Camping in Manerba Del Garda

Families or animal lovers who want to enjoy life in the great outdoors with their dog will get their money's worth when camping in Manerba del Garda. Cleverly parcelled out campsites with direct access to Lake Garda guarantee bathing fun and plenty of water sports opportunities. From the Rocca di Manerba landmark, campers can overlook the entire lake, Italy's largest inland waterway. The excursion boat takes you to the most beautiful lake towns not far from the luxurious campsite.

Special features of camping in Manerba del Garda

The campsites in Manerba del Garda are located directly on the lake. They have a private pebble beach and often also a boat slip for all kinds of boats you bring with you. Even small sailing boats can be launched at campsites in Manerba del Garda. Despite the opportunity to enjoy water sports on Lake Garda, the campsites also have their own pools. If you are not travelling with your own mobile home and don't want to stay in an igloo tent, you can rent bungalows or even smaller flats. Manerba del Garda lies in the middle of a wine-growing area and is surrounded by numerous olive groves, so nature lovers can set off on hikes from the campsites without being disturbed by major roads.

How to get there

The easiest way to reach the campsites in Manerba del Garda by motorhome or caravan is via the A4 motorway and the Desenzano exit. Coming from Germany, Switzerland or Austria, you can reach the A4 in Italy either via the Brenner motorway or the Swiss A2 through the Gotthard tunnel. From Desenzano, a lakeside road leads via Padenghe to Moniga, from where the road on the right past the castle ruins leads down to Manerba del Garda's camping facilities. When travelling, please note that tolls are charged. In Italy, these must be paid directly at the toll booths on the individual motorway sections. In Switzerland, an annual toll sticker must be purchased from the automobile club or at petrol stations near the border. In Austria, the vignette is valid for ten days. However, vignettes are also sold for longer periods.

Access to the camping sites is generally easy for motorhomes, caravans and boat trailers. The main path down to the lake is wide enough and larger motorhomes have their own area on the site. There are also car parks in front of the actual campsite so that cars do not have to pass through the barrier again after every day trip.

Activities and excursions

Get sporty on the shores of Lake Garda and discover the most important sights around Manerba del Garda.

Hiking and swimming around the Rocca di Manerba

Around the Rocca di Manerba rock, hiking enthusiasts will find a large network of hiking trails marked in different colours. It leads through dense forest up to the rocky outcrop with its striking castle ruins. The fine pebble beaches of the dreamy, publicly accessible bays in the municipality of San Felice del Benaco to the north of Manerba del Garda are idyllic. Here, families, their dogs and even skippers frolic in the water against the imposing backdrop of the Monte Baldo massif, which is over 2,500 metres high.

Places of interest near Manerba del Garda

From Manerba's small harbour, those interested in culture can take an excursion boat to the four-kilometre-long peninsula of Sirmione, for example. An interesting historical museum within a medieval Scaliger castle awaits visitors here. The Grottoes of Catullus, the excavations of an ancient Roman villa, are also a popular place to visit. Sights in fashionable Gardone Riviera include André Heller's botanical garden Giardino Hruska and the Vittoriale degli Italiani. The Italian poet Gabriele d'Annunzio once lived here in a villa between an open-air theatre and a mausoleum.

Gastronomy

Due to its proximity to Lake Garda, fish specialities such as Lake Garda whitefish are popular in the town's restaurants. It is often drizzled with lemon, garnished with fresh herbs and served with polenta strips. The light, locally produced Chiaretto di Moniga rosé wine is a perfect accompaniment. Groppello, which is also grown in the Valtenesi wine region surrounding Manerba del Garda, is red and much more robust in flavour.

If you go out in Manerba del Garda or on the western shore of Lake Garda in general, you will be served all kinds of snacks such as black and green olives, white bread with fine salami or small pizza sandwiches with white wine or an aperitif. The menus also always include traditional pasta dishes such as spaghetti al ragù.

The best time to visit

The months of April to October are perfect for a stay at campsites in Manerba del Garda. You can swim in the lake from May and the bathing season lasts until October. However, some campsites close at the end of September. In the summer months, the thermometer easily reaches 37 degrees Celsius, while temperatures between 14 and 24 degrees Celsius are possible in April and October. Rain can be an issue in both April and October, while the sun usually shines in the remaining warmer months. Apart from in summer, the water temperatures are still quite pleasant in October, as the lake has had many months to warm up. Surfers or real enthusiasts are more likely to jump into the cooler water as early as May.