Explore Lake Garda on foot with these 5 must-do walks

The 8.1km Tempesta Trail will take you high above the terracotta tiles of Torbole and into Busatte Park. You can choose to follow the red or orange trail – they’re both hillside routes that are rated easy to moderate, and they both lead to the same viewpoint that looks out across Lake Garda. We recommend taking the red route to the viewpoint and the orange trail back to the start – it’s a gentler walk this way round and you’ll only have to climb up one of the iron staircases.

Huge holm oak trees and rows of olive groves line the hillside. You can see the lake through gaps in the trees, and the towns of Torbole and Riva rest so far below they look like toy towns. In the distance is Monte Brione, a protected area with plants and wildlife so unique you won’t find them anywhere else in the world.

If you don’t fancy walking the whole trail, you can jump on the 484 bus back from Tempesta, near the viewpoint, to Torbole. And if you do walk down, you’ll finish up back at the Busatte Adventure Park where you can enjoy a bite to eat at the restaurant, play a game of volleyball or swing through the trees on the high ropes course.

Do this walk earlier in the day when the weather’s cooler and the trail’s quieter.

Feel on top of the world with a walk on Monte Baldo – Malcesine’s 2,218m-high mountain. It’s a 20-minute ride up on the cable car, and you can pick which route to follow when you reach the top. The walks are different lengths, but they all have views that’ll have you picking your jaw up off the ground.

On the ride up the mountain, spot olive and citrus trees with twisted trunks and low-hanging fruit, and sheep, cows and pigs grazing on peonies and buttercups. When you reach the top, the views are fab in every direction – you’ll see the craggy peaks of the Dolomite mountains in the distance, the lake far below and paragliders flying through the sky. We recommend following signs to the Punto Panoramico viewpoint to snap pics like this.

There are two sections to the cable car, separated by the mid-station where you’ll get off and swap cabins. For the second half of the ride, the cable car rotates so you’ll get a 360-degree view of Lake Garda and Monte Baldo.

Queues for the cable car can be long later in the day, so it’s better to head up early. And it’s worth taking an extra layer as temperatures can get pretty cool up the mountain.

Rare wildlife, superb views and heaps of history means there’s lots to see on Monte Brione’s 2km Peace Trail. Starting in Riva’s San Nicolò harbour, you’ll step into the past as you follow the red and white signs along the trail. History buff? Well, you might recognise that this walk is a small snippet of the huge 450km Peace Trail that follows the World War I frontier line between Austria and Italy.

Wander past 19th-century stone forts and plant species so rare that they only grow here, and keep your eyes peeled to spot an endangered eagle owl or peregrine falcon nesting above in the trees. There’s a view of the lake too, and Riva’s a hotspot for watersports, so sit back on a bench to watch sailors and windsurfers catch the breeze down below.

Pop inside the Garda and Batteria di Mezzo forts to see the maze-like structure of corridors and lookout spots. You can also book a guided tour for a small fee.

Before you leave the harbour, pick up a tasty treat to go and take it up with you. You can pause for a pitstop and a picnic as you look out over the lake.

At 283m above the lake, a walk to the Rocca del Garda viewpoint is a fab photo opp. Start the 6km uphill walk from Garda town centre, or for a gentler slope, take the 12km trail from Bardolino. You’ll follow the brown Rocca signs from either town right to the top.

Walk past vineyards, meadows, caves and even the remains of the 5th century fortress that gave Lake Garda its name – translated from the old Germanic word ‘warda’ or ‘warte’ which means guard or fortress. There’s a bird’s-eye-view of the lake at the viewpoint and lying below are the orange roofs of Garda and Bardolino. Down to the right is the Punta San Vigilio villa, surrounded by cypresses and olive trees, and in the distance you can see the harbour town of Sirmione.

If you start in Garda, halfway up you can take a 15-minute detour to the Hermitage of San Giorgio, which was founded by monks back in 1663. It’s a peaceful place with cypresses, gorgeous views of the lake and olive trees which the monks use to make their own extra virgin olive oil. You can even buy some to take home with you – you can’t get more local than that.

The path can be rocky and uneven, so make sure your shoes have some grip.

Nature meets nurture in the Pur pine forest, a 20-minute bus ride from Riva. Follow Ledro Land Art’s tree-lined path on a search for wooden sculptures – kids will love following the map to find each piece. It’s 9.8km in total, but it’s a flat, easy walk the whole way.

Walk alongside the vibrant green water of Lake Ledro before ducking into the forest to hunt down giant wooden sculptures like the Monkey and Hands. There are smaller sculptures too, like One, a pair of eyes that represent inner sight – see if you can spot them in the grass.

The bus stop is a 3km walk from Ledro Land Art, so you’ll need to factor this into your timings. Entry’s free, and there’s a small café, info point and shop where you can buy souvenirs from the Ledro Valley, like locally made food products and tote bags with prints of the artwork on.

Catch a taxi straight to Ledro Land Art to skip the 3km walk there from the bus stop. Your hotel can call a taxi for you, and it’ll shorten the walk so there’s more time to explore Lake Ledro.