Lake Garda by Motorcycle: Strada della Forra, Tremosine and Monte Baldo

Lake Garda is where riders from Germany, Austria and Switzerland end up when the high passes are under snow, and it is far more than a lakeside cruise. The mountains drop straight into the water on both shores, and the roads that climb them are some of the most spectacular in Italy. This guide covers the two you should not miss: the Strada della Forra on the west shore, a road blasted through a gorge, and the ridge road over Monte Baldo on the east. Ride one per day, with the lake road linking them, for around 220 kilometres in total.

Planning a Garda trip

Riva del Garda and Torbole at the northern tip are the best bases for riders arriving over the Brenner: they sit between both shores and have the most choice of places to stay. Limone and Gargnano suit the west shore; Malcesine and Garda the east. Avoid the lakeside towns at weekends in July and August if you can: traffic on both shore roads crawls, and parking in the old centres is difficult.

Day 1: Riva to Tremosine and the Strada della Forra (about 90km)

Riva to Porto di Tremosine (about 20km). Leave Riva south on the Gardesana Occidentale (SS45bis), which hugs the western shore through a string of tunnels and galleries cut into the cliffs. It is a dramatic road in its own right: short tunnels, lake views between the rock and plenty of traffic. Past Limone sul Garda, look for Porto di Tremosine and the turn-off inland.

The Strada della Forra to Pieve (about 6km). The Forra climbs from the lake into the gorge of the Brasa stream, and for a few kilometres the road is cut into the rock walls, so narrow in places that the cliffs overhang the tarmac and the sky is a strip of light above you. It opened before the First World War and is often called one of the most beautiful roads in the world. The tightest sections are single track, controlled by traffic lights at busy times, with tunnels, bridges and blind bends. Ride it slowly, in the lowest comfortable gear, and expect to meet cars, cyclists and the odd van coming the other way. It emerges at Pieve di Tremosine, a village on the plateau, where cliff-edge terraces hang out over a sheer drop to the lake.

Tremosine to Tignale and back to the lake (about 25km). Ride south across the Tremosine plateau, a land of meadows and small villages several hundred metres above the water, and on to Tignale, whose sanctuary of Montecastello sits on a rock spur with one of the finest views of the lake. Descend to the Gardesana near Gargnano.

Back north to Riva (about 40km). Return along the shore road, or if you have time, ride further south to Salò and climb into the hills toward Lake Idro and the Valvestino before heading home.

Day 2: Monte Baldo (about 130km)

Riva to Mori and Brentonico (about 25km). From Riva head east over the low pass to Nago and down to Mori in the Adige valley, then climb south onto the Brentonico plateau.

Over the Monte Baldo ridge to Spiazzi (about 40km). From Brentonico minor roads run south along the flank of Monte Baldo, the long ridge that separates Lake Garda from the Adige valley, through Polsa and San Valentino and on to Ferrara di Monte Baldo and Spiazzi. This is high-pasture riding: open meadows, mountain huts, cattle on the road and views down to the lake on one side and the Adige on the other. The road is narrow and the surface varies, but traffic is light outside August weekends. At Spiazzi, the Madonna della Corona sanctuary clings to a cliff face above the Adige gorge; it is a short walk from the road and well worth the stop.

Down to the lake and back north (about 65km). From Spiazzi drop to Caprino Veronese and down to Garda on the eastern shore, then ride north on the Gardesana Orientale (SS249) through Torri del Benaco and Malcesine back to Torbole and Riva. The eastern shore road is scenic but busy, and the passage through Malcesine is prone to queues. If you would rather avoid the shore, the climbs from the lake to the Baldo villages above Malcesine and Brenzone are tight and steep and give you a second taste of the mountain.

The roads

Garda's mountain roads are narrow, often unguarded, and full of hairpins with no sightlines. Tour buses, rental cars and cyclists share all of them. The Forra in particular demands patience at the traffic-light sections. The lake roads have tunnels with poor lighting, and on hot summer days the tarmac can be slippery with diesel and rubber. There are no tolls on any of these roads, but several lakeside towns have restricted traffic zones (ZTL) in their old centres, enforced by camera: follow the parking signs rather than your satnav into the middle of town.

Fuel is easy along the shore roads and in the Adige valley, but scarce on the Monte Baldo ridge and the Tremosine plateau: fill up before you climb.

When to go

April to October. Garda is one of the earliest places in the Alps to ride: the shore roads are open all year, and in April and May the lake is warm while the passes to the north are still closed. The Monte Baldo ridge road is higher and can carry snow into spring; check locally before you commit. July and August are hot and crowded. May, June and September are the best months.

Where to stay

Riva del Garda, Torbole, Limone and Malcesine are the classic bases. Browse biker-friendly places to stay in Northern Italy. Garda sits at the southern end of the riding country of the Dolomites: Trento and the Sella Ronda are a morning's ride north, and the Stelvio, Gavia and Mortirolo are a day's ride north-west via the Tonale. See also our Dolomites biker hotels if you are combining the lake with the passes.