PortAventura
Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. To find out more, please read our Cookie Notice. Close
from £ 522 pp
View All DealsHolidays to Salò are all about lakeside strolling, café hopping and camera clicking your way around piazzas and palazzos.
Set between the lake and tree-clad mountains, Salò is one of the oldest towns on Lake Garda, dating way back to Roman times. Spend leisurely afternoons exploring the old centre, with its brightly painted townhouses, cobbled piazzas and frescoed churches. And when it’s time for a pick-me-up, you’re never far from a coffee-spot or gelateria serving creamy Italian ice cream.
A walk along the promenade is a must while you’re here. Stretching 3km from one end of Salò’s wide bay to the other, it’s dotted with bars and restaurants where you can tuck into platefuls of seafood pasta and sip on limoncellos. Pack a towel and cool off at the end of your walk with a paddle at the beach at its southern end. Or head out in the evening and soak up the atmosphere as locals take their passeggiata and buskers provide the soundtrack.
There’s plenty for history buffs to get excited about on a holiday to Salò. The 15th-century Santa Maria Cathedral is one of the most impressive on the lake, with its Romanesque columns and frescoed dome. Down by the waterside, the Palazzo del Podesta is baroque beauty that’s well worth a visit for its richly decorated main hall. And don’t miss the museum to learn about the history of the place, from its Roman origins to its short-lived stint as Mussolini’s capital during WW2.
Here are some ideas of things to do when staying in Salò:
• Lakeside promenade
• Lakeside path
• Lake bathing
• Boat trips
• Local ferries
• Rowing boats
• Bike hire
• Lakeside cycle paths
• Sailing
• Wine Tasting
• Local museum
• Art gallery
Salò’s got five excellent pebble beaches clustered around the southern end of the promenade. Most of them have bars, loungers, showers, and you can even hire things like pedalos and stand-up-paddle boards – just pack up your towel and trunks, and your set for a leisurely day by the lake.
This is one of Salò’s trendiest lakeside spots. Kick back on lounger and sip on sangria while the house DJ provides a chilled out soundtrack. The fun doesn’t stop when the sun sets either, with live music most evenings.
Quieter than some of the other beaches, this spot will fit the bill if you prefer peaceful surroundings. Bring a picnic and sit down by the water’s edge to soak up views of Monte Baldo peak over on the opposite shore.
If you love a market, don’t miss the open-air one that’s held every Saturday in Piazza dei Martiri della Libertà. There are heaps of stalls to browse selling everything from crafts and clothing to fresh local produce – if you’re here in August or September, look out for fresh truffles foraged from the surrounding countryside.
There is a good selection of shops in Salò, and Via San Carlo is the main shopping street. Lined with clothes shops and little boutiques, it's your go-to if you fancy a new holiday outfit or a little keepsake from your trip.
With pizzerias, gelaterias and family-run trattorias around every corner, Salò’s a dream for foodies. And you’ll even get a tasty nibble with your afternoon aperitif as most bars serve up a selection of antipasti on the house. As for what’s on the menu, we’re talking fresh Mediterranean flavours from salads to seafood, as well as Italian classics like risotto.
On the edge of bustling Piazza Vittoria is Banco Salumi. Find a table out on the square and dine al fresco on huge platters of salami, sliced cheese and crispy bruschetta. Add in great-value spritz, and it’s a lunch post that’s tough to beat.
Pepe Bianco Pizzeria is in a quieter part of town, but with one of the most varied menus around, you might find yourself coming back more than once. There’s lots of fresh fish and seafood on the menu, as well as dishes inspired by Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, and of course plenty of top-notch pizzas too.
You’ll need to book ahead to get a table at Gallo Rosso, but it’s well worth it. One of Salò’s oldest restaurants, it ticks off everything great about eating out in Italy – from the stylish ambience to the fresh plates of pasta, gnocchi and creamy panna cotta desserts.
Salò’s promenade is the perfect place for a stroll, especially come early evening when the restaurants and bars are buzzing and buskers dot the way. Head into town, and you can follow winding alleyways lined with brightly painted houses to discover piazzas and ancient churches.
Taking to the water on a ferry is the perfect way to explore Lake Garda and enjoy the scenery at the same time. Saunter down to Salò’s promenade and set sail to visit towns like Limone and Sirmione in around an hour.
Take a 50-minute bus ride to get to the nearest train station in Desenzano. From there, you can be in Venice in 1 hour 30 minutes or Verona in just 20 minutes.
Salò’s main bus station is on Largo Dante Alighieri street, but you’ll also find stops near Piazza Vittorio and Piazza San Bernardino. Catch a ride on line 27 to travel along the whole west coast of the lake, from Desenzano in the north to Riva in the south.
Salò’s a great pick if you’re eager to explore on foot. One of the highlights is the lakeside promenade, which hugs the wide bay for 3km and takes around an hour to walk from one end to the other. Take a stroll in the morning and you can watch the sunrise above Monte Baldo over on the opposite shore, then pop into a café for a coffee and pastry. Or, for something more energetic, you could head up onto the slopes of the San Bartolomeo mountain above the town to explore a network of walking trails.
This circular walk starts in the hamlet of Renzano on the outskirts of town. It takes around 4 hours, and on the way, the route passes through olive groves, pine forests and up onto the slopes of San Bartolomeo. San Michelle village makes for a handy lunch stop, and as you go, look out for the pretty Church of Santuario del Rio and the nearby waterfall that cascades from a cave in the cliff face.
Our top deals tailored to you, straight to your inbox Sign up for offers
Holiday Types
Popular Destinations
Mid/Long haul
Short Haul
Flights To
Cruise
Hotels
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and National Travel Health Network and Centre have up-to-date advice on staying safe and healthy abroad.
See gov.uk/travelaware and follow @FCDOtravelGovUK on Twitter and Facebook.com/FCDOtravel - for the latest general FCDO travel advice, including coronavirus travel guidance, security and local laws, and passport and visa information.
See gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice - for FCDO travel advice about individual destinations.
Sign up for FCDO travel advice email alerts, so you automatically receive the latest travel advice updates and travel requirements for the destinations you want to know about.
See Travel Aware page - for travel advice from TUI.
See travelhealthpro.org.uk - for current travel health news.
The advice can change so check regularly for updates.
All the flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Some of the flights on this website are also financially protected by the ATOL scheme, but ATOL protection does not apply to all flights. This website will provide you with information on the protection that applies in the case of each flight before you make your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk. ATOL protection does not apply to the other holiday and travel services listed on this website.