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Planning a long weekend in Northern Italy and not quite sure where to point yourself? I don’t blame you — there are so many options it’s genuinely paralysing. So if you need a starting point, you’re in the right place. This is our exact itinerary for 3 days in Northern Italy, splitting the time between Lake Garda and the Dolomites (South Tyrol) — and I’ve kept all the honest bits in, including the traffic that nearly made us miss our flight and the church bells that had us awake at quarter to seven on a Sunday.
Let me say upfront: 3 days is not enough for this part of Italy. Not even close — you could happily spend weeks here. But if you’re sitting in a grey Northern European city craving sun, wine and a proper mountain, this is a brilliant route to squeeze into a long weekend.
The 3-day Lake Garda and Dolomites itinerary at a glance
- Day 1: Land in Verona, drive to Sirmione, overnight at Hotel Eden
- Day 2: Drive around Lake Garda — Malcesine and Riva del Garda — then on to Lana in South Tyrol, overnight at Hotel Schwarzschmied
- Day 3: Drive to Ortisei, hike Seceda, drive back to Verona airport
Useful links for this itinerary:
Right — let’s get into it.
Day 1: Verona to Sirmione
We landed in Verona early in the morning. Verona airport (VRN) is the closest airport to Lake Garda and one of the closest to the Dolomites too, which is exactly why it works so well for a long weekend like this — it’s genuinely the gateway to both.
We picked up our rental car from Auto Europe. One honest heads-up: car pick-up at Verona airport can be slow. Give yourself a buffer and don’t book anything tight for the first couple of hours.
Optional stop: Verona
Verona is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, and honestly it deserves a weekend of its own — there’s far more than the Romeo and Juliet stuff. We didn’t build it into this itinerary because we’d already been twice (most recently on our 10-day road trip from Italy to Germany), but I had to mention it. If you’ve never been, you could easily spend 3–4 hours wandering the centre before heading to the lake. The airport is close to the city, so it’s barely a detour.
Getting from Verona to Lake Garda
Lake Garda is a short drive from Verona and the airport. The closest towns are Peschiera del Garda and Sirmione — and Sirmione is one of the most visited spots on the whole lake, thanks to its little old town and that gorgeous castle.
Sirmione: where to park and where to stay
Quick practical note that nobody tells you clearly: you can’t drive a car into Sirmione old town. Most hotels offer free parking just outside, roughly a 7–10 minute walk from the castle. There are free shuttles ferrying tourists from the car parks to the walls, but honestly, walking was faster.
Sirmione is stunning — we were really happy we picked it as our overnight base. I’d recommend Hotel Eden in Sirmione: reasonably priced, brilliant reviews, perfect location. It’s one of the most popular hotels in town though, so book ahead. If it’s full, Hotel Corte Regina is a solid budget-friendly backup.
Wine and sunset cruises in Sirmione
Sirmione sits right next to one of the best wine regions in Northern Italy — ever heard of Valpolicella? That’s the one. There are loads of wine tastings near Sirmione if that’s your thing.
The other thing I’d genuinely recommend is a sunset cruise. There’s a small-group option and a pricier private boat ride with wine or Prosecco. Sirmione also has lovely little beaches, and if you’re here in summer or early autumn you can absolutely swim — though personally I think Riva del Garda in the north is the better swimming spot (you don’t have to choose, mind).
For dinner we went to a gorgeous restaurant in the middle of the town right next to the castle called Il Grifone. It gets busy, so book ahead or arrive before 7pm if you want a table with lake views.
Day 2: Around Lake Garda and on to the Dolomites
Sirmione is tiny, so one day there felt like plenty. We wanted to see more of the lake, so we set off to explore.
We considered Peschiera del Garda (just down the road) but it felt a bit too similar to Sirmione, so we skipped it and aimed for Malcesine instead. What was supposed to be a 30-minute drive turned into an hour and a half.
Here’s the honest truth about Lake Garda: we knew it got busy in summer, but we genuinely did not expect it to be thatbusy in September. Judging by the number plates, the entire population of Germany had driven down for the weekend — the roads were rammed. If you’re planning a Lake Garda long weekend, build serious slack into your driving times. Everything takes longer than Google Maps says.
Malcesine
We finally rolled into Malcesine around 11am. There’s a big car park near the old town, but it fills up — there were four cars (us included) queuing at the barrier. Luckily it has an electronic counter showing free spaces, so it let one car in for every car that left. The queue actually moved quickly and we were parked within 15 minutes.
Malcesine is a charming little town — honestly no less beautiful than Sirmione, in our opinion. Small castle, narrow cobbled streets, and crowds happily wandering through them. We didn’t go into the castle, but we found a gorgeous street right beside it with the best lake views of the entire trip.
For lunch we found a tiny, brilliantly-reviewed spot called L’Osterietta del Lago, where we shared five local Garda lake fish bruschetta, some fish fritters, and a glass of local wine. We loved it.
Riva del Garda
Next stop was closer — about 30–40 minutes north (it’d be 20 without the traffic). Riva del Garda is probably the biggest town on the lake, and in my opinion it has some of the best beaches. We weren’t planning to swim, but the water was so clear and the views so good that we couldn’t resist — and ended up swimming anyway. No regrets.
We’d hoped to also visit Limone sul Garda across the water, but the traffic ate our time and we wanted to actually enjoy our hotel in the mountains. If the roads are kinder to you than they were to us, you might just squeeze Limone in.
Driving into the Dolomites and South Tyrol
We wanted to pair the lake with some proper mountain time. I love mountains and don’t see them nearly enough — London is flat as a pancake and even the tallest UK hills can’t hold a candle to the Alps.
Because Verona airport doubles as the gateway to the Dolomites, it made total sense to do both in one trip. We booked Hotel Schwarzschmied in the mountain village of Lana, about 15 minutes from Bolzano (Bozen).
A little context that genuinely delighted me: the Dolomites sit in the autonomous region of South Tyrol, and the moment you cross in, the signs switch — German first, Italian second. Most South Tyroleans speak German as their first language but learn Italian too. And in the Ortisei area there’s a third language, Ladin — an ancient Romance language with only around 40,000 speakers left. We were lucky enough to hear people speaking it while hiking the next day, which felt special.
Hotel Schwarzschmied, Lana — honest review
Schwarzschmied was wonderful. We got a room upgrade and ended up in a suite with mountain and pool views, and the hotel has a proper hammam, two saunas, and both indoor and outdoor heated pools.
But the best bit was the food. There’s a set 4-course dinner for €35 per person, all locally sourced and mostly organic, and it was outstanding. Breakfast was included and just as good — I’d happily go back for a longer stay.
The one honest gripe: there’s a church directly in front of the hotel, and its bells rang constantly until 10pm and then started up again at 6:45am on the Sunday. I’m hoping that was a one-off, but pack earplugs just in case — unless you’re keen on a quarter-to-seven wake-up call.
Day 3: Hiking Seceda from Ortisei
For our final day we headed into the mountains for a hike. We’ve got a trip to Patagonia coming up and wanted a warm-up — but honestly, I’d recommend this hike whether or not you’ve got Argentina on the horizon.
We had breakfast at the hotel first, though fair warning: it took a while because we were waiting on à la carte dishes.
Why we chose Seceda (and skipped Sorapis)
Seceda is consistently named one of the best hikes in the Dolomites. We’d originally hoped to do Lago di Sorapis, but the drive to the trailhead alone was three hours, so we dropped it fast. Seceda was under an hour from our hotel — far more sensible for a day with a flight at the end of it.
Getting up to Seceda: the Ortisei cable car
Seceda is reached via the town of Ortisei, where the cable car is. We parked in Ortisei’s central parking garage and walked over.
Honest cost note: the cable car is pricey — €39 for a return ticket per person. You can hike all the way up from Ortisei if you want to save money and earn your views, but it’s a tough climb on top of the hike at the top, so we paid up. A couple of things to know:
- The cable car to Seceda closes at 5:30pm both ways — don’t get caught out.
- You can buy tickets online in advance or in person. We bought ours in person and there was barely a queue. It’s a famous ski resort so it’s heaving in winter, but summer was quiet.
It takes about 30 minutes and two cable cars to get all the way to the top, where the hike starts.
The Seceda hike itself
The route we picked officially takes about 3.5 hours, but we did it in under 2.5 — although if you stop for photos, breaks, or a drink and lunch at Rifugio Firenze, you could easily stretch it to 3.5–5 hours.
Most of the route sits around 2,500m above sea level, so you might feel a bit light-headed at the start — give yourself a minute to adjust. If it feels too much, there are plenty of gentler routes, or you can just wander around for a couple of hours and soak up the views, which are genuinely worth the trip on their own.
For navigation we used AllTrails — we’ve used it for most of our walks for three years now. It’s free, but if you want offline access to a route you may need the premium subscription. We had mobile data the whole way, but always check your provider’s coverage map first.
The drive back to Verona (leave early)
We got back to Ortisei around 4pm and grabbed a late lunch in one of very few open places in town, a 15–20 minute uphill walk from the cable car terminal. Hearty food, huge portions — you could easily share one dish between two.
Around 5:15pm we set off for Verona airport, and the drive took nearly three hours because the traffic was a nightmare again. We’d left with plenty of buffer, and thank goodness — otherwise we’d genuinely have missed the flight. If there’s one thing to take from this whole itinerary: on your final day, leave for the airport much earlier than you think you need to.
Was 3 days in Lake Garda and the Dolomites worth it?
Honestly — yes, and we wouldn’t change a thing about the route. It was a near-perfect balance of lake and mountains: we swam in Lake Garda, saw two of its most beautiful towns, stayed at a brilliant spa hotel in the Dolomites, and did a breathtaking hike — all in three days. The only thing I’d genuinely warn you about is the traffic, so plan your drives (and especially your airport run) with that in mind.
FAQ: 3 days in Lake Garda and the Dolomites
Is 3 days enough for Lake Garda and the Dolomites? It’s enough for a brilliant taster — one to two days at the lake and a day in the mountains, as in this itinerary. It is not enough to see everything, so think of it as a long-weekend highlights reel rather than a deep dive.
Which airport is best for Lake Garda and the Dolomites? Verona (VRN) is ideal — it’s the closest airport to Lake Garda and one of the closest to the Dolomites, which is why it works so well for a combined trip.
Do you need a car for this Lake Garda and Dolomites itinerary? For this exact route, yes — a rental car gives you the freedom to move between the lake towns and up into South Tyrol. Just expect slower-than-planned driving in peak season and pad your timings.
When is the best time to visit Lake Garda? Late spring through early autumn for swimming and warm weather. We went in September and it was lovely — but be warned, it was extremely busy and the roads were packed, so even shoulder season isn’t quiet.
How much is the Seceda cable car from Ortisei? It was €39 for a return ticket per person when we went, and it closes at 5:30pm both ways. Prices can change, so check before you go.
How hard is the Seceda hike? The route we did is moderate — officially around 3.5 hours, and it sits at roughly 2,500m, so you may feel the altitude at first. There are easier alternatives, and even a short wander up top rewards you with the famous views.
If you’ve got any questions, message me on Instagram — I’m @lizatripsget.
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