Hi guys , thinking about booking a holiday in lake Garda for myself , wife and 16 year old son . The hotel we are looking at is in the hills between Garda and bardolino . Does anyone know this area , is there much to do I.e shops for wife maybe a day or two mountain biking for me ?
Thanks
Malcesine is a nice little town - shops/beach etc. Most of the MTBers I saw were at the north end - Riva Del Garda.
Bardolino is a gorgeous wee town, we had a week there 2 years ago, really liked it and would go back in a minute. Torbole at the top is where the biking is, if you have a hire car (I'd recommend it, public transport after about 6 pm is non existent) it's only maybe half an hour to get there.
I never biked whilst there, but went up the cable car onto monte baldo, lots of guys using it to get DH bikes up to the top. Looked real good.
What's the name of the hotel btw?
I stayed near brenzone, it's a fantastic holiday location. Loads of ferry connections if you fancy checking out other parts of the lake. Biking is good around the mountain with nice trails. Lots of german hill walkers to watch out for.
One of the few locations I go visit again.
[url= http://www.gardalake.com/place/belfiore-park-hotel-brenzone/ ]i stayed here[/url]
As has been said the North end is a bit more mountainous although that eastern side does have some height. Peschira is a nice town at the bottom of the lake and has a train station with direct route to Verona (shopping heaven apparently!). Bardolino is a lovely red wine 🙂
2nd Malcesine.
What's the name of the hotel btw?Hotel is poiano resort hotel
Verona is ok, not great shopping if you used to London or any city in the uk.
Worth a visit. I did my first walking tour and really enjoyed the history.
Torbole is your best bet and Riva is an easy walk Lakeside with lots of Restaurants and shops. Malcesine is a good spot to ride from as well but most of the biking centres around the two towns I mentioned, it's a fabulous spot was out there this summer last, had a great time.
I've been to that part of the lake loads and know the area really well. Don't worry there are lots of mountain bike trails around Garda and Bardolino many of them marked. Just look for the small brown signs with an MTB sign on with the name of the trail (e.g. La Rocca). Many of the routes were designed by Paolo Pezzo and she still has a bike shop in Bardolino. They may not have the height of the trails in the north of the lake but there are plenty of technical sections. If you want to do some real climbing there is a road up to Monte Baldo or more precisely to the lift station half way up in Prada and then off road to the top which is seriously steep and in fact looks remarkably like the Welsh mountains. Perhaps the best way is take a bus to Prada. Apparently they run regularly and there is a bike rack on the back of them. You can then ride down the mountain back to the lake. Best idea is to have a look on Strava and do a search for routes in the area.
For non MTBing stuff both Garda and Bardolino and further down the lake Lazise are all really nice towns with quaint narrow shopping streets full of touristy shops and restaurants. Garda also has big markets on somedays right next to the lake. If you are into that sort of thing there is an amusement park just south of Lazise connected with an aqua park which has the biggest free falling water slide in Europe AFAIK. And lastly you have the lake. The beaches are stoney but once you get into the water it's more sandy and there is nothing better than coming back from a ride drenched in sweat and jumping in the lake to cool off.
Thanks for all the replies guys ,roter stern, that is exactly what I was looking for , thanks.
Bardolino is lovely! Want to go back there this year!
Was thinking about taking the kids at the end of June... 
Torble or Riva at the top have to be main choices (lots of bike shuttles and guided tours go from Torbole as it seems to be the main place) but also Malcesine down the east side from Torbole.
Public transport is pants, we ended up using a combination of ferry and bus to get down to Peschiera del Garda (down the south) on a Sunday. Peschiera was a nice town but very much a tourist 'resort' and geared towards yachts etc. But if you do end up there for a day like we did then this place is worth the long walk for dinner: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g635642-d1963656-Reviews-Vecchio_Mulino_Beach_Bar_and_Restaurant-Peschiera_del_Garda_Province_of_Verona_Ve.html
If you do end up in torbole stop here for beer and dinner after a ride:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g194935-d3261896-Reviews-Casa_Beust-Torbole_Province_of_Trento_Trentino_Alto_Adige.html
You're probably choosing the best option for all the family, looking at somewhere further down the lake. As said, all the mtb is North, South is geared more to regular tourists, Malcesine is nice and a reasonable size, as is Bardolino. If you stay near Garda, we stopped for a meal at a little bay nearby called Torri Del Benaco, there's tables set up right on the marina and is was very nice, I'm sure there's lots of other places like this.
I stayed in riva last year and loved it, would love to go back. Loads of tours available there and in nearby torbole. Bike shuttles are available and trips using the cable car in malcesine.
I did a half day guided ride through this shop http://www.gardabikeshop.com/en/component/content/article/103-tour-guidati-sul-garda-mtb-e-road-bike.html
Malcesine and limone are both lovely, the lemon grove in limone makes for a really peaceful trip.
You should be able to get a day out in Verona if you fancy that, take in the Romeo and Juliette stuff.
Can't recommend this restaurant enough http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g194883-d1806119-Reviews-Ristorante_Pizzeria_Leon_d_Oro-Riva_Del_Garda_Province_of_Trento_Trentino_Alto_Ad.html
