Jana Meerman
Lake Garda, Italy

Visiting Malcesine

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Malcesine is an idyllic little resort town on the northeastern side of Lake Garda. It's the perfect spot to visit for a day, arriving by bus or by ferry, and wandering around the sweet streets, shopping in the boutiques, indugling in pizza and gelato lunches and spotting the famous Castle of Malcesine.

→ Check out my complete guide to visiting Lake Garda!

My final week of my six-week Northern Italy trip was spent lakeside at Lake Garda, one of the two most iconic lakes of Northern Italy - the other being Lake Como, just a bit further west.

Along with Amelie, one of my best friends from Salzburg, who came to visit me for my Lake Garda week, we took a bus along the eastern side of the lake from our base in Garda (it was too windy and the ferries weren't operating) for a day trip to discover what Malcesine had to offer:

How to Get to Malcesine

By ferry: We had originally planned to travel to Malcesine from Garda by ferry, however the wind was too strong on the day we visited and the ferries were canceled. We did recieve a refund at the ferry terminal for our tickets, which had cost us €12 per person each way, at the time of writing. You must book your Lake Garda ferry tickets in advance but you only need to select which date you want to travel, and you can pick any ferry that runs that day at any time.

By bus: As the ferries weren't operating due to wind, we took the bus from Garda to Malcesine instead. The 484 bus runs direct from Garda to Malcesine in about 45 minutes. You can buy your ticket at the bus stations.

By car: Of course, you can also reach Malcesine with your own wheels. Search "Parcheggio" on Google Maps to find parking spaces in town.

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The bus station in Malcesine

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Where to Eat in Malcesine

We spent the day in Malcesine, so timed our late morning arrival by bus from Garda perfectly with lunch at Ristorante La Pace right on the waterfront (including with gluten-free pizza options!) and later indulged in a delicious gelato from the quaint Dolce Vita.

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Ristorante La Pace

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Dolce Vita

Best Things to Do in Malcesine

We spent just an afternoon (half-day) exploring Malcesine on foot from the bus station to discover the sweet streets of the little lakeside town. We spent most of our time wandering in and out of the boutiques.

It can get really packed in the summertime - even in late September when we visited the streets were crowded - so bear that in mind when planning your trip.

Wander the idyllic streets

Self-explanatory, but I always start my visit to a new place wandering the streets, camera in hand, taking in the vibes of the town. Malcesine is small and very easily walkable.

Make sure to stop in at Bottega Del Baldo for delicious local foods and the NSG Concept Store for beautiful gifts and homegoods.

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Visit the Castello Scaligero di Malcesine

Perhaps the most famous landmark in town is the medieval Castelleo Scaligero di Malcesine sitting proudly overlooking the lake. We didn't go inside the castle, but you can purchase tickets on-site to visit this beautiful structure.

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Take in the view from Spiaggetta di Posterna

Near the castle, we enjoyed this little viewpoint, especially as an impresive tallship came into view on the water.

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Enjoy the view of the lake

I found that some of the most photogenic views of Lake Garda were from the waterfront in Malcesine. These photos were taken at the Approdo di Corso Garibaldi, near the ferry terminal.

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jana meerman malcesine lake garda italy-18

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Jana Meerman

Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.

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