Malcesine is a fairy-tale medieval village: the landscapes between olive groves and white pebble beaches make it a wonderful place to spend a holiday.
A small pier on Malcesine's coast
A small pier on Malcesine's coast Pixabay

An unparalleled natural panorama and beautiful architecture are what makes Malcesine a medieval village just waiting to be discovered. Its historic centre is full of palaces to visit and its culinary tradition is bound to win you over.

What to see in Malcesine

Malcesine is a village of medieval origin that has preserved its ancient charm completely intact. In particular, the fortress dating back to the last centuries of the first millenium BC (though some well-founded sources maintain that it was built by the Lombards around the half of the first millenium AD) became a national monument in 1902. In the heart of the village stands the Scaliger Castle of Malcesine, which can be visited to relive the magic of the great and imposing halls that once hosted the Scaliger nobility.

A few steps away from Lake Garda stands the Palazzo dei Capitani, which now houses the town hall and the library: it is a medieval palace in the Gothic and Venetian styles and has a beautiful garden, once theprivate haven of the titular Captain.

The beaches of Malcesine

In addition to its historic architecture, Malcesine has some of the most beautiful beaches on Lake Garda, characterised by small white pebbles and bays with clear blue waters. The private, equipped beaches are often serviced by bars and restaurants that make your stay and the passing of the day even more enjoyable.

Among the beaches not to be missed are:

  • Navene beach
  • Campagnola Beach
  • Paina Beach
  • Bay of Val di Sogno

Typical dishes of Malcesine

Malcesine presents all the food and wine characteristic to the area to which it belongs; the shores of Lake Garda. In addition to the traditional production of Garda Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is considered by the locals to be a true liquid gold, one should not forget the wine production of the area. In Malcesine, in fact, you can taste incredible wines such as Lugana, Bardolino and Valpolicella to organise memorable toasts by the beach.

As far as cuisine is concerned, lake fish is certainly one of the protagonists of Malcesine's tables. Among the most characteristic fish products of the town there are lavaret, sardines and the lake perch that are excellent on the grill, but also in fish starter dishes.

How to reach Malcesine

Malcesine is a municipality on the eastern shore of Lake Garda in the province of Verona and is therefore easy to reach in various ways:

  • by car: taking the A4/E70 motorway from Venice to Milan, you can exit at Peschiera. Malcesine is just 90 km from Verona and 180 km from Milan.
  • by train: the nearest railway station is Rovereto, 33 km away; there are several buses from the station to the medieval village.
  • by plane: if you want to reach Malcesine by plane, you can land at Gabriele d'Annunzio airport, just 80 km away, or at Verona airport, 100 km from your destination.

Living in Malcesine

If you are looking to visit Malcesine, take a look at Rentalia's selection of holiday accomodation nearby. And if you fall in love, and decide to move to this charming medieval town on a more permanent basis, idealista has properties both for sale and to rent in Malcesine.