Lake Garda Wine Tours
Lake Garda’s warm, olive-grown shores make Italy’s easy-drinking wines: the light red Bardolino and its pink Chiaretto on the eastern bank, the crisp Lugana whites of the southern shore around Sirmione, and Custoza between the lake and Verona. Compare the top-rated Lake Garda wine tours below, then read our notes.
Lake Garda wine tours and tastings
Formats: half-day wine trips around Bardolino and the Morainic hills; Lugana cellar visits near Sirmione and Peschiera; boat-and-wine outings; combined Garda-and-Valpolicella days from Verona.
What you taste: Bardolino and Bardolino Chiaretto rosé (from Corvina), Lugana white (from Turbiana), Custoza and Bianco di Custoza, with lake fish, olive oil and Monte Veronese cheese.
Price: roughly 55 to 85 dollars for a half-day; more with a boat, lunch or a Valpolicella combination.
The lake’s wines
Garda is a mild, Mediterranean pocket in the north, and its wines are made for the terrace. Bardolino, from the eastern shore, is a light, bright red of Corvina – the same grape as Valpolicella, made fresh instead of dried – and its rosé, Chiaretto, is one of Italy’s best. On the southern shore around Sirmione and Peschiera, the Lugana whites, from the Turbiana grape, are richer and age-worthy. Between the lake and Verona, Custoza makes an easy white blend.
Lake and vineyard together
The pleasure here is combining the wine with the scenery: a cellar in the Morainic hills, a plate of lake fish and olive oil (Garda makes fine northern olive oil too), and the villages of Bardolino, Lazise and Sirmione on the water. Some tours add a boat, and the castle-topped peninsula of Sirmione is worth the stop regardless.
How to visit
Tours run from lakeside towns and from Verona, half a day among the cellars with a driver. Many pair Garda’s lighter wines with a Valpolicella cellar and Amarone in one day – the classic contrast. Spring to early autumn is the season; midsummer is busy on the lake.
How we choose
We list only experiences with a strong rating over a meaningful number of reviews and free cancellation where available, and we favour small-group and family-run hosts. FindEatLocal earns a commission when you book through GetYourGuide or Viator links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay. More about how we choose.
FAQ about Lake Garda Wine Tours
Frequently asked questions
What wine is Lake Garda known for?
The light red Bardolino and its Chiaretto rosé on the east shore, and the crisp Lugana whites on the south shore near Sirmione.
Is Bardolino the same grape as Amarone?
Largely yes - both are built on Corvina - but Bardolino is made fresh and light, where Amarone dries the grapes for power. A neat contrast to taste in one trip.
Can I combine Garda with Valpolicella?
Yes; the two regions meet near Verona, and many day tours visit a Garda cellar and a Valpolicella one with lunch.