WHERE AND WHEN TO GO TO THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC MARKETS OF LAKE GARDA
Losing yourself in the markets is always a curious and entertainingexperience at any age.
From the most elegant to the most picturesque, fruit and vegetable markets, antique and craft stands, sweets stalls, plants and home accessories... walking in the fresh morning air and shopping among the colourful stalls of a market means discovering the true flavour of the local culture.
While strolling through the market, you can taste a piece of typical seasonal cheese, choose the most fragrant and ripest tomatoes directly from the farmers, buy the most curious tools to cut your vegetables... the perfect way to spend a fresh morning with family and friends.
So let's go and discover the markets of our lake, where you can enjoy the perfumes and colours of the most beautiful villages in the area.
What day is it today? No problem, there is a market on Lake Garda every day!
Monday
Moniga market and its products from the territory
The appointment is every Monday in the town centre, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.: the merchants and craftsmen of one of the traditional weekly markets overlooking the lake await you.
Here you can buy seasonal fruit and vegetables, fresh fish from the lake, good Chiaretto wine typical of Moniga del Garda, fashion clothing, and everything you need for a quick lunch in the shade of your veranda, before going back to the pool!
The market of Sirmione, the pearl of the lake
To be exact, it is located in Colombare, a pretty hamlet just a short walk from the centre of Sirmione, about 30 minutes by car from our starting point. Perfect for a morning of shopping with your family, it is a market full of colourful stalls selling a wide variety of handicrafts and vintage items, books, modelling items and typical local food and wine products. In summer months the market is often in the evening, ideal for a longer walk along the lake shore to the town centre: Sirmione is always worth a visit!
Tuesday
Desenzano: shopping and PDO wines
One of the largest markets on the western shore of the lake, Desenzano is certainly the most fashionable market in the area! About 20 minutes by car from San Felice, here you will find stalls with the most fashionable clothes and discounted designer brands. There are also craft stalls, colourful stalls selling local lavender, children's games, and food and wine stalls where you can stop and buy a bottle of Lugana, the area's wine. Desenzano's market is held all year long, every Tuesday morning until 1pm on the beautiful Lungolago Cesare Battisti, but our advice is to go early to snap up the best items.
A market surrounded by the ancient lemon groves of Limone del Garda
It is the wonderful Lungolago Marconi, one of the most precious lakeside promenades in our area, that hosts the elegant Limone del Garda market every first and third Tuesday of the month. The perfect excuse to get to know this lovely village, known as one of the jewels of our lake. Here you will find the area's most famous products of excellence: PDO olive oil, local wines, the famous citrus fruits and zero-kilometre fruit and vegetables from the area. Enjoy this relaxing walk overlooking the sparkling waters of the lake, and don't miss a visit to the historic Limonaia del Castel, a real open-air museum, a witness to a centuries-old tradition linked to the cultivation of citrus fruits, lemons, citrons and bergamots in particular, still alive in this area.
Shopping under the stars looking at the Rocca
In the hamlets of Solarolo and Montinelle, just a short walk from the centre of Manerba, this is where you can spend your Tuesday summer evenings, strolling among the stalls and enjoying yourself to the rhythm of music thanks to the various entertainments of this market under the stars.
Wednesday
Gargnano and Bogliaco: shopping by the lake
Another highlight of our lake, about 30 minutes by car from San Felice, Gargnano is certainly the most elegant town in this part of the territory. Known for its small harbours and the famous historical persons who frequented them, a visit here is an experience that all visitors to our lake should enjoy.
Here on Wednesday mornings you can find a market mainly dedicated to fruit, vegetables and biological and zero-km products, while a few steps away, in the hamlet of Bogliaco during the summer months, you can enjoy one of the tastiest markets dedicated to vintage and antiques.
A walk in San Felice
Set up every Wednesday in Via Dietro Castello, and very popular during summer months, this is a traditional market offering delicious cheeses and cured meats, fresh fish from the lake, fruit and vegetables and anything else you might need to buy during your holiday.
Just a few minutes walk from our Camping Europa Silvella, it's a perfect place to relax with a stroll and do some daily shopping.
Thursday
Toscolano Maderno Market
One of our favourites and certainly one of the most vivacious in the area. Set up on Viale Marconi in the centre of town, this market in Toscolano Maderno is rich in products from this vibrant area. You can find zero-km fruit and vegetables, cheeses from neighbouring towns, many varieties of honey, and ethnic and traditional handicrafts.
Very popular among locals, the market starts from the Gardesana road and ends just a few metres from the lake.
Once you have finished your morning shopping, we recommend you leave your car parked and head for the nearby Valle delle Cartiere, which we have already mentioned in the article dedicated to family entertainment, for a total immersion in unspoilt nature.
The wines and cheeses of Bardolino
One of the most famous markets in the area is located in Bardolino, on the Veronese shore of Lake Garda. It is an enormous market, rich in every kind of offer, an ideal destination for a day dedicated to the discover of another side of the lake. What attracts the attention of many tourists is certainly the beauty of this town, known for its liveliness, its tasty cheeses and its excellent Bardolino wine. Our advice is to stop at one of the many wineries for a tasting and buy the excellent products of this area directly from the producers.
Friday
A morning at Manerba's market
Just a few steps from the village church is Manerba's market every Friday. Accessible on foot from our campsite, it is a colourful and traditional market, offering food and gifts for all your holiday needs. Very popular during summer months, especially among tourists, it is perfect for a walk in the morning before playing in the swimming pool.
Among the hills of Puegnago
Set in the morainic hills a few minutes' drive from Manerba is the hamlet of Castle of Puegnago (Castello di Puegnago), a village known for its production of excellent wine and oil. The market is located in the town hall square, with a few stalls but full of seasonal foods: zero km fruit and vegetables, cheeses and truffles in the luckiest seasons. We recommend a visit to this market and, with a walk of about 30 minutes, to reach the small lakes of Sovenigo, losing yourself among olive trees and vineyards that characterise this landscape.
Saturday
The Prince of all markets
Salò is one of the most large, well-stocked and pleasant markets in the area. It is located in Piazza Mario Pedrazzi, just a short walk from the town centre, and sells local products, quality clothing, sporting equipment, pet products, plants and flowers, and traditional handicrafts. It is a popular market all year long for locals and in the summer months for tourists from all over the western shore of the lake.
Once in Salò, stroll through its alleyways and monuments and enjoy the wonderful view from its shores. If you're not in a hurry to get back, we recommend a visit to Musa, the city's art museum, opened in 2005, and discover its valuable temporary and permanent exhibitions.
A Saturday afternoon at Padenghe market
The peculiarity of this market is that it is held every Saturday afternoon, unlike all the other morning markets. This is an excellent opportunity to visit the historic centre of Padenghe, a lively town famous for its beautiful castle.
The market offers a variety of food and wine products and gifts, but the speciality of many stalls is the sale of plants.
Sunday
During the year the markets on Lake Garda stop on Sundays, but there are many events during summer months organized in the territory, including thematic markets and village festivals.
Stay tuned and we will keep you updated!
