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Table of Contents:
When to travel to Desenzano del Garda
How to get to Desenzano del Garda
How to get to Desenzano del Garda from Verona
How to get to Desenzano del Garda from Milan
How to get to Desenzano del Garda from Bergamo
Where to stay in Desenzano del Garda
What to see in Desenzano del Garda
When to travel to Desenzano del Garda
Desenzano del Garda is an elegant resort town on the southern side of Lake Garda. There are many reasons for its popularity among tourists, and first of all it is the lake with excellent beaches equipped with everything necessary; the second reason is the developed touristic infrastructure, including a large variety of hotels, restaurants, cafes, etc; the third one is a large number of attractions and entertainment at any time of the year. I have travelled a lot around Europe and I can say that lake resorts are always very popular among tourists despite the fact that sea holidays are also available in Italy. Let‘s find out why.
The swimming season lasts from June until October in Desenzano. This is the most touristic period of the year. In July and August, when the weather is the hottest and sunniest, the day temperature reaches quite high points and rises up to + 30 C (86 F) and even more. Swimming and sunbathing on the lake is available only during summer time, but other touristic activities are available all year round. If you are interested in architecture, gastronomy, hiking, viewing natural landscapes, etc, you can visit Desenzano and other towns on the lake at any season of the year.
How to get to Desenzano del Garda
Where do you fly into to get to Desenzano del Garda? It is relatively convenient to get to Desenzano, since, unlike other towns on the lake, this one has a railway connection with all major cities of Italy. It is quite fast to get to Desenzano from Milan, Verona or Bergamo. You can check the flight timetable to these cities via specialized services like Aviasales and other similar ones. I use Aviasales service a lot when planning my trips and it`s always very convenient because I can compare different available options. From Desenzano, in turn, it is convenient to get to other lake towns, using local regular buses or, more romantically, trying boat trips.
How to get to Desenzano del Garda from Verona
Based on my map research, the distance between Verona and Desenzano is about 45 km. You can reach your travel destination from Verona by public transport or by car.
By public transport: There are direct trains between Verona and Desenzano, running 2-3 times an hour during the day. The travel time is 20 minutes. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. I use Raileurope regularly to check out the current train timetable throughout the whole of Europe. In my opinion, it is a very convenient service with a lot of additional useful options.
By rented car: Renting a car in Italy is quite an easy and quick option; there are famous rental companies operating here, including Hertz, Avis, InterRent, Alamo, Budget, Thrifty, Enterprise, Maggiore and others. Tourists can try various international online services for booking a car in advance, for example, Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. Based on my experience, both services are good and have a lot of filters to sort the results as you may need. Most cities in Italy are connected with highways, along which you can move rather fast. Desenzano is connected with Verona by highway No. A4/E70. The travel time is about half an hour (see on the map).
How to get to Desenzano del Garda from Milan
As I did some map research, I can say that the distance between Milan and Desenzano is 120 km. You can use public transport as well as a car to get to the resort.
By public transport: High-speed and regional trains run between Milan and Desenzano. Thus, from Milan Central Station you can get to Desenzano in 50 minutes by high-speed train (type EC) and in 1 hour 20 minutes by regional train (type R). Trains run throughout the day, twice an hour. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. I use Raileurope quite often when planning my trips because travelling by train is one of my favourite options. In Europe trains run mostly on time and have truly wide connection net between the towns.
By rented car: You can also hire a car to go to Desenzano from Milan. It will be especially a good idea if you are planning to travel around the lake a lot. Renting a car in Milan is a very popular option as there are a lot of interesting touristic routes available nearby. That is why I recommend booking a car in advance, in particular for peak seasons (summer and winter holidays, Easter weekend, etc). Tourists can book a car in advance via various online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. From my perspective, it is useful to compare different online services to find out the best available option. Milan and Desenzano are connected with roads # A35 and A4. The travel time is approximately 1,5 hours (see on the map).
How to get to Desenzano del Garda from Bergamo
According to my map analysis, the distance between Bergamo and Desenzano is 78 km. You can use either public transport or a car to go to lake Garda.
By public transport: There are no direct trains between Bergamo and Desenzano, but you can go by train, making a short change in Brescia/Rovato/Treviglio. The total travel time is about 1 hour 30 minutes. Trains run 1-2 times per hour during the day. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. It is one of my favourite railway services which I use pretty much often when planning my own trips so I can definitely recommend it.
By rented car: You can also use such an option as renting a car in Bergamo, which is very popular here. To rent a car you need to have a passport, a driver`s license and a bank card. You can also book a car in advance via different online services, for instance, via Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Based on my thorough research, both online services have a lot of positive reviews. Bergamo and Desenzano are connected with #A4 motorway. The travel time is about 1 hour (see on the map). Renting a car is a good idea when you are planning to travel actively around Lake Garda as public transport is not always convenient here.
Where to stay in Desenzano del Garda
After some research about accommodation in Desenzano, I concluded that tourists need to pay attention to the distance from the lake when choosing a hotel in a resort; some hotels in Desenzano del Garda are located on the shore and have direct access to the beach, while others are located in the old town and are within walking distance of the main attractions.
Hotel Nazionale 3* is located close to the town embankment, a few minutes’ walk from the beach. The historic town center is also within walking distance. The hotel has its own parking area which is free for the guests. Free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the hotel. Seasonal swimming pool are available during the summer time. You can choose rooms of different categories. Breakfast is included. Guests can find everything they need in the rooms, including air conditioning, a minibar, TV, a safe and a hairdryer. Some rooms have balconies. The registration desk is open 14/7 and offers baggage storage, money exchange and other additional options;
Hotel Vittorio 3* is located near the harbor of Desenzano del Garda and has beautiful views of the lake. The nearest beach is within walking distance. Paid public parking is available nearby. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge throughout the hotel. There is a bar in the hotel area. Guests can stay in rooms of different categories, including family rooms. Some rooms have balconies or terraces with a view on the lake. Breakfast is included in the price. Rooms are equipped with air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. The registration desk operates 24 hours a day. Luggage storage is also provided;
B&B Garda 4U is located within walking distance of Lake Garda, in a quiet and beautiful place. The hotel has its own terrace and garden. Free public parking is available to guests. The hotel features an outdoor pool and free Wi-Fi. You can choose between rooms of different categories, including family rooms, if needed. Breakfast is paid additionally. Rooms are equipped with a hairdryer, a kettle, TV, free Wi-Fi and other utensils;
Residenza Elisa is located next to the Desenzano castle. Free Wi-Fi is provided at the hotel. Tourists can choose rooms of different categories. Each room is equipped with a coffee pot or a kettle, a minibar, a microwave, etc. Breakfast is included in the price. The hotel is surrounded by a garden and has a terrace for relaxing. You can also rent a bicycle at the reception to move around. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I discovered that the nearest beach is located 1 km from the hotel;
La Vite 2.0 apartments apartments are located in the center of the town, surrounded with a garden and overlooking the lake, which is within 1 km from the hotel. The apartments have their own balconies. A private parking area is located nearby and paid additionally. The apartment has one bedroom and a terrace with garden or lake views. In the apartment you can find a safe, a kitchenette, TV, a fridge, a kettle, an iron, a hairdryer, a microwave, an oven, a toaster, air conditioning and other facilities.
What to see in Desenzano del Garda
Desenzano del Garda, like the neighboring town of Sirmione, has a large number of archaeological monuments that indicate that the settlement is very ancient. Some sites date back to the period BC. But not only ancient monuments are the attractions of Desenzano. There is a lot of entertainment here – cafes, restaurants, bars, discos, promenades and walking routes, as well as the opportunity to take a boat trip on the lake to other towns of Garda.
After some research, I discovered that one of the famous attractions of Desenzano is the Archaeological Museum, in the area of which parts of an ancient Roman villa were found. The place is also a good observation deck, which offers views of the town and Lake Garda.
- The museum is open from 9 am to 7.30 pm daily, except Mondays. On Sunday it is open until 2 pm.
One of the best-known attractions of Desenzano is a castle which dates back to the Roman period. The Castle of Desenzano del Garda has been preserved partially. There is also a Medieval Tower in the area of the castle. Once a full-fledged castle-fortress was built here, but only the tower and some walls have survived to these days, which, by the way, also offers stunning views of the lake and the surrounding area. There is some useful information for visiting that I discovered:
- The castle is open from May to October incl.
- It operates daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
Among the religious buildings, it is worth visiting the Church of San Giovanni Decollato and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Magdalena. The numerous palazzo mansions will also make an impression in Desenzano, some of which date back to the 18th century, including Palazzo Isoni, Palazzo Tonoli, Palazzo Parini, and Palazzo Manzini. They have been preserved since 18th century and have kept their authenticity. Now they are available for outdoor observation.
The most touristic areas of the town are considered to be Piazza Mateotti and Piazza Malvezzi, where a large number of entertainments such as discos, bars and nightlife are concentrated. During the daytime there are many open-air cafes and shops suitable for resort shopping.
Tourists may also be interested in a beach holiday. I discovered that the best beaches in the town, in turn, are considered to be Desenzano Beach, Spiaggia d’Oro and Porta Rivoltella Beach. The beaches of Desenzano are well equipped with everything you need from sunbeds, umbrellas and showers to all kinds of water activities. The swimming season starts in June and ends in September here.
Desenzano is located close to another lake resort called Sirmione which is only 10 km away. The beach of Rivoltella is exactly between these two resorts. It is recommended to visit Sirmione as it has a lot of architectural attractions. You can get to Sirmione by bus #LN026 which runs between the resorts. In Sirmione tourists can visit a famous Scaliger Castle which is surrounded by water on 3 sides. Grottoes of Catullus are also a well-known attraction of Sirmione. One more interesting feature of Sirmione is the thermal spring of Boiola. That is why there are 3 thermal complexes that can be found in Sirmione. I think it is a good idea to visit one of them when the weather is cold.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Gary Bembridge
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…