Desenzano del Garda
Southern shore
The lake's biggest town: a Venetian harbour, Roman mosaics, a Tuesday market and the best nightlife
Lake Garda weather · March
Lake Garda Weather in March
March is when Lake Garda starts to reopen: 14 °C afternoons, the passenger boats back from mid-month, and hotels and campsites opening towards Easter.
March is a month of two halves. The first two weeks are still winter in practical terms. The second half sees boats, hotels and campsites come back one by one. This page shows what reopens when.
Is March a good time to visit Lake Garda?
The second half, yes, if you accept that not everything is open. Afternoons average 14.5 °C, with about five rainy days and nearly seven hours of sun a day.
Passenger ferries return on a reduced timetable from 13 March 2027, and the big campsites open in the last ten days. The Monte Baldo cable car stays closed all month and Gardaland had not announced its 2027 opening date when we checked. In 2027 Easter falls on 28 March, so the final weekend will be the first busy one of the year. We rate March 2 out of 5.
What's open in March
- Limited Ferries — Car ferry only until 12 March 2027. A reduced passenger timetable runs 13–25 March, with some sailings daily only from 20 March.
- Limited Gardaland — Closed for most of the month. The 2027 opening date had not been published when we checked.
- Closed Monte Baldo cable car — Closed for maintenance in March. The 2026 summer season began on 4 April.
- Closed Lidos and beach clubs — Beaches are public all year. Staffed lidos and beach bars are seasonal businesses with no shared calendar; too early for most.
- Limited Campsites — Bella Italia lists opening from 20 March and La Rocca from 27 March. Most others follow around Easter.
Events in March
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Late carnival parades
Several lake towns hold their carnival parade after Lent has begun. Dates are set by each town every year.
What to pack
- A warm jacket for mornings and evenings
- A waterproof layer
- Sunglasses: the light is already strong
- Trainers or walking shoes
- Gloves if you plan to cycle
Where to base yourself in March
The south warms first and has the railway, so Desenzano and Sirmione make sense before the boats are fully back. Riva suits walkers and cyclists who want the northern paths before the season starts.
What March feels like
Spring arrives in the afternoons first. Highs climb seven degrees in four weeks, from the single figures at the start of the month to the mid-teens at the end, while nights stay cold at around 4 °C. Rain is still light at 45 mm.
The water has barely moved from its winter low: 12 °C in the north-shore readings. From March the Ora, the afternoon south wind, returns to the northern lake.
What reopens, and when
The date that matters most is 13 March 2027, when the passenger boats resume after four months. Until 25 March they run the reduced winter-edge timetable, so check the last return sailing with care on our ferry timetables page.
Easter drives the rest. With Easter Sunday on 28 March 2027, expect hotels and restaurants to open in the week before. In a year with a late Easter, March stays quieter for longer. Sirmione’s castle and old town are at their least crowded now; see our Sirmione guide.
Good to know
Is Lake Garda warm in March?
Mild by day, cold at night. The average high is 14.5 °C and the average low 3.9 °C. A sunny afternoon is comfortable in a light jacket; evenings still need a coat.
Do Lake Garda ferries run in March?
From mid-month. In 2027 passenger boats restart on 13 March on a reduced timetable; before that only the Torri–Maderno car ferry runs. Our ferry guide explains the routes.
Is Gardaland open in March?
The park is closed for most of March and reopens for the main season in spring. The 2027 date had not been published when we checked on 7 October 2026, so look at the park calendar. Our Gardaland guide has the link.
Is the Monte Baldo cable car open in March?
No. The operator closes the lift for maintenance in March. In 2026 it reopened on 4 April.