Five most breathtaking viewpoints around Lake Garda
MOST STUNNING AND HIDDEN PLACES TO VISIT IN LAKE GARDA
How about an amazing Garda lake holiday, where you can go through scenic trails and admire the beauty of this magical place?
If you love too the discovery of new places and unforgettable views, this article will increase your desire to travel!
In the top 5 of the most scenic viewpoints around lake Garda I have selected for you the most evocative and breathtaking ones. A few points where you can enjoy this little slice of heaven nestled in the mountains.
There are infinity of places to visit in lake Garda and it is hard to pick just one.
All along the shores you can find many picture-postcard villages, impressive castles and small historical centers, so splendid that they look like paintings.
Among them Sirmione, Lazise, Malcesine, Limone… but mentioning just few names is unfair for the others left out.
The secret is moving away from the shores of the lake. Going high in the quietness. It is here where you can find the most breathtaking viewpoints.
This is the aim of this article. I would like to suggest you the must-see views, far from traffic and not overcrowded with tourists.
It does not matter if you are looking for a holiday on your own, with your family and children or if you are travelling with a group. These places are isolated but still easy to reach!
LET’S DISCOVER THE FIVE MOST BREATHTAKING VIEWPOINTS IN LAKE GARDA
1. Bastione Riva
2. Campo di Brenzone
3. Madonna del Pign
4. Pieve di Tremosine
5. Eremo di Bardolino
1. I CINQUE PUNTI PANORAMICI PIÚ BELLI DEL LAGO DI GARDA: BASTIONE RIVA
Let’s start from the extreme north of the lake: Riva del Garda, a little jewel nestled between the lake and the mountains.
Its position gives the opportunity to enjoy the view of all the lake, but that’s not all! Riva is a vibrant city, with a peculiar historical center and a wide offer of sport activities, both land and water sports.
But, in order to get to the first viewpoint that I have selected for this list of the most beautiful around the lake, you do not need any sport ability.
When I mentioned that all places are easy to reach, I was not kidding. To get to Bastione Riva you only need to take a panoramic lift and in 3 minutes you will get to your destination.
The first panoramic spot I suggest you is the symbol of the city. I am referring to a sixteenth-century tower made by the Venetians. Thanks to this elevated area it was possible to monitor the Garda territories of the Serenissima. Even now this incredible point offers an endless horizon.
I know what you are thinking, Bastione Riva is not the only elevated and panoramic fortress of that time.
So, why is it considered a must-see place in Lake Garda?
Definitely because of the way to get there.
There’s also a famous motto “It is the journey, not the destination, that matters”. In this case it fits like a glove.
Indeed, the inclined lift is made entirely of glass and it rises a height difference of 13 meters.
On the way up all the passengers have the opportunity to admire Lake Garda at its best. Unless you’re afraid of heights, it will be an unforgettable experience!
In my opinion, the best time to enjoy this view is at sunset time, when the sky changes the colors from orange to red. Once you reach the top, you can find also a fancy restaurant, where you can enjoy a romantic lake-view dinner.
2. CAMPO DI BRENZONE
Let’s move on with the second most beautiful viewpoint in lake Garda: Campo di Brenzone.
In order to get to the second panoramic spot it is necessary to walk a bit, but in this case I assure you that the peace will reward your efforts.
Indeed Campo is almost entirely abandoned. Nowadays only two families live here. Exactly, you got it right. Due to his collocation, almost nobody lives here permanently. On the one hand it offers a unique view, on the other hand it is not easy to move around.
How to reach this worth visiting place with a wonderful lake Garda view?
The small fraction of the town can be reached only by foot, thanks to a mule track that links Castelletto to Prada. You can walk through a pathway which winds among the olive trees. Thanks to its gentle slope it is perfect both for adults and little ones.
Once you reach the medieval town of Borgo you will see a fairy-tale village made of small stone houses, all uninhabited and centered around the church. Behind this your view will open in a vast horizon, which shows the immensity of lake Garda.
If you reach this viewpoint in lake Garda during spring or autumn, it is quite possible that you won’t bump into anyone else.
It’s only at certain times of the year that the village comes alive. During summer, Fondazione Campo organizes some group hikes, that attract a great number of participants. Whereas at Christmas time of every year you can find an exhibition of hand-made nativity scenes “Natale a Campo”. This is a must-attend event, not only for people who live in the surroundings. Indeed, a large amount of people come in order to see the nativity scenes inside the houses or in the streets and in the ruins of the village.
Thanks to the volunteers of the “Fondazione”, Campo is still well-kept and reachable. It is considered an open-air museum of nativity scenes and a beloved summer trekking destination.
The view and the suggestive atmosphere of this must-see place in lake Garda offer a unique immersive experience.
3. MADONNA DEL PIGN
Are you looking for the perfect viewpoint for a big request or a special surprise?
The top 5 of the most beautiful viewpoints in lake Garda is undoubtedly the right place.
I am talking about a deviation from the path that leads to the famous Rocca di Garda.
If you are a photographer or a photography lover, this must-see place in lake Garda is the one for you!
You can easily reach the panoramic spot by car. If you want to reach it by foot, from the city centre you have to take via San Bernardo and then turn along via degli Alpini. You have to follow the indications for Rocca del Garda; after a few meters you can see the deviation for Madonna del Pign.
Let’s leave the peak to the athletic and audacious ones. You can stop here. I assure you that the view from this point is nothing less than the one you can see from a higher point.
With all due respect to the Rocca, if you are here for a special moment, it is better not to be out of breath. This experience will leave you speechless and will take already your breath away!
By this viewpoint you can enjoy the Gulf of Garda. From that height you can see the promenade on the lake where you were walking a few moments before which continues up to San Virgilio and further continues north.
A statue of Virgin Mary looking to the blue of the see will welcome you.
Besides the amazing view, from this beautiful viewpoint in lake Garda, you can also feel a special atmosphere. Lots of locals come here in order to find the courage to take important decisions or regain trust.
The locals brought the statue at the foot of the Rocca after WWII, as a sign of gratitude for having spared the city by the bombardments.
From that moment it protects the city from above.
If you are walking in Garda during the evening, it is impossible not to notice it. Even from the lakeshore it is visible thanks to the lightning.
Could you imagine that near one of the most visited sites of lake Garda there would have been another one just as breathtaking? But the special thing is that this one is really quiet and far from traffic and other tourists and visitors! Keep reading and I’ll show you some others.
4. Five most breathtaking viewpoints around Lake Garda: PIEVE DI TREMOSINE
Who said that panoramic spots are only for romantic moments?
Lake Garda offers many must-see points that can satisfy everyone!
There are also many panoramic points that give to the visitors an adrenaline rush. Among them the fantastic Strada della Forra. If you are a biker you surely have already heard of it.
You will enjoy a tortuous succession of turns that overlook the lake, eroded in the hearth of the mountain by the torrent “Brasa”. Strada della Forra connects the little village of Pieve di Tremosine to the lakeside promenade. This road has been defined the “eighth Wonder of the World” for its unicity and it is definitely one of the most beautiful deviation from the Gardesana.
Maybe you are thinking that I’m suggesting yet another deviation, but the purpose of this is easy to get. It’s by moving away from beaten tracks and main roads that you can discover the most beautiful viewpoints around lake Garda.
You can enjoy the road by motorbike or by car. In order to fully appreciate it, you have to drive slowly and respect the traffic lights you will find during the trip.
Even if James Bond didn’t follow the suggestion, since in “Quantum of Solace” drove this road at full speed.
A paradise for your eyes will open in front of you once you reach Pieve di Tremosine. In the list of the most beautiful villages of Italy, the small town is composed by a few stone houses perched on a cliff that overlooks the lake.
Going through the narrow streets you can discover unforgettable and magical glimpses. There’s also a plaque where you can read “Pieve, whoever looks from your balconies, opens his hearth to the magical Garda”.
Thanks to social network Pieve di Tremosine has become a very popular destination, especially for its “Terrazza del Brivido”.
Definitely a suggestive and “instagrammable” place. A balcony overlooking the Lake that owes its name to the feeling it gives to visitors when they look towards the cliff.
The path you have to take in order to get there and its terrace are priceless. For these reasons
Pieve di Tremosine has to be in my top 5 most beautiful viewpoints around the Lake.
Dear reader, are you curious to discover another place of incomparable beauty to visit in Lake Garda? So, keep reading!
5. EREMO DI BARDOLINO
I told you that I would have provided you quiet viewpoints, far from traffic and from tourists that overcrowd the lake during the summer.
Eremo di S. Giorgio is the perfect spot.
You can find this corner of peace and quietness on the homonymous mountain. A promontory that overlooks the east coast of the Lake.
You can easily reach a small parking by car from which you walk slightly uphill for 15 minutes.
In order to get there you have to take a short walk on a gravel road surrounded by olive trees.
A little effort to enjoy a priceless belvedere.
The slope gives not only the opportunity to appreciate the view, but also it allows you to have a moment by yourself before the arrival.
This panoramic point dates back to 1663 and still today it is inhabited by the community of the Camaldonesi monks.
The monks welcome happily all the visitors, believers and not.
During the day religious functions and masses are celebrated and the monks give the opportunity to experience a moment of prayer and hospitality.
Lots of visitors choose this place just for a moment of peace by themselves.
For this reason Eremo di Bardolino is a must-see place in Lake Garda.
You will find a place made of silence that allows you to connect with the nature. Sometimes escaping the hustle and bustle of the city centre and the Lake shores is all you might need.
A picturesque location that from the mountain of San Giorgio overlooks the blue lake.
Once you reach the monastery, you can choose to take one of the many paths that meander through the woods or to make a stop at the “Antica Farmacia”. A little boutique where you can buy products made by the monks and by the community. In fact, their motto is “hora et labora”, typical of the Benedectine spirit.
Here you will find many products from olive trees and a wide range of products made in other monasteries: jams and honeys, chocolate, infusions, essential oils.
Well, here ends my top 5 of the most beautiful viewpoints around lake Garda.
My favorite places I would always suggest to visitors who are looking for a special visit in lake Garda.
Frequently people ask me the best period to visit them. Spring is certainly the best choice, so you can enjoy sunny days without suffering the heat.
Moreover, during spring everything comes alive again and everyone gets ready to start the season.
Still you can plan your visit during any period of the year, because the lake offers always magical atmospheres and priceless sunsets worth framing in an extraordinary picture.
In any season these must-see places in Lake Garda change their colors and show different views. They give us the opportunity to enjoy unique and ever-changing landscapes.
