Free walking tours in Malcesine and what to see

Must-sees

Malcesine is on the eastern shore of Lake Garda, at the foot of Monte Baldo, close to the border with Trentino. Its old town is a maze of cobbled alleys running down to a small harbour full of boats. Above the water rises the Scaliger Castle, with its tower and several courtyards stepped up the rock. Inside there is a natural history museum of Baldo and the lake and a room devoted to navigation on Garda. Goethe passed through here on his Italian journey.

By the harbour is the Palazzo dei Capitani, a medieval building raised on older remains, with a garden overlooking the lake. The other big visit is the Monte Baldo cable car, which leaves from the town itself and has cabins that rotate on the way up. At the top there are hiking routes and views of almost the whole lake. In the hamlet of Cassone, to the south, you can see the Aril, a river just a few hundred metres long that flows into the lake.

Free tours and guided visits

Malcesine has no regular free walking tours. What is mainly on offer from here are group day trips: to Verona, to Venice or to the Dolomites, with transport included. Closer by, there are winery visits in the Garda area with wine and olive oil tastings, a good way to get to know the lake's produce. The castle and the town are easy to explore on your own.

How long to spend

Half a day is enough for the old town, the castle and the harbour. If you go up Monte Baldo and walk a little along the ridge, allow a full day, and pick a clear morning so the views are worth it. With two or three days you can add a boat trip to other lake villages, such as Limone or Riva del Garda, or a trip to Verona.

Where to stay

The most convenient option is to stay in Malcesine or on its edges, where there are hotels with pools, apartments and family-run pensioni, many with lake views. That way you can stroll the town at night, once the day visitors have gone. If you want more peace, the hamlets to the south such as Cassone are a good alternative. Bear in mind that in summer the lake road fills with traffic and parking is hard.