Cycling day trip from Garda to Malcesine

Roll out from Garda’s pretty bay and promenade, with the Rocca di Garda looming above, and trace the east shore of Lake Garda north toward Malcesine. It’s about 37 km with roughly 1,000 m of climbing—mostly short, punchy rises as the route slips up into olive terraces and back down to the water. Expect mostly paved surfaces with a few brief gravel or cobbled bits, plus a mix of quiet back roads and lakeside paths; there are occasional stretches on the busier Gardesana road, so lights are handy for tunnels.

You’ll pass Torri del Benaco (worth a pause for its Scaliger castle and harbor) and the hamlets of Brenzone sul Garda, where promenades and pebbly beaches tempt a quick swim or gelato stop. The views across to Monte Baldo keep getting bigger as you near Malcesine.

Finish in Malcesine’s postcard lanes beneath the dramatic Scaliger Castle. If you’ve still got legs, the cable car to Monte Baldo offers a spectacular victory lap; otherwise, linger by the harbor—this town lives for sailing and sunsets.