Getting there by car

Most holidaymakers prefer to arrive at Lake Garda by car. The quickest way to get to the northern part of Lake Garda – the Riviera dei Limoni – is by taking the autostrada A 22 (Modena-Brennero) to the Rovereto Sud / Lago di Garda Nord exit, even though the autostrada del Brennero can often seem quite congested in the summer months. For all those in no particular rush to get to the south and who wish to get their holiday off to a somewhat less hectic start we recommend the old Brenner Road which winds its leisurely way through little villages and the countryside of Northern Italy. A further bonus is that you save on autostrada toll fees. Once you’ve come off the autostrada, follow the signs to Torbole / Riva del Garda and get on to the western Gardesana Road (SS45) heading towards Limone sul Garda, the first town on the Riviera dei Limoni. Visitors to the south-eastern shore can also take the exit marked Affi. The towns of Peschiera del Garda, Sirmione and Desenzano del Garda have their own autostrada exits on the main A 4 route from Venice to Milan. The quickest way to reach the south-western shore of Lake Garda is to take the Desenzano del Garda autostrada exit.

For most parts of Germany the fastest route is through Austria and across the Brenner Pass. For all those coming from southwest Germany the shortest route leads through Switzerland and the St. Gotthard tunnel.

Brenner route description

Additional costs: compulsory Austrian autobahn sticker (Vignette) / toll fees for using the Brenner autobahn

• Through Austria towards Innbruck – which is where the Brenner autobahn begins
• the easiest way to reach Innsbruck from Germany is via Ulm or Munich.    
• via Ulm: the A 7 to Füssen until the end of the autobahn. Then take the Fern Pass B 189 to Mötz. Continue on the Inntal autobahn A 12 to Innsbruck.
• via Munich: the A 8 to Salzburg as far as the Inntal triangle. Then take the A 93 to the former border crossing of Kiefersfelden/Kufstein. Continue on the Inntal autobahn A 12 to Innsbruck
• take the Brenner autobahn A 13 at the junction: ‘Innsbruck-Süd, Brenner, Italien’
• the Brenner autobahn becomes autostrada A 22 once you cross the border into Italy
• continue along the A 22 past Sterzing (Vipiteno), Bozen (Bolzano) and Trento to Verona
• autostrada exit for the northern part of Lake Garda: Rovereto Sud / Lago di Garda-Nord
• autostrada exit for the southern part of Lake Garda: Affi / Lago di Garda-Sud

Alternative:
As we mentioned above there is another far quieter and less stressful way of getting to the south which takes you along the old Brenner Road (B 182) through the Eisacktal. This route passes through beautiful countryside! Leave the Inntal autobahn at Innsbruck-Süd and follow the blue signs indicating ‘Alte Brennerstraße’. Lake Garda is signposted as soon as you cross the Italian border.

St Gotthard tunnel route description

Additional costs: Swiss autobahn sticker (Vignette) / autostrada toll fees in Italy

• take the Rheintal autobahn A 5 to Basle (Basel)
• from Basle (Basel) take the A 2 past Lucerne (Luzern) and Lugano to the border crossing at Chiasso/Como
• from there take the ‘autostrada dei laghi’ A 9 to Milan
• take the A 4 at the junction: ‘Bergamo, Brescia, Venezia’
• autostrada exit for the (south)western part of Lake Garda: Desenzano
• autostrada exit for the (south)eastern part of Lake Garda: Peschiera
• Sirmione has its own exit between Desenzano and Peschiera