Lake Garda is famous all over the world for its summer: warm and sunny days, clear water, many tourists who flock to its shores. But it’s not just that. The lake has its own life all year long, it never goes into hibernation, not even during the coldest months.

If you wonder what to do on Lake Garda during the winter season, read on!

Also this year, in this period, the Lake opens its doors for Christmas and is colored with wooden houses, decorations, lights and lots of Christmas joy.

Each bank hastens to embellish its villages with Christmas lights, decorated trees, but above all with the very famous Christmas markets.

On the Trentino bank we can find the markets of Riva del Garda, where children can meet Santa Claus and his wife Natalina inside a medieval fortress decorated on theme; those of Arco will wait for you with light installations, plays of light projected onto the houses and many initiatives, including the Animal Farm, where your kids can meet many animals, pet and feed them and even take a ride on the back of tender donkeys.

On the Venetian shore, don’t miss the markets of Peschiera, Lazise, ​​Bardolino, Garda and Malcesine. The Lazise markets are the largest ones on the whole lake: with over one hundred exhibitors. Everything will be accompanied by Christmas melodies, creative workshops for children, traditional games, tastings and a Street Food area where it will be possible to savor the delicacies of the local cuisine.

Don’t miss the characteristic Nativity scene on the Aril river in Cassone, near Malcesine. The association “Gli Amici del Presepe” have recreated the picturesque little port of the village with a nativity scene inside on the water of the shortest river all over the world.

Even the Lombard side decorates its villages for the holidays. Among the best known markets on the western shore: Desenzano, Lonato, Salò and Moniga. If you love quality craftsmanship and hobbyism or if you are looking for an original idea for a gift, don’t miss Desenzano and its markets.

For ice-skating lovers, this year many villages on the Lake, including Riva del Garda and Moniga, will not set up the classic Christmas ice-skating rinks due to the significant increases in energy costs. But all is not lost: in Lazise you can find the largest ice-skating rink on the entire lake.

Not exactly by the lake, but a few kms from it, you can savor the Christmas of many centuries ago in the characteristic markets of the medieval villages of Canale di Tenno and Rango di Bleggio. These villages, where time has stopped at the height of the Middle Ages, are filled with lights, decorations, nativity scenes and stalls full of handicraft objects inside ancient houses.

Last but not least, the incredible and magical Christmas Village inside “Flover” located in Bussolengo, a few steps from the Venetian shore. A little Rovaniemi right on Lake Garda. You will be amazed by the beauty of the Christmas itinerary full of decorations, lights, colors and lots of magic. The Santa Claus post office, the little train that will drive you along the entire route and the ice-skating rink immersed in a thousand colored lights are not to be missed.

Lake Garda is also all of this.