If you’re planning on driving during your visit to Lake Garda, there are a few things you should know about, even if you’ve already driven in other parts of Italy.
Lake Garda is gorgeous, and although you can visit without a car (use the trains, buses, and ferries!), you may want to have your own wheels for exploring.
I’m a mamma of three living in central Italy, and we love our visits to Lake Garda. We have always driven a car in the area, as we enjoy the flexibility that having a car gives.
Here are some of my tips for driving around Lake Garda, based on first-hand experience. I hope it helps you feel more prepared and confident driving in the area!
You may want to read
Driving in Italy
Renting a Car in Italy
Italian Road Signs
Work Around Theme Park Opening and Closing Times
Lake Garda is home to some of Italy’s biggest and most popular theme parks, including Gardaland and Caneva World. Most are in the southeast corner of the lake near Peschiera del Garda and during the summer, the roads in this area are overrun around opening and closing hours.
My advice:
- If you’re visiting the parks, arrive early, and leave before the parks close.
- If you’re not visiting, but are staying in or driving through the area, don’t drive on the roads during park opening or closing hours.
Do this and avoid being stuck in traffic in the area!
Gardaland is the main culprit – check the park’s opening hours on its official website.
Planning a theme park visit? Check out
Tips for a Gardaland Visit
LEGOLAND Water Park – Our Experience
Be Zen About the Traffic Jams
Lake Garda is gorgeous – and popular. The roads will be busy in the summer, so have expectations that at some point you’ll be stuck in traffic. Hopefully it’ll be in a spot with a lovely view!
To help you be more zen about traffic jams, build extra time into your itinerary so you won’t feel rushed on the road. For example, if you’ve made a dinner reservation for a neighboring town, allow extra time to arrive and park. If you get there early, you can always enjoy a pre-dinner passeggiata!
Choose Scenic Lake Roads or Faster Roads Further Away
In many places on the lake, you can choose between scenic lakeside roads and roads that are a little further from the lake but move faster (with higher speed limits and less traffic).
I try to mix it up a bit when we’re in the area. Sometimes we want the gorgeous views, and other times we just want to get to our destination. For the latter, I choose the non-scenic route.
You can see this example of the road choices between Peschiera del Garda and Torri del Benaco.
Be Prepared for Trucks, Cyclists, Pedestrians, & Visiting Drivers
At times, I find that driving in the Lake Garda area feels a bit like a video game. Just when the slow truck in front of you finally turns off, a group of cyclists shows up, and then pedestrians run across the street. Add in the abundance of visiting drivers (with their own driving habits) and it’s a recipe for confusion.
Don’t worry though – just be patient and don’t make any ‘video game moves.’ That is:
- only pass cyclists when it’s completely safe
- know that the slow truck(s) in front of you will turn off at some point
- avoid passing on corners (I’ve seen this way too much)
- if you want to take a photo, find a safe place to pull off the road
Try Smaller Roads Near Vineyards
Yes, the lakeside roads are gorgeous, but it’s also worth checking out some of the smaller inland roads.
We enjoy driving around the vineyards in the Bardolino area. And, at the northern part of the lake, you can take smaller roads into the mountains (like to the medieval village of Canale di Tenno near Riva del Garda.
Mind Your Distances
It’s a whopping 144 kilometers around the lake, and with zero traffic, it would take around 3 hours. Keep that in mind when you’re planning out your itinerary, and remember you’re likely to encounter traffic during the summer months.
Drive Clockwise on the Lakeside Roads
Since we drive on the right here in Italy, you’ll want to drive clockwise for the best views of the lake.
If you (or one of your passengers) isn’t a fan of the drop offs (especially on the eastern side of the lake), drive counterclockwise.
Be Sure to Stop at Crosswalks
It sounds a bit silly to say it, but if you’ve driven in other parts of Italy and seen drivers blast through crosswalks, it may catch you off guard.
Lake Garda drivers stop at crosswalks, so make sure you do too!
Take a Ferry
Even if you’re enjoying the drives around the lake, I highly recommend taking a ferry at some point. You can do one of two things:
- Park your car and take a ferry.
- Take your car on the ferry.
It’s a shame to visit Lake Garda and not get on the lake!
Good To Know: The car ferries are limited. You can see the ferry stops that accept vehicles on the official ferry site. The towns are marked with a little vehicle icon next to the name.
Know the Difference Between the Eastern and Western Roads
In general, the eastern side of the lake has flatter, straighter roads, and the western side of the lake has more tunnels, winding roads, and steep lakeside drop offs (don’t worry, there are guardrails).
Here’s an example of a south to north lakeside drive:
Peschiera del Garda to Riva del Garda eastern route – 64 kilometers (about 1 hr 20 minutes with no traffic)
Peschiera del Garda to Riva del Garda western route – 80 kilometers (about 1 hr 40 minutes with no traffic)
If you’re curious/concerned about the drive, take a peek at the street view on Google Maps.
Good To Know: The ‘James Bond Road’ (from the Quantum of Solace opening scenes) is on the western side of the lake. At the time of writing, it’s closed to car traffic due to a rock fall.
ZTLs & Speed Cameras are Common
Like many parts of Italy, limited traffic zones (ZTLs) and speed cameras are common. You will need to park outside of the small towns and always be aware of the speed limit.
Read more about ZTLs in Italy
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