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Breathtaking view of Riva del Garda with mountains and Lake Garda in Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy.

Northern tip · Trentino

Best Things to Do in Riva del Garda

Cliff paths, a moated castle and the clearest swimming on the lake, where the Alps meet the water

Shore
Northern tip · Trentino
Best for
Walkers, cyclists, families, active couples
Best time
May–June, September–early October
How long
2–3 days

Riva del Garda sits at the very top of the lake with a 1,500 m wall of rock behind it, and the first thing you notice is how different it feels from the villages down south. Palm trees and lemon trees line the lakefront, but the light is alpine, the water is colder and clearer, and by mid-afternoon the Ora wind has the whole bay full of sails. The old town is a compact grid of pastel houses, arcades and one big piazza that opens straight onto the harbour, and it was Austrian until 1918, which still shows in the architecture and the strudel.

It is our favourite base on the northern shore for anyone who wants to do things rather than just look at the view. Everything from the Ponale cliff path to the beaches is reachable on foot or by bike, buses and boats fan out from here, and Torbole and Arco are both a short ride away. This guide covers what we actually do on a two or three day stay, where we eat, and the practical stuff on parking, buses and ferries.

Things to do in Riva del Garda

  1. Breathtaking view of Riva del Garda with mountains and Lake Garda in Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy.

    01 Sightseeing

    Climb the Torre Apponale

    • Piazza III Novembre, on the harbour
    • 45 minutes
    • €2

    The 34 m clock tower on Piazza III Novembre has stood over the harbour since the 13th century, topped by the little copper angel the locals call the Anzolim. Around 165 steps take you to an open platform with the whole bay below you: the Rocca and its moat, Monte Brione, and the lake running away south towards Limone and Malcesine. It opens from late March to the end of October, 10:00 to 18:00 in season (2026).

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  2. Tranquil view of Lake Garda with majestic mountains and clear sky, Italy.

    02 Outdoors

    Walk the Sentiero del Ponale

    • Start on the Gardesana Occidentale, 15 min walk west of the harbour
    • 2–3 hours
    • Free

    The Ponale was the 1850s road to the Ledro valley, cut into the cliff face west of Riva and closed to cars in the 1990s. It now climbs gently on a wide gravel track with the lake 100 m below, through short tunnels and past old gun positions. The start is about 1 km from the harbour along the Gardesana, and the first big belvedere is around 45 minutes up. You share it with mountain bikes, so keep to the inside edge. It is our top pick in our list of the best Lake Garda walks.

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  3. Scenic view of Lake Garda surrounded by the Italian Alps with lush greenery.

    03 Sightseeing

    Take the panoramic lift up to the Bastione

    • Via Monte Oro, 10 min walk from the centre
    • 1–2 hours
    • Lift €6 single, €9–10 return (2026); path free

    The round Venetian fort above the town dates from 1508 and was blown up by the French less than two centuries later, which is why it is a shell. A glass lift from Via Monte Oro whisks you up in a minute, or you can zigzag up the old path in about 20 minutes through olive terraces. There is a small bistro at the top with tables facing the lake. Keen walkers carry on up the marked path to the chapel of Santa Barbara, another 45 minutes and a lot of steps.

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  4. Get wet at the Cascata del Varone – Riva del Garda

    04 Outdoors

    Get wet at the Cascata del Varone

    • Via Cascata, Varone, 3 km north (bus or a 40 min uphill walk)
    • 1 hour
    • €7–8

    Three kilometres north of Riva a stream drops almost 100 m through a slot in the rock, and two walkways take you inside the gorge to stand in the spray. It has been a paying attraction since 1874 and is at its loudest in spring when the snow melts. The waterfall technically sits in the commune of Tenno, so it pairs well with a morning in our guide to Tenno and its lake. Open all year, weekends only in the depths of winter.

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  5. 05 Beach & lake

    Swim from Spiaggia Sabbioni

    • Viale Rovereto, 10 min walk east of the harbour
    • Half a day
    • Free (sunbeds and SUP hire extra)

    Riva’s main beach runs east from the harbour towards Torbole: a long free strip of pale pebbles backed by lawns, pines and a cycle path. The water is the clearest on the lake and also the coldest, rarely above 22°C even in August. There are lifeguards in summer, kiosks for drinks, and sunbed and SUP hire from the beach bars. It made our pick of the best Lake Garda beaches for the mountain backdrop alone.

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  6. Explore the Rocca and the MAG museum – Riva del Garda

    06 Culture & history

    Explore the Rocca and the MAG museum

    • Piazza Cesare Battisti, on the lakefront
    • 1–2 hours
    • €5 (€4 reduced); tower €2

    The 12th-century castle sits on the lakefront with a proper moat, a drawbridge and a courtyard cafe. Inside is the Museo Alto Garda, which covers the pile-dwelling finds from Lake Ledro, the town’s Austro-Hungarian years and a decent collection of 19th-century lake paintings, plus a changing exhibition upstairs. It is a good hour on a rainy day and the ramparts have a view of the harbour that most people miss.

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  7. Scenic view of Lake Garda with surrounding mountains and lush green trees in the foreground.

    07 Outdoors

    Cycle the Sarca river path to Arco

    • Path starts near Porto San Nicolò, between Riva and Torbole
    • 2–3 hours
    • Bike hire €15–30 a day, e-bikes €40–60

    A flat, traffic-free path follows the Sarca river from the edge of Riva up to Arco in about 7 km, then on through vineyards and orchards to Dro and the strange boulder field of the Marocche. It is an easy ride for children on the Arco stretch and there are hire shops all over Riva. Lock the bikes under Arco’s castle rock and walk up to the ruins before rolling back. Read more in our guide to Arco and our pick of the best Lake Garda bike rides.

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  8. 08 Food & wine

    Order carne salada e fasoi

    • Old town, around Piazza San Rocco and Via Fiume
    • 1–2 hours
    • €12–18 for a main, €35–50 a head with wine

    The dish of the upper lake is carne salada, beef cured in salt, garlic and juniper for a few weeks, served either paper thin and raw with oil and rocket or seared and piled on borlotti beans. Most of the traditional places in the old town do it well, along with strangolapreti (spinach and bread dumplings) and a glass of Marzemino. Osteria Il Gallo on Piazza San Rocco and the old vaulted rooms at Restel de Fer are two we go back to; see our pick of the best Lake Garda restaurants for more.

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  9. 09 Evening

    Do the evening passeggiata and aperitivo on Piazza III Novembre

    • Piazza III Novembre and the harbour
    • 1–2 hours
    • €4–7 a drink

    From about 6pm the whole town seems to drift down to the harbour: kids on scooters, windsurfers with wet hair, grandparents on the benches. The bars under the arcades on the piazza pour spritz and Trentodoc, the local sparkling wine, for €4–7, and the gelaterie along Via Gazzoletti do a roaring trade. Riva is not a late-night town, but a couple of places by the harbour keep going past midnight; we list them in our pick of the best Lake Garda bars.

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  10. Breathtaking view of a lake with majestic mountains under a cloudy sky.

    10 Outdoors

    Hike the forts of Monte Brione

    • Between Riva and Torbole, start at Porto San Nicolò
    • 2–3 hours
    • Free

    The green hump between Riva and Torbole is only 376 m high but it was the Austro-Hungarian front line, and the Sentiero della Pace strings together three forts, trenches and tunnels along its crest. Start from the Sant’Alessandro side or from Porto San Nicolò on the Torbole side; the ridge is Mediterranean scrub with cactus and olives, and the view down onto both towns is the best on the northern shore. Finish in Torbole for a pizza and take the bus or the lakefront path back.

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  11. Beautiful view of turquoise lake and rugged mountains in Italy, perfect for travel inspiration.

    11 Family

    Take a day trip up to Lago di Ledro

    • Molina di Ledro, 12 km west of Riva
    • Half a day
    • Museum €4–6, lake free

    Ten kilometres and 600 m above Riva, Lake Ledro is a smaller, warmer, quieter lake with grassy beaches, pedalos and a flat path around the shore. The Museo delle Palafitte at Molina di Ledro has reconstructed Bronze Age stilt houses over the water and is part of a UNESCO site, and children get to try firing clay and grinding grain in summer. Buses from Riva bus station take about 25 minutes; the road is the modern continuation of the Ponale.

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  12. Catch the Notte di Fiaba in late August – Riva del Garda

    12 Family

    Catch the Notte di Fiaba in late August

    • Old town and lakefront
    • An evening or a weekend
    • Free

    For four days at the end of August the old town is decorated to a fairy tale theme, with street theatre, parades, workshops for children and stalls along the lakefront. The Saturday night ends with a big fireworks display over the harbour that draws people from all around the lake. It is free, it is crowded, and rooms in Riva for that weekend go months ahead, so check the dates before you book anything.

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Our picks in Riva del Garda

Places in Riva del Garda that made our ranked Lake Garda guides.

Getting there

By car

We come off the A22 at Rovereto Sud / Lago di Garda Nord and follow the SS240 for about 17 km through Nago and Torbole. The old town is a camera-controlled ZTL, active 24 hours a day all year, so we use the APM car parks on its edge (Terme Romane, Parco della Libertà, Ex Agraria, Vecchia Stazione Nord): €2 an hour from 1 April to 31 October, capped at €10 a day, and €1 an hour in winter (2026 tariffs). From 17 June to 21 September 2026 the €3 Rivetta shuttle runs every 15 minutes or so from the Rivetta car park at Baltera into town.

By ferry

Riva is the northern end of the Navigazione Laghi Desenzano–Peschiera–Riva line, with the pier beside Piazza III Novembre. Summer sailings run from 16 May to 4 October 2026, and from 3 November to 6 March there are no boats at all. Ordinary boats take about 15 minutes to Torbole and 45 to Limone; the fast SR hydrofoils (supplement payable) do Limone in 25 and continue down the lake.

By bus and train

Rovereto, on the Verona–Brennero line, is the nearest station; Trentino Trasporti bus B332 leaves from outside it roughly hourly and takes about 45 minutes to Riva bus station. B205 runs to Trento, B211 to Tenno, ATV 484 to Malcesine and Arriva LN027 to Limone and Desenzano. From Verona airport, the €7 Air Link shuttle reaches Porta Nuova station for trains to Rovereto.

Checked against the operators’ own websites on 28 September 2026. Timetables and prices change every season: confirm times with Navigazione Laghi and the bus operator before you travel.

Good to know

Is Riva del Garda worth visiting?

Yes, and for most active travellers it is the best town on the lake. Riva has the biggest and best-kept old centre on the northern shore, the clearest water, and the Ponale, Bastione and Monte Brione walks start from the door. The trade-off is that it is a proper town rather than a fishing village, and the sun leaves early because of the cliffs. If you want small and pretty, look at Limone across the water instead.

Is Riva del Garda good for families?

Very. The lakefront from the harbour to Torbole is flat, car-free and lined with playgrounds, lawns and a long free beach, and the bike path to Arco is safe for children. Older kids love the Varone waterfall walkways, the forts on Monte Brione and the stilt houses at Lake Ledro. The water is cold though, so for warm-water paddling the shallow beaches in our pick of the best Lake Garda beaches further south are easier with toddlers.

How many days do you need in Riva del Garda?

Two full days covers the town, one big walk and a swim; three lets you add a bike ride to Arco, the Varone waterfall and an evening in Torbole. Riva also works as a week-long base if you like to be active, because the walks, crags and windsurf beaches of the whole Garda Trentino area are within 10 km, and the boats and buses take you as far as Malcesine and Limone for day trips.

Can I visit Riva del Garda without a car?

Yes, it is one of the easiest towns on the lake to do car-free. Take the train to Rovereto and the Trentino Trasporti bus down to Riva, then walk, hire a bike or use the boats. Local buses reach Arco, Torbole, the Varone waterfall and Lake Ledro, and the Navigazione Laghi boats connect the whole northern shore. The only places that are awkward without wheels are the mountain villages such as Tenno.

Where do you park in Riva del Garda?

The old town is a camera-controlled ZTL 24 hours a day all year, so aim for the APM car parks on the edge of the centre, Terme Romane, Parco della Libertà, Ex Agraria and Vecchia Stazione Nord, all within 10 minutes' walk of the piazza. From 1 April to 31 October they cost €2 an hour by day, capped at €10 a day (€14 at Vecchia Stazione Nord), and €1 an hour in winter (2026 tariffs); most take cards. In July and August arrive before 10am or use the Rivetta shuttle from the Baltera car park (17 June to 21 September 2026, €3 a trip); many hotels offer parking and it is worth choosing one that does.

When is the best time to visit Riva del Garda?

Late May to June and September are the sweet spots: warm enough to swim, the paths are dry, and the Ora wind is reliable for sailing without the August crowds. April and October are lovely for walking but the water is cold. Note that in winter the sun drops behind the western mountains by early afternoon, many beach bars close from November to March, and there are no scheduled boats at all at Riva from early November to early March.

Is Riva del Garda busy in summer?

Yes, from mid-July to the end of August it is the busiest town in the north, full of German, Austrian and Dutch families and cyclists, and the lakefront car parks are gone by mid-morning. It never feels as squeezed as Sirmione or Malcesine because the old town and beaches are big, but book rooms and popular restaurants ahead, and start walks early. The last two weeks of August around the Notte di Fiaba are the peak.

Riva del Garda or Torbole: which is the better base?

Riva if you want a town with shops, restaurants, museums and evening life within walking distance; Torbole if the point of the trip is windsurfing or sailing and you want to fall out of bed onto the beach. They are only 4 km apart along a flat lakefront path, so wherever you sleep you can easily use both. Families and non-sailors usually prefer Riva; surfers and mountain bikers lean towards Torbole.

Where should I eat in Riva del Garda?

Head into the streets behind the harbour rather than the front row of the piazza, where the tourist menus live. Osteria Il Gallo on Piazza San Rocco and Restel de Fer are our two regulars for Trentino cooking such as carne salada and strangolapreti, and the pizzerias along Via Gazzoletti are fine for a quick evening. For a bigger night out see our pick of the best Lake Garda restaurants, several of which are within 20 minutes of Riva.

When is market day in Riva del Garda, and what events are on?

Riva's big market is held on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month, spreading through the streets around the centre with food, clothes and household stalls from the morning until early afternoon. For events, Musica Riva fills the town with concerts in July, the Notte di Fiaba brings fireworks and street theatre in late August, and the Garda Trentino Half Marathon runs between Riva, Torbole and Arco in November.

How much is the Bastione panoramic lift and when does it run?

In 2026 the lift runs until 8 November: from 12 June to 3 October it operates 09:30 to 23:30 daily, then 10:00 to 19:00 until the season ends. A return ticket is €10 in high season (1 June to 30 September) and €9 the rest of the year, a single ride €6, and Garda Guest Card holders get one free return (2026 prices, Garda Trentino tourist board).

Is the MAG museum in the Rocca open all year?

No. The MAG and the Torre Apponale close for the winter and reopened on 21 March in 2026. In season both are open Monday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00; a museum ticket is €5 (€4 reduced) and the tower €2 (2026 prices). Forte Garda on Monte Brione opens daily from 1 June to 11 October 2026, 10:00 to 17:00.

Photo credits

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