Overview
Four days on the eastern shore of Lake Garda, based in Bardolino for all three nights — and this time the festival comes to us. The Festa dell'Uva e del Vino takes over the lakefront for our entire stay: wine stands from the local producers, food stalls, live music every evening, and a closing fireworks display over the lake. We simply walk out of the hotel and into it.
The cycling is the easiest of any trip we've looked at: the lakeside path and the Mincio cycle route are flat, largely traffic-free and completely beginner-friendly, with the lake ferry doing the hard work of getting us home after the big Saturday ride. Both days are genuinely accessible on a standard hybrid; e-bikes make them effortless.
Getting There
| Outbound | Friday 2 October — easyJet, Gatwick → Verona (VRN), morning, from ~£35–45 one way |
| Return | Monday 5 October — easyJet or BA, Verona → Gatwick, evening, from ~£40–60 one way |
| Airport → Bardolino | Taxi ~35 min, €55–65 total (~€20 each); or Airlink 199 + bus 164, 1.5h, ~€8 |
Day by Day
Friday 2 October — Arrive & festival opening
- Morning flight, into Verona around midday; taxi to Bardolino, check in, lakefront lunch.
- Afternoon: Cantina Zeni and the Bardolino Wine Museum on the hill above town — free museum, free tastings in the vinoteca.
- Evening: first night of the Festa — wine stands, food stalls, live music the length of the promenade. Dinner from the stalls or at La Piccola Osteria.
Saturday 3 October — The Mincio ride
- Collect bikes 9am. South along the lakeside path: Cisano, Lazise (coffee in the walled harbour town), Peschiera del Garda — ~15km, flat.
- Join the Mincio cycle path: 15km of paved, car-free riverside to Borghetto sul Mincio, watermills and all.
- Lunch in Borghetto: tortellini di Valeggio.
- Back to Peschiera and the ferry home with the bikes — ~45km pedalled, all flat, boat finish.
- Evening: festival, then dinner at Il Giardino delle Esperidi (book — it's tiny).
Sunday 4 October — Vineyards & finale
- Gentle circular ride into the vineyard hills (~20km): Calmasino and Cavaion Veronese, heart of the Bardolino DOC.
- Tastings at Le Fraghe (organic, book ahead) and Guerrieri Rizzardi back in town (book 2+ days ahead).
- Optional October swim from the beach north of town. Bracing.
- Final night of the festival: closing fireworks over the lake.
Monday 5 October — Home
- No alarm. Lazy breakfast, last lakefront walk, coffee in the piazza.
- Early afternoon taxi (or the €8 bus) to Verona airport; evening flight to Gatwick. The gentlest travel day of any option.
The Festival
Bardolino's grape and wine festival is one of the oldest on Lake Garda and covers our entire stay. The promenade fills with Bardolino DOC producers pouring the local red and Chiaretto rosé, food stalls (polenta, lake fish, local cheeses), folk parades and grape-pressing demonstrations. Admission free; pay per tasting. The final evening closes with fireworks over the water. Zero logistics: it's on our doorstep every night.
Where to Stay
Hotel Nettuno (4★)
During festival week, a few minutes' walk from everything. The obvious pick.
Hotel Du Lac et Bellevue (4★)
One of the best positions on the eastern shore. Lake-view rooms worth the upgrade.
Hotel Speranza (3★)
Family-owned, five minutes from the lake. Spend the savings at the festival stands.
The Wineries
Cantina Zeni & the Wine Museum
Ten minutes' walk above town. Free museum on the old Veronese wine trade, free self-guided tastings in the vinoteca. Perfect first-afternoon stop.
Guerrieri Rizzardi
Cellars in Bardolino itself, vineyards up at Cavaion; the range crosses all the great Veronese names — taste Amarone without leaving town. Book 2+ days ahead.
Le Fraghe
Matilde Poggi's estate, the producer who restored Bardolino's reputation as a serious wine. Small and personal — book a week ahead.
Eat & Drink
| Friday | Lakefront lunch; festival stalls or La Piccola Osteria (lake fish & pasta) |
| Saturday | Borghetto — tortellini di Valeggio; dinner Il Giardino delle Esperidi (book) |
| Sunday | Light lunch on the loop; festival finale dinner among the stands, glass of Chiaretto in hand |
| Monday | Long breakfast, last espresso on the piazza |
Practical Notes
- Book now: hotel (festival week fills fast), Le Fraghe and Guerrieri Rizzardi, Il Giardino delle Esperidi for Saturday.
- Ferry check: confirm autumn Peschiera–Bardolino sailings and bike carriage; fallback is riding back (flat) or a van taxi.
- Bike hire: Velolake (Via Santa Cristina 23) or Bella Italia Cycling in Cisano — €20–25/day city bike, €35–45 e-bike. Saturday and Sunday only.
- Weather: typically 13–20°C, real chance of warm sunshine. Layers for evenings, swim kit for the brave.
- Currency: euros. Cash is quicker at festival stands.