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Malcesine
- On the lake
- Nearest train: Rovereto, 22 km
- Ferry stop
- 3,603 residents
Good for HikingParaglidingMountain bikingWindsurfingFamiliesHistory
Malcesine is the northernmost Veneto town on the east shore of Lake Garda: a medieval centre of cobbled lanes climbing from the harbour to the Castello Scaligero, which stands on a rock straight above the water.
Goethe was detained here in 1786 as a suspected spy after sketching the castle, and Gustav Klimt painted the town in the summer of 1913.
Directly behind it rises Monte Baldo. The Funivie del Baldo cable car leaves from the edge of town and climbs to 1,760 m, with rotating cabins on the upper section, putting hikers, paragliders and mountain bikers on the ridge within about twenty minutes.
The municipality follows the shore south to Cassone, where the Aril, roughly 175 m long, is counted among the shortest rivers in the world, and north to Navene. Just south of the centre, the Val di Sogno bay has a pebble beach facing a small island. Malcesine holds the Touring Club's Bandiera arancione and suits walkers, active families and anyone who wants lake and mountain in the same day.
Events in Malcesine9
Filter →Today · Sunday 27 September2
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Monday 28 September1
11:00
Friday 2 October2
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19:00
Saturday 3 October2
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Sunday 4 October1
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Saturday 10 October1
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What to see
Castello Scaligero
The Scaliger castle on its rock above the lake is the town's landmark; Goethe was held here in 1786 after being caught drawing it.
Funivie del Baldo
Cable car from the lakeside station to Tratto Spino at 1,760 m on Monte Baldo, about 20 minutes, with rotating cabins on the upper section.
Palazzo dei Capitani
Gothic-Venetian palace by the harbour, one of the main historic buildings of the old centre.
Aril (Cassone)
At the hamlet of Cassone the Aril runs about 175 m from spring to lake, making it one of the shortest rivers in the world.
Val di Sogno
Bay south of the centre with a free pebble beach, lawns with sunbed hire and a small island just offshore.
Beaches
Spiaggia di Paina
Free pebble beach about 100 m from the centre, with a floating raft, beach volleyball and a lifeguard in summer.
Spiaggia di Val di Sogno
Free pebble beach in the bay south of town, with bars and restaurants nearby.
Spiaggia di Cassone
Beach at the southern hamlet of Cassone, near the mouth of the Aril.
Spiaggia di Navene
Beach at Navene, the northern end of the municipality.
Getting there and around
- By car
- By car, leave the A22 at Affi – Lago di Garda Sud or Rovereto Sud – Lago di Garda Nord and follow the east-shore road.
- Train and bus
- There is no railway on this shore; the nearest stations are Rovereto to the north and Peschiera del Garda or Verona to the south. ATV buses run along the shore: line 483 from Peschiera via Lazise, Bardolino and Garda, and line 484 between Garda, Malcesine and Riva del Garda. Navigazione Laghi boats stop at Malcesine centro.
- By boat
- Busy stop on the Desenzano–Riva line, with frequent summer crossings to Limone (about 20 minutes) and some fast services (servizio rapido, with supplement).
- Parking
- There is a car park by the cable car valley station on Via Navene Vecchia; the cobbled old centre is not for driving.
Things to do in Malcesine18
Active Bike Store
Mountain bike & rental, E-bike rental, Road cycling
Bike shop in central Malcesine renting e-bikes, MTBs, road, gravel and kids' bikes with helmet and repair kit included.
E-MTB €30–45/day, MTB €20–25/day, road bike €20–30/day · Season: Apr–Oct
CCT Bike Rentals Malcesine
Road cycling, E-bike rental, Mountain bike & rental
Cycle Classic Tours' Malcesine outlet renting premium road, gravel, e-bikes and e-MTBs, with a two-day minimum rental.
Season: Apr–early Nov
Elalpaca – Alpaca Trekking Monte Baldo
For kids, Hiking & guides
Farm offering guided walks with alpacas on Monte Baldo, reached via the Malcesine cable car, plus alpaca-wool products.
Fly2fun Tandem Paragliding
Paragliding
Tandem paragliding flights of 20–30 minutes launching from Monte Baldo (~1,750 m) and landing in Malcesine.
€210 per person incl. cable car, video and insurance
Fraglia della Vela di Malcesine
Sailing, Windsurfing, Boat rental, Stand-up paddle, Kayak & canoe, For kids
Historic sailing club (founded 1947) running sailing and windsurf courses for kids and adults, regattas, and rental of dinghies, windsurfs, SUPs and kayaks.
Funivia Malcesine – Monte Baldo (Funivie del Baldo)
Cable cars & lifts, Hiking & guides
Rotating-cabin cable car climbing from Malcesine to about 1,760 m on Monte Baldo, the access point for summit hikes, bike descents and paragliding take-offs.
Season: Apr–Nov (summer), late Dec–Feb (winter)
Garda Air Style
Paragliding
Tandem paragliding team flying from the Monte Baldo summit several times a day, meeting at the Malcesine cable car station.
€190 all-inclusive
Garda Escursioni
Boat tours
Excursion-boat operator with departures from Malcesine, Limone and Riva, running lake tours and a Limone–Malcesine shuttle.
Limone–Malcesine shuttle €11; lake tours €25–60
Garda Sport Shuttle
Mountain bike & rental, E-bike rental, Hiking & guides
Guided MTB and e-bike tours on Monte Baldo and the Malcesine hinterland, plus bike shuttle and minivan transfers.
Malcesine Boat
Boat rental
License-free 40 HP motorboat rental from Malcesine harbour, fuel and insurance included, minimum two hours.
From €150 for 2 h (fuel incl.)
Point-7 Windsurfing School & Test Centre
Windsurfing, Wing foiling
Point-7 brand windsurf school and board test centre at Camping Tonini, teaching beginners through slalom, freestyle and foil.
Season: Apr–Oct
Roberto Paragliding Malcesine (Tandem Garda)
Paragliding
Tandem paragliding flights of 20–40 minutes from Monte Baldo with cable car, photos/video and insurance included.
STICKL Sportcamp
Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, Sailing, Stand-up paddle, Wing foiling, Tennis & padel
Large watersports camp in the Val di Sogno bay, founded in 1976 by Heinz Stickl, teaching windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing, catamaran, SUP and foiling.
Season: Apr–mid Oct
Tennis e Padel Club Malcesine
Tennis & padel
Club in Cassone with clay and synthetic-grass tennis courts and a padel court, open daily 8:00–23:00.
Season: Clay courts Apr–Nov; grass and padel year-round
Verdeblu Boat Rental
Boat rental, Boat tours
Premium motorboat and RIB rental with or without skipper, plus private skippered tours and events.
Paragliding Malcesine – Voli Tandem Parapendio
Paragliding
Group of tandem paragliding pilots offering passenger flights from Monte Baldo down to Malcesine.
WWWind Square (Windsquare)
Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, Wing foiling, Stand-up paddle, Kayak & canoe, Sailing
Watersports centre active since 1979 offering lessons and rental for windsurf, kitesurf, wingfoil, SUP, kayak, dinghy and catamaran sailing, with a wind guarantee.
Season: Easter–mid Oct
Xtreme Malcesine
Mountain bike & rental, E-bike rental, Road cycling
Bike rental next to the cable car station with city, trekking, full-suspension MTB, gravel, road and e-bikes.
€12–60 per day depending on bike
Malcesine climate by month
| Month | Day | Night | Rain days (≥1 mm) | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9° | 4° | 7 | 60 mm |
| February | 11° | 5° | 9 | 87 mm |
| March | 14° | 7° | 11 | 88 mm |
| April | 17° | 10° | 12 | 108 mm |
| May | 21° | 14° | 18 | 169 mm |
| June | 26° | 19° | 13 | 112 mm |
| July | 28° | 21° | 14 | 118 mm |
| August | 28° | 21° | 13 | 113 mm |
| September | 24° | 18° | 12 | 116 mm |
| October | 19° | 14° | 12 | 136 mm |
| November | 14° | 9° | 11 | 126 mm |
| December | 11° | 5° | 7 | 79 mm |
Averages 2016–2025 from reanalysis data (Open-Meteo); a single year can differ a lot.
Questions visitors ask
How high does the Malcesine cable car go?
The Funivie del Baldo cable car climbs from the lakeside to Tratto Spino at 1,760 m in about 20 minutes, with rotating cabins on the second section. It runs in a summer and a winter season with a maintenance break in between, so check funiviedelbaldo.it for current dates.
How do you get from Malcesine to Limone?
By boat: Navigazione Laghi crosses from Malcesine centro to Limone in about 20 minutes, with frequent departures in the summer timetable. By road it is a long drive around the north end of the lake via Riva.
Can you swim in Malcesine?
Yes. Spiaggia di Paina, about 100 m from the centre, is a free pebble beach with a floating raft and a lifeguard in summer; Val di Sogno to the south is another popular pebble bay.
Why was Goethe arrested in Malcesine?
In autumn 1786 Goethe arrived by boat and began sketching the castle; the Venetian authorities suspected him of spying for Austria and held him until he convinced them otherwise. Plaques in town recall the episode.
Nearby
Researched from: lagodigardaveneto.com, lagodigardaveneto.com, lagodigardaveneto.com, lagodigardaveneto.com, funiviedelbaldo.it, navigazionelaghi.it · checked 2026-09-26.