Italy - Walking from Lake Garda to Venice
- Mountains, lakes, grappa and palazzi -
On this walking holiday you walk from the northern part of Lake Garda along ancient pilgrim pathways through the stone desert in Sarca Valley and from there to Etsch Valley and Trento. From here you walk on to the tranquil Valsugana Valley, which was used by the Romans to reach the Adriatic Sea. You will meet old spa-towns, historical forts and busy villages – and all of them invite you to go exploring.
You will experience the mountains by Lake Garda, the Vizentiner Alps, the peaks of Cima Dodoci and you will walk through what can best be described as an “open air” art gallery. Glistening lakes and tall mountains follow you as the perfect backdrop for this walking holiday where you also meet the rivers Brenta, Sile, Sarca and Etsch.
The high trails over the Brenta Valley guide you downward and into the wine region of Bassano del Grappa and the impressive river landscape in the Sila National Park and into fantastic Venice.
The holiday can be combined with our walking holiday from the Dolomites to Lake Garda.
About the Route
You walk along varied gravel roads and forest paths. There are only a few rocky sections on the route and the rest of the route is easy terrain. Almost every day you will have the option to select an easier and shorter alternate route. You walk along rivers, lakes and through forests. You often walk high above the valleys where you have a great view over the surrounding area.
You can bring your dog
On this walking holiday it is possible to bring your dog. When you book the tour please describe your dog shoulder-height and race. Notice that possible extra costs at the hotel is not included and has to be paid locally.
Highlights on this walking holiday from Lake Garda to Venice
- The sweet life at Lake Garda
- Culture and tradition in the small historic villages along the route
- High paths with excellent views
- Glistening likes and rivers
- Lagunes, canals, and gondolas in beautiful Venice
Great things about this tour
Itinerary See all daysClose all days
Today you arrive to your first hotel in Riva del Garda. Spend the day exploring the town’s historic center and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee on the piazza by the lake. The mild evening air will get you in the mood for the coming adventures.
You begin your walk in Ceniga and walk through the vineyards in the Sarca Valley. After a short distance you arrive to a large rockfall area which looks like a stone desert. With a view over Lago di Cavedine, you walk past orchards to the small village of Pietramurata which is nestled at the foot of the highest rock wall in the area.
Walking: ca. 4½ hours
Distance: ca. 13km
+300m / -150m
After breakfast you are driven by bus to the “Valley of Lakes”. During the bus ride you can see the famous Castello di Toblino. You start by walking to Lago Terlago where the high-altitude path of Saint Vigil begins. You wander through quiet forests and karst-plateau takes you up to the old fort. From here you can enjoy the splendid view over the Etsch Valley and the Dolomites followed by a decent to Trento, where you visit the historic center with several churches and other impressive buildings.
Walking: ca. 4½ hours
Distance: ca. 13km
+400m / -650m
A short train ride and a visit in the center of Pergine. From here you walk along the historic roman road Via Claudia Augusta which takes you high above the large lake Lago di Caldonazzo and from there onward to Lago di Levico. While walking along the shores of the beautiful lake it doesn’t take long before you are tempted to jump in the water. The lake is the warmest alpine lake in Italy. Finally you reach your destination in the spa-town Levico.
Walking: ca. 3½-4 hours
Distance: ca. 12km
+250m / -250m
Today you follow a delightful high-alpine route leading you over alpine pastures with massive cliffs as the beautiful backdrop. Along the route you encounter waterfalls, roaring mountain streams and you will be enchanted by this wonderful area. From there you walk via Sentiero Don Cesare to the mountain hut Cipriani, where you can enjoy a nice break. A steep and spectacular path leads you to Borgo Valsugana where you can enjoy the sight of the venetian bridges and pergolas.
Walking: ca. 5 hours
Distance: ca. 16km
+450m / -650m
You begin your day bi walking upwards until you meet the high-altitude path Alta Via del Tabacco over the Brenta Valley. Via the San Bovo hermitage you descend to the valley floor and continue the relaxing walk along the green Brenta River. You cross the famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge and finally reach Bassano del Grappa where you spend the night.
Walking: ca. 4½ hours
Distance: ca. 13km
+500m / -550m
You walk across wooden bridges into the National Park of the river Sile and follow the famous cycling route from Munich to Venice. This path takes you all the way to Quarto d’Altino where you now finish your walking tour. From here you take the train to Mestre where you will stay for the night. From Mestre it is very easy to get to the old part of Venice and have a look around (takes roughly 10 minutes). As a finish to the tour, we have arranged a nice Grappa-tasting close to St. Mark’s Square.
Walking: ca. 5 hours
Distance: ca. 20km
+20m / -20m
The walking holiday from Lake Garda to Venice is now over. You check out from your hotel during the morning and return home or continue your journey in Italy.
Price includes
- 7 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels
- Breakfast every day
- Luggage transfer between hotels
- Welcome briefing
- Transfers according to program
- Train journey Trient – Pergine
- 1x small Grappa-sampling in Bassano or Venice
- Detailed travel information (route maps or overview maps, route description, tourist attractions, important telephone numbers)
- GPS-data is available
- 24-hour local and international service hotline for the duration of the tour
- Access to the route in our GPS-app which works offline while you walk
- This is a packaged holiday and is therefore covered by The Travel Guarantee Fund - See which benefits this means for you - click here
- Transportation to/from Italy
- Busride Pietramurata - Toblino + Levico - Barco (approx. 7 euro pr. person)
- Train ride from Quarto d´Altino to Mestre/Venice, approx. EUR 4 per person
- Handling fee (20 euro)
- Tourist tax (if due)
Practical info
The price is based upon two people sharing. It is also possible travel alone in a single room. Simply choose "single room" in the booking form and it will automatically add the single room surcharge.
On this tour you will be on your own supplied with maps, route descriptions and luggage transfers. That means that your time is your own and you have plenty of time to enjoy the stages in your own pace.
Check the price quickly
You can quickly check the price of your desired trip without having to fill in anything. Here's how:
- Choose your desired start date
- Click on the green button "See price and reserve your holiday" and go to the booking form
- Select number of people, add any optional extras and see the price at the bottom of the page (you don't have to fill in anything on the form).
Get a quote
For example, if you want a flight included or changes to the trip, you can order a quote for this using the "Get a quote" button. Remember to describe in detail what, if anything, you want changed.
The process of your booking
When you book, we will start booking hotels and arranging all the practical details of the trip. This process typically takes 2-5 working days, but some bookings may take longer. If you are arranging your own transport, we recommend that you wait until we have confirmed your booking before arranging this.
Dates
If you can select the date in the tour calendar at the top of this page, this is a possible start date. We continually update the tours with sold-out dates, after which those dates will turn red and cannot be selected.
The flights to/from Venice are not included in the price. You can easily find a suitable flight via a flight booking engine such as Momondo or Skyscanner. It is also possible to get to Riva del Garda by arriving in Milan or Verona, but since you finish your tour in Venice we believe it is easiets to simply arrive there too.
Notice: we recommend that you book with us and wait for the confirmation before you book your flights.
Getting from the airport to Riva del Garda
We do not arrange private transfers from Venice to Riva del Garda, but it is very easy to take the train from Venice. You can get a full overview of that tour by checking Rome2Rio.
Book a quote
If you prefer that we handle your flight, then we would be happy to arrange this for you. You simply book a quote below the map on this page and we will return with a quote as soon as possible (usually within 48 working hours). Please note that we add a handling fee of 45 euro to each flight and this means that the flight will be cheaper if you book it yourself.
Luggage transfer is included on this tour. Upon arrival at the first hotel you will be given luggage tags along with the rest of the welcome package. You fill out the luggage tags and put them on your bags where they will remain for the duration of the tour.
Your luggage is picked up from the hotel lobby around 9am every morning and will arrive at your next hotel at 6pm at the latest (often long before that). If there are any special exceptions to the luggage transfer you will be notified upon arrival.
Luggage transfer includes one bag per guest and the bags can weigh 20kg each.
On this tour you will stay at 3- and 4-star hotels with breakfast included.
On this tour breakfast is included every day. It is possible to buy lunch in the small towns along the route or you can buy a picnic lunch at cafés or in supermarkets in the villages. Dinner is easily found in the many restaurants in the small towns.
You will recieve the following documentation
Upon booking
You recieve practical information about the tour in a digital format
One month before arrival
You recieve your hotel list and your voucher (hotel list is often supplied upon booking)
Upon arrival
You recieve the welcome package which contains the printed version of the road book, luggage tags, local specific vouchers and if you have rented bikes then they will also be delivered and fitted at the first hotel.
Here you can get an overview of the entire route and the elevation profile for each day. The data shows the data from the GPX-files related to the tour. Notice that the routes are sometimes updated, which means that there might be small variations.
Colors
Blue routes: The route as normal
Red routes: Variations/options (such as shortened or extended routes)
It can be hard to plan your trip according to the weather, but to give an idea of the local climate, you can see the data below:
The statistics are from yr.no.
We are members of the Travel Guarantee Fund (nr. 2529) and have all available insurances. This covers you regardless of your nationality. Read more about that here.
Call our experts on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Phone: +44 20 3936 1208
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Phone: +44 20 3936 1208
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