Discover the beauty of the Italian Lakes - Lake Garda, Lake Iseo, and Lake Idro right from your trainer with ROUVY. Experience stunning mountain views, charming towns, and scenic roads as you virtually cycle around these captivating destinations. Join us as we explore the best routes and historical sites that make each ride an unforgettable adventure.
We begin our ride at the northernmost tip of Lake Garda, the largest and most renowned lake in Italy. As we explore this beautiful area, we'll examine its features more closely. To the south, you'll find white sandy beaches framed by gently rolling hills. In the northwest, mountains and cliffs provide a dramatic backdrop along the western shoreline. While riding along the various shores, we will enjoy views of different lake activities, breathtaking landscapes, and notable landmarks in this popular tourist destination.
Due to its vast size, the lake spans three provinces: Brescia, Trento, and Verona. The views along the water’s edge are spectacular, featuring roads, bike paths, promenades, cafés, islands, and shorelines. For those who prefer higher vantage points, hiking paths along the rugged cliffs offer stunning views of the entire lake. The Garda Mountains, part of the Southern Limestone Alps, border the area, contributing to a total of 140 kilometres of cycling routes around the lake.
Lake Garda, spanning 370 square kilometres, offers a scenic route enriched with summer activities like sailing, mountain climbing, and windsurfing. Riders can enjoy stunning views of azure water, lush green hills dotted with cypress trees, and charming old villages and castles along the lake's edge.
Above: plenty of historical places to be found along the lake
As you bike through this culturally rich area, you'll enjoy the stunning scenery that has inspired renowned artists and poets—the picturesque beaches frame Lake Garda against the majestic mountains, including Monte Cadria at 2,254m. The relaxing shores provide a perfect spot to unwind and cool off in the clear, turquoise waters. Consider taking advantage of that!
Lake Garda geographical phenomena and landmarks
Lake Garda formed approximately 1.5 million years ago, during the Quaternary or Pleistocene Ice Age. Once it melted into its unique shape, a glacier cut a path to create the lake. Five inhabited islands and several small uninhabited ones dot the lake. The islands offer luxury hotels, various water and adventure sports, and tours inside ancient ruins and mysterious medieval castles.
We go past one of the smallest islands, called Isola del Olivo. This island is uninhabited, wild, and popular for divers who want to venture into the depths of a small cave in a 350m deep lake. Isola di Trimelone, the third-largest island, is also uninhabited, and it has the remains of an old World World I fortress. The largest island, Isola del Garda, combines nature and history. It was once the ideal and peaceful site of a medieval monastery, founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1220 and visited by the poet Dante Alighieri. Ages later, a 19th-century Venetian Gothic-style building replaced the monastery.
Above: Cycling towards a tunnel along Lake Garda on ROUVY
Historical battles along the shores
Due to its position, shape, fertile lands and magnificent beauty, the shores of Lake Garda were witness to bloody battles of conquest going back to AD 269, with conflicts between the Roman and Germanic tribes at that time on the shores of what was then called Lake Benacus. According to archaeology, the first settlement on the lake was made between 2000 BC and 4000 BC by the Romans, who had a significant influence in the region. Until the end of World War I in 1918, the northern part of the lake belonged to Austria due to the battle of Rivoli in the late 18th century between Austrians and the Napoleon army. This battle led to the French Occupation of Northern Italy, followed by the 19th-century battles when Napoleon fought with the Sardinians against Austria.
Above: Lake Garda on ROUVY with surrounding mountain views
Above: Lake Garda with mountain views inward from the lake
Now, you can explore our new routes around Lake Garda's lakeshores in the north and along the southern shores.
Lake Garda North
Cycling along the northwest shores of Lake Garda leads you to Riva del Garda, offering scenic views of the lake and mountains. The route features historical sites and picturesque spots, making for a magnificent ride to your destination.
Above: Views above Lake Garda with rugged mountainous vistas
Lake Garda South
The southeastern shore of Lake Garda features breathtaking views of sparkling blue waters, lush vineyards, and charming villages along your ride. Dramatic cliffs and olive groves surround ancient castles nearby, adding a rich touch of history.
If you’d like to continue riding along other magnificent stretches of Italian Lakes, look no further than these spectacular routes. Our community member, Heike Hardt, expertly filmed these videos and others for ROUVY AR and they can be found in the Routes section of the website and app under Route Collections.
Lago d’Iseo (East) or Lake Iseo
Enjoy your ride on the east side of Lago d’Iseo, located in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, dotted with charming villages like Sulzano and Marone, offering picturesque lakefront settings and a few tunnel stretches. This lakeside has stunning views of Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Europe.
Above: Magnificent turquoise waters along Lake Iseo
The ride along Lago d'Iseo's west lakeside from Sarnico to Castro winds through quaint towns and offers stunning lakeside vistas framed by dramatic cliffs. Highlights include the charming village of Lovere, renowned for its medieval architecture and waterfront promenade. Along the way, you'll pass olive groves, historic churches, and beautiful views of Monte Isola.
Cycle from Vesta to Monte Caffaro starting on the eastern shore of Lago d’Idro. The road closely follows the lake, providing stunning views of its clear waters and the steep, wooded mountains that surround it. Along the way, you'll encounter beaches, villages, and local historic sites, all while riding at an elevation of 368 meters above sea level, making it the highest of the Lombardy pre-alpine lakes.
Join the spotlight and immerse yourself in the exciting challenges, competitive races, and engaging group rides that await you. Experience the breathtaking beauty of the Italian Lakes as you explore magnificent routes in high-definition, promising immersion into a scene of adventure and discovery of new places to explore. Don't miss out on the chance to create unforgettable memories in this stunning landscape!
Lauren Wolff
ROUVY Writer
With a background spanning 30 years in the creative and writing industries, Lauren brings her love of storytelling and cycling together in her work for ROUVY. A lifelong athlete with almost 40 years of racing experience, she spent a couple of years riding with a semi-professional road racing team and went on to achieve podiums at National Championships and UCI World Masters events. She also completed the gruelling 2005 Cape Epic and earned triathlon medals back in the early ’90s. Lauren has trained on ROUVY year-round since 2016 and writes passionately to inspire others to ride and explore.
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