). 

Departure days by resort: 

• Bardolino, Garda, Sirmione- Fridays
• Riva, Malcesine, Limone- Mondays and Fridays

We act at all times as a selling agent for the suppliers. All excursions require minimum numbers to run and are subject to change. Some excursions may not be available to pre-book in low season but may be available to book locally subject to numbers. Prices will be confirmed at the time of booking. Please see our terms & conditions.

Spend the day exploring the Trentino region, led by a guide. You'll travel from place to place on a bus, learning about the Trentino region's local produce and discovering hidden gems. One of the highlights of the excursion is Lake Molveno, surrounded by the stunning Brenta Dolomites mountain landscape. Whilst at the lake you'll have the chance to take a dip in the water and cool off, before heading to a honey mill and distillery. Learn about the local bee-keeping industry and taste some home-made honey and grappa.

Details: Departs on Tuesdays. Available from Garda, Bardolino, Malcesine & Riva. You can book this excursion locally with your Destination Expert.

Please note that the price of excursions will vary depending on the resort you are staying in. We act at all times as a selling agent for the suppliers. All excursions require minimum numbers to run and are subject to change. Some excursions may not be available to pre-book in low season but may be available to book locally subject to numbers. Prices will be confirmed at the time of booking. Please see our Terms & Conditions.

With a guide you'll visit the historic town of Bassano del Grappa and spend the day admiring the stunning mountains surrounding it and the river that runs through it. Bassano is famous as the birthplace of Grappa, which is a firm favourite in Italian cities like Florence- you'll have a chance to taste this brandy-like spirit right from the source, as well as visit a museum dedicated to its history. You'll then head to Soave's medieval vaulted castle cellar where you'll try three of the region's best-loved wines along with a selection of local meats and cheeses.

Details: Departs on Thursdays. Available from Garda & Bardolino.

Please note that the price of excursions will vary depending on the resort you are staying in. We act at all times as a selling agent for the suppliers. All excursions require minimum numbers to run and are subject to change. Some excursions may not be available to pre-book in low season but may be available to book locally subject to numbers. Prices will be confirmed at the time of booking. Please see our terms & Conditions.

Head to Bolzano with a local guide for the day and spend a few hours exploring the historical streets, fruit and vegetable market and the town's archaeological museum. This beautiful mountainous region is a lovely contrast to Italy's lake district and will give you a taste of a different aspect of Italy's northern landscapes. Later you'll hop on a funicular and a cable car up to Renon where you'll have more free time to scope out the famous natural pyramids in Collalbo and soak up the incredible scenery surrounding them.

Details:

• Departs on Mondays and Thursdays.
• Travel on the cable car is included in the price of the excursion.
• Available from Garda, Bardolino, Limone, Malcesine, Riva.
• You can book this excursion locally with your Destination Expert

Please note that the price of excursions will vary depending on the resort you are staying in. We act at all times as a selling agent for the suppliers. All excursions require minimum numbers to run and are subject to change. Some excursions may not be available to pre-book in low season but may be available to book locally subject to numbers. Prices will be confirmed at the time of booking. Please see our Terms & Conditions.

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Mantua is incredibly beautiful to walk around. Its medieval streets and monuments sit side by side with lakes and lush greenery. Famous as the city of Virgil and the noble Gonzaga family, it's teeming with Renaissance gems; from the Ducal Palace and the Castle of San Giorgio with Andrea Mantegna's Bridal Chamber. Make sure you head to the central square while you're there and admire the fantastic architecture of the Basilica of St Andrea. The excursion also includes a visit to the Virgil museum, where you can learn even more about this prolific Roman poet.

Details: Departs on Wednesdays. Available from Garda, Bardolino, Riva, Limone.

Please note that the price of excursions will vary depending on the resort you are staying in. We act at all times as a selling agent for the suppliers. All excursions require minimum numbers to run and are subject to change. Some excursions may not be available to pre-book in low season but may be available to book locally subject to numbers. Prices will be confirmed at the time of booking. Please see our Terms & Conditions.

Get ready to explore the best of Lake Garda on this excursion- there’s so much natural beauty and picturesque towns to discover. See the spectacular mountain scenery of the north and the sunny plains of the south. Travelling by both coach and ferry, the tour itinerary for this excursion varies depending on where you start but will usually follow the famous Gardesana road lined with fragrant olive and lemon trees to reach the likes of Malcesine, Sirmione, Salo and Limone. This is the ideal taster tour of the entire lake where you'll get to spend a short period of time in a variety of stunning towns.

This excursion won't run on the 15th August 25, due to a public bank holiday

Details:

• Departs on Mondays & Fridays (resort dependant)
• Available from Bardolino, Garda, Limone, Malcesine, Sirmione and Riva
• You can book this excursion locally with your Destination Expert

We act at all times as a selling agent for the suppliers. All excursions require minimum numbers to run and are subject to change. Some excursions may not be available to pre-book in low season but may be available to book locally subject to numbers. Prices will be confirmed at the time of booking. Please see our terms & conditions.