Camping in Malcesine

Camping in Malcesine. The top campsites

If you prefer camping by the lake, Malcesine is the place for you. The landscape around the crystal-clear mountain lake is a colourful mixture of alpine flora and lush Mediterranean vegetation with olive trees, cypresses and citrus fruits. Surrounded by steep cliffs, sun-drenched slopes and jagged peaks, holidaymakers in the northern Italian municipality of Malcesine also enjoy all the benefits of camping in the mountains.

Special features of camping in Malcesine

The charming village of Malcesine is located on the north-eastern shore of Lake Garda, which is particularly popular with water sports enthusiasts who enjoy sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing due to its changeable winds. But the campsites in Malcesine are also an ideal starting point for active holidaymakers who enjoy hiking or climbing mountains. Monte Baldo, with its 30 km long ridge, offers magnificent mountain routes and wonderful panoramic views from the peaks, the highest of which is Cima Valdritta at 2,218 metres. For those interested in culture, there are also many sights to discover in the region. Medieval buildings such as the Scaliger hilltop castle nestle against the steep cliffs.

The campsites on Lake Garda often have their own beach access and wonderful pitches in the shade with a view of the beautiful recreational lake. In Malcesine, Camping Bellavista and Camping Tonini are wonderful places to go. Alternatively, there are several similar facilities nearby. Camping Campagnola, Camping Alpino with the Hotel & Restaurant Baitone in the neighbourhood, Camping Azzurro on Lake Ledro, Camping Brenzone sul Garda, Camping Primavera in Brenzone and Camping Le Maior Castelletto di Brenzone sul Garda are recommendations that campers should definitely follow. For all travellers without a motorhome or caravan, a holiday in Veneto doesn't have to fall through. Almost every campsite offers comfortable accommodation close to the beach. Travelling is no problem at all thanks to the airport shuttle.

Camping in Malcesine and on Lake Garda

In and around Malcesine there are several campsites on the shores of the beautiful recreational lake with its countless activities.

Camping Bellavista

Camping Bellavista, with its pitches in the shade of old olive trees, offers a marvellous view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. The exceptionally beautiful location is probably also the reason why many campers choose to stay here. Travellers without a motorhome, tent or caravan can book rental accommodation in advance and arrive by airport transfer. Access to the beach at Camping Bellavista is possible after crossing a road.

Camping Tonini

Camping Tonini is a rather small site with a manageable number of pitches. The beautiful view of the lake is simply marvellous. However, access to the beach is via a pedestrian subway. The hosts at Camping Tonini speak German and English, so communication is easy.

In the Veneto holiday region and Lake Garda in particular, there are other beautiful facilities for unforgettable holidays. Camping Campagnola, Camping Alpino with the Hotel & Restaurant Baitone in the neighbourhood, Camping Azzurro on Lake Ledro and Camping Brenzone offer beautiful pitches for caravans and motorhomes. Alternatively, you can also enquire about booking accommodation, which is often just a stone's throw from a beautiful bay and has direct access to the beach.

How to get there

The quickest way to reach Lake Garda from Germany is via the Brenner motorway. The distance from Munich is around 400 kilometres and from Berlin around 1,000 kilometres. To get over the Brenner Pass, we recommend travelling via Munich on the A8 towards Salzburg and changing to the A93 at the Inntal triangle. This becomes the Inntal motorway A12 at the former border crossing and leads to Innsbruck, where you keep left onto the Brenner motorway A13 and straight over the Brenner Pass into Italy. To reach the campsites in Malcesine, visitors take the Rovereto Sud-Lado di Garda Nord exit. To use the Austrian motorways, a vignette must be purchased and clearly affixed to the inside left-hand side of the windscreen. There are also special toll routes such as the Brenner motorway.

In Italy, a ticket is usually taken at the motorway entrance and paid for when leaving the motorway. If you want to avoid the heavy traffic in the high season and save on tolls, you can take the old Brenner motorway B182. Camping travellers from northern Germany will find attractive rest areas along the A9. The Euro-Rastparks in particular offer excellent services such as children's playgrounds, overnight accommodation, well-kept toilets and good restaurants.

Activities and excursions

If you want to do something sporty while camping in Malcesine, there are various leisure activities in the water and in the mountains of Veneto.

Water sports fun in the cool water

The two main winds in the northern part of the recreational lake make Malcesine a paradise for windsurfers, sailors and kiters. While the Pelér blows until mid-morning and sometimes creates large waves, the Ora blows from midday until late afternoon and promises exuberant fun on the surface of the water. There are five small islands in the centre of Lake Garda, which can be reached by stand-up paddleboard, for example. The Isola del Sogno and the Isola dell'Olivo are located near the campsites in Malcesine. Both are uninhabited and entice visitors to explore them with their dense vegetation.

Alpine sports for the adventurous

Those who want to go high can conquer the surrounding mountains either on foot or on two wheels. Mountain bikers will find everything their hearts desire, from family-friendly routes to breathtaking panoramic trails and adrenaline-fuelled downhill trails. Hikers can explore green mountain slopes amidst vine terraces, olive groves and forests, walk across flowering Alpine meadows and balance on narrow paths through rugged gorges or over kilometre-long mountain ridges.

Gastronomy

The regional cuisine delights with numerous specialities made with freshly caught fish directly from Lake Garda or its tributaries. Both unusual delicacies such as octopus salad with colourful wild flowers and well-known dishes such as blue trout are served. In summer, barbecuing pork ribs, for example, is a firm favourite. Pasta and risotto with mushrooms, including the precious truffle, which is collected on the mountain slopes of Monte Baldo in winter, are also very popular. The hosts naturally serve a good Italian wine with the meal, perhaps a red Bardolino with meat and a white Lugana with fish. As a digestive drink, the famous lemon liqueur Limoncello is always a first-class choice alongside the strong espresso.

Best time to visit

The Mediterranean climate on Lake Garda with its warm summer months and mild winters persuades many holidaymakers to choose camping in Malcesine. Even the springtime spoils you with plenty of sunshine and invites you to sunbathe on the lake shore. From June to August, temperatures often rise to over 30 degrees Celsius during the day and the balmy evenings are perfect for lingering outdoors. As most holiday guests want to swim in Lake Garda, holidays at the campsites in Malcesine are best from June to September inclusive when the water temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius. For a hiking trip, autumn not only guarantees stable and dry weather, but also clear air with far-reaching views at higher altitudes.