Riva del Garda
Northern tip
Cliff paths, a moated castle and the clearest swimming on the lake, where the Alps meet the water
Lake Garda weather · January
Lake Garda Weather in January
January is the coldest month at Lake Garda: 7 °C days, frosty nights, no passenger ferries and Christmas markets until Epiphany.
January is the bottom of the year: the coldest month, with short days and most of the summer lake packed away. This page is for anyone weighing up a winter break or passing through on the way to the ski resorts.
Is January a good time to visit Lake Garda?
Only if you want the lake to yourself. The average high is 7 °C and nights dip just below freezing at the Verona station, though it is one of the drier months, with about six rainy days.
The first week still has Christmas markets and Gardaland's winter opening, both ending on 6 January. After that the passenger boats are not running, the park is shut and many hotels are closed. We rate it 2 out of 5: fine for a quiet weekend in a year-round town, poor for a first visit.
What's open in January
- Limited Ferries — Only the Torri del Benaco–Maderno car ferry runs (2 November 2026 to 12 March 2027). No passenger boats.
- Limited Gardaland — Magic Winter runs daily from 1 to 6 January 2027, 10:30am to 6pm. Closed after that.
- Open Monte Baldo cable car — Winter season from 26 December 2026 to 21 February 2027, weather permitting.
- Closed Lidos and beach clubs — Beaches are public all year. Staffed lidos and beach bars are seasonal businesses with no shared calendar; in January expect them shut.
- Closed Campsites — The large lakeside sites are shut. Bella Italia and La Rocca list openings from late March.
Events in January
-
Di Gusto in Gusto Christmas food market
The last days of Riva’s food market, with stalls of Trentino specialities in the old town.
-
Arco Christmas market
About 40 wooden huts in the centre of Arco. Opening days are published by the organiser.
-
Gardaland Magic Winter
The final week of the park’s Christmas season, with lights and shows.
What to pack
- A proper winter coat, hat and gloves
- Shoes with grip for damp cobbles
- Layers: sunny lunchtimes can feel far warmer than the mornings
- Sunglasses for low sun off the water
- Printed or saved bus times, since the boats are not running
Where to base yourself in January
Riva and Arco keep their Christmas markets until 6 January and stay lived-in afterwards. Desenzano is on the Milan–Venice railway and works as a base without a car when the boats are off.
What January feels like
Cold, bright and still more often than not. With around five hours of sunshine a day on average, a clear January lunchtime on a south-facing promenade is pleasant in a coat. The moment the sun drops behind the mountains, which happens early in the north, the temperature falls quickly.
The frost in our figures belongs to the open plain near Verona. Right on the shore the water keeps nights a little milder. The lake itself was measured at 9.7 °C in January 2020, so swimming is for the hardy few.
What to do
Walk the lakefronts at Salò and Desenzano, where shops and cafés stay open for residents. Take the cable car from Malcesine for the winter view if the forecast is clear; our cable car guide covers tickets. And use the lake as a base for Verona, which is a short train ride from Peschiera or Desenzano.
For anything involving a boat, check our ferry timetables page first. In January there is one route only.
Good to know
How cold is Lake Garda in January?
The average high is 7.0 °C and the average low -0.5 °C at Verona Villafranca, the nearest station with full climate normals. The shore is usually slightly milder at night than that inland figure.
Are the ferries running on Lake Garda in January?
Only the car ferry between Torri del Benaco and Maderno. Passenger boats stop from 2 November 2026 to 12 March 2027. See our Lake Garda ferry guide for the routes.
Is Gardaland open in January?
For the first six days. Gardaland's Magic Winter season ends on 6 January 2027, with the park open 10:30am to 6pm, and it then closes until spring. More in our Gardaland guide.
Does it snow at Lake Garda in January?
Rarely on the shore, and it seldom settles. The mountains above the northern lake are snow-covered, and the Monte Baldo cable car runs a winter season to 21 February 2027.
Which Lake Garda towns are open in winter?
The larger towns where people live all year: Desenzano, Salò, Riva del Garda, Arco and Peschiera. Smaller resorts on the east and west shores are very quiet.