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Lake Garda

Answering that top question on where to stay in Lake Garda can be a huge task as there are so many amazing places around. So, embarking on a family adventure to Lake Garda, with the charming town of Peschiera Del Garda as your base, promises an enchanting experience for both parents and children alike. Nestled on the southern shores of Italy’s largest lake, Peschiera Del Garda offers an idyllic setting for families seeking the perfect blend of relaxation and excitement. As one of the sought-after Lake Garda resorts, this picturesque town welcomes families with open arms, providing a myriad of family-friendly activities and attractions. From discovering where to stay in Lake Garda with kids to navigating the enchanting waterfront and uncovering the region’s hidden gems, join us on a journey that promises to make Lake Garda an unforgettable destination for families creating lasting memories with their little ones.

I found that Peschiera Del Garda with Kids is a great base as it is close to some of the major attractions.

Mini Guide to Peschiera Del Garda With Kids

How To Get To Lake Garda

What makes Lake Garda a great destination for an Italian family holiday is the fact it is easy to get there from multiple destinations.

Embarking on a family trip from the UK to Lake Garda offers a variety of travel options, catering to the diverse needs of parents and their children. For families seeking a swift journey, flying presents a convenient and time-efficient choice. Several major UK airports, including London Gatwick and Manchester, offer direct flights to Verona Airport, which serves as a gateway to Lake Garda. Upon arrival, families can easily rent a car to navigate the short distance to the lakeside towns, providing the flexibility to explore the region at their own pace.

Another family-friendly option is the classic road trip. Families can opt to drive to Lake Garda, taking the Eurotunnel or ferry from Dover to Calais, then traversing through picturesque European landscapes. The road trip not only allows for convenient pit stops and the exploration of charming towns along the way but also provides flexibility in bringing along essentials for the kids, creating a comfortable and personalized travel experience.

For those preferring a more relaxed journey without the hassle of driving, public transport offers a viable option. High-speed trains, including the Eurostar and TGV, connect major UK cities to destinations like Milan or Verona. From there, families can seamlessly transition to regional trains or buses to reach Lake Garda. Although the journey may take a bit longer, public transport allows families to sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenic views without the stress of navigating unfamiliar roads.

Whether by air, road, or public transport, the journey from the UK to Lake Garda is customizable to fit the preferences of each family. Each mode of transportation offers its unique advantages, ensuring a seamless and family-friendly travel experience to this breathtaking Italian destination.

Toddler marching around Sirimone

Getting Around Lake Garda

We found Peschiera Del Garda to be the best place to stay in Lake Garda without a car due to the fact you can use public transport and ferries to get around.

You can easily get to the airports using public transport too. Trains in Italy are super-efficient and great for families to travel on. Remember to stamp your train tickets before you get onto the train to validate them.

Top Things To Do Peschiera Del Garda With Kids

First up in my mini guide to Peschiera Del Garda with kids is the attractions that you can visit. Some require a car, others you can take a shuttle bus or the train to get there. This is what makes Peschiera Del Garda a great base, as you have so many options to get around.

Theme Parks

You have a great choice to choose from, firstly Gardaland which has rides for all ages ranges. From your toddler rides to your big action-packed rides. If you want action-packed adventures then head to Movieland, there you can also find themed restaurants Medieval times and Rockstar. Lastly, there is Canevaworld which is a water-based park.

What makes these theme parks great for families is there are only 5km from Peschiera Del Garda. You also don’t really need to have a car to get there as throughout the season there is a full shuttle bus from the Peschiera Del Garda Station. Bonus!

park natura viva

Safari Park

What family holiday can go without a visit to a zoo or a safari park! It can’t be just us. At Parco Natura Viva you will be able to drive around the safari park section before parking up and exploring the fauna park on foot. We didn’t get around the whole park, so you can really spend a whole family day out here and not be bored.

If you have no car, then take the train to Verona and then use public transport to get there. If you wish to drive around the safari park without a car you need to contact them prior to your visit and ask for their Jeep Service. So no excuses!

Monte Baldo

Monte Baldo

This is further away from Peschiera Del Garda but is well worth the visit. You need to make your way to Malcesine, where you can take the cable car (2 in total) to the top of Monte Baldo. At the top, you can take one of the walks, relax and enjoy the views, have a picnic etc. We walked from the top station along to the viewpoint. My youngest who was 2 at the time managed just fine. We stopped a few times to take photos and watch some para-gliders.

It is well worth it if you want good panoramic views of Lake Garda. The cable cars are also great fun for the kids to enjoy (one of them turns 360 degrees!).

Old town near Lake Garda

Pretty Towns

As well as exploring Peschiera Del Garda, you could travel to Lazise, Garda, Sirmione or even Desenzano del Garda, all of which are really pretty to walk around and spend a couple of hours at. These are the towns we visited but there are plenty of other picturesque towns and villages around Peschiera Del Garda that you could get to by public transport or by car to go explore.

Verona Bridge

Verona

Save the stress of finding parking in Verona and take the train directly to Verona from Peschiera Del Garda. It saves so much time and its only 15 mins to get there. From the train station is about a 20-25 min walk (that was toddler speed, if you have older kids then it more than likely won’t take as long) to get to the main tourist attractions within Verona.

You can check train times on the Tren Italia Website.

Further Reading – Day Trip To Verona With Kids

St Micheals Square

Further afield – Venice

Venice is not too far away. Depending on traffic you could drive there and back within a day, or another option would be to take the train. Again, you can find timetables to Venice via the Tren Italia website linked above.

You will more than likely not get around all the sights in one day. However, you can read my Venice post below to see what we got up to when we visited Venice with Kids in one day.

It is such a beautiful place to explore and even try getting lost in the narrow alleyways was great in finding hidden gems.

Remember having a pram would be a hindrance, so if you have young children make sure you bring a baby carrier/toddler carrier to save their legs from getting tired.

Further Reading – Day Trip To Venice With Kids

Family on the Riolta Bridge

This is only a few places to visit in Lake Garda. I have personally visited pretty much every one of the above so I know families will love these. A great family day out is only going to be epic if it works for families! We have tried and tested them.

You can also check out my post below which includes other attractions to do at Lake Garda

Further Reading – Top 7 Attractions In Lake Garda

gluten and milk free pizza

Places to Eat In Peschiera Del Garda

You are spoilt for choice if you wish to eat out at Peschiera Del Garda. Numerous restaurants ranging from budget to more expensive restaurants.

We only ate at Bella Vista when we visited Peschiera Del Garda due to it being recommended for being able to suit my son’s dietary needs; gluten and milk free. It was great food and the staff were great, so I would highly recommend it. My youngest son ate pizza for the first time and he was so delighted that he was able to eat pizza!

Moda Caravan

Places to Stay in Peschiera Del Garda

Choosing the best place to stay in Lake Garda all depends on the type of holiday you are after and what you like as a family. So then how do you decide where to stay in Lake Garda? There are plenty of Lake Garda hotels to choose from, but there are also a number of camping sites where you can stay in a caravan, tent or even a motorhome. You could also rent a child-friendly villa or apartment. The choices are endless.

We stayed at Camping Bella Italia with Canvas Holidays. Our Caravan was lovely and in good condition. As we were there at the end of the season we didn’t try out many of the facilities and personally, I found it very noisy due to hundreds of children on some sort of football camp.

Mother and sons smiling for a selfie

Family Friendly Lake Garda

Overall, I found Lake Garda for families to be the perfect destination for a family holiday. Perfect location for relaxing, perfect for exploring and perfect for adventure.

An Italian Lakes family holiday is a must for your bucket list.

Have you been to Lake Garda with kids before? Did you think it was the perfect family holiday destination?

Mini Guide to Peschiera Del Garda with Kids - Lake Garda Guide With Kids

Tin Box Traveller
Linking up for the Fearless Family Travel linkup.

About Author

I have always had an interest in travel and now I have My two boys I want them to see more than just the UK. I hope to give advice and tips to other parents who are anxious about travelling with their children.

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4 Comments

  1. You’ve just convinced me to return to the Italian Lakes! We visited Lake Maggiore in August and loved it. Clearly we need to return to explore the Lake Garda area too;) Love the sound of Gardaland and Movieland. If I could drag my boys away from swimming in the lake;) #MondayEscapes

    1. Thank you. Yes its a great place for a base and go exploring that little bit further. Great for people who dont want to drive as well.

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