Lake Garda for Yacht, Wine and Golf: Lugana, Valpolicella and Lakeside Courses (2026)

Few places in Italy let you tee off in the morning, be on the water by lunch and taste Amarone at dusk without half the day in a car. Lake Garda can. Its southern hills hold a tight cluster of good courses, the Lugana, Bardolino and Valpolicella vineyards start near the shoreline, and the lake is one of Europe’s great sailing waters. Here is how to combine all three, with honest notes on what we could verify for 2026.

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This guide is part of our Yacht, Wine and Golf in Italy series.

Why Lake Garda works for all three

The morainic hills at the southern end of the lake hold most of the courses and the Lugana vineyards. Bardolino climbs the eastern shore, with Valpolicella beyond. The wide southern basin suits motorboats and swim stops, while the narrow northern end, squeezed between mountains, has the winds that made Riva and Torbole famous among sailors. Verona airport sits in the middle.

The golf: four courses worth building a trip around

Details below come from golf directories, the resorts’ own sites and our earlier reviews. We could not confirm published 2026 green fees for any of these clubs, so check prices with the club. For more, see our guide to golf on Lake Garda.

Garda Hotel San Vigilio Golf, Pozzolengo

Formerly known as Chervò, this club south of Sirmione was designed by Kurt Rossknecht and opened in 2008. It has 27 championship holes in three nines (Benaco and Solferino, both par 36, and San Martino, par 35), giving three 18-hole combinations, plus a nine-hole executive course (par 27). It hosted the Italian Open in 2020. Directories list a handicap limit of 36, electric carts for hire and year-round play. The signature feature is the medieval abbey at its heart; the estate also makes its own wine.

Arzaga Golf Club, Calvagese della Riviera

Arzaga wraps around the QC Termegarda resort in the hills behind Desenzano. It has 27 holes: an 18-hole course from the Jack Nicklaus II design team, opened in 1998, and a nine-hole Gary Player course. QC describes it as links-inspired, in a 144-hectare park, and says a stay includes an 18-hole green fee per person; ask how that applies to your booking. For handicap rules, buggies and closing days, check with the club.

Circolo Golf Ca’ degli Ulivi, Marciaga

The lake view course. Above Garda town, the club (founded 1989) has an 18-hole par 72 by Cotton, Pennink and Partners, just over 6,000 metres from the back tees, plus the nine-hole Mirabello. It is hilly, with the water in view for much of the round. Directories list a handicap limit of 36, electric carts and year-round play. Some 2025 and 2026 reviews criticised course condition, so ask about recent work.

Golf Bogliaco, western shore

Founded in 1912, Bogliaco sits on the hillside above the lake between Toscolano Maderno and Gargnano. It is an 18-hole par 70 of about 5,235 metres from the yellow tees: short on paper, tight in practice. Directories list a handicap limit of 54, electric carts and year-round play. It is the natural course from Gardone Riviera or Gargnano, above the waters of the Centomiglia regatta.

Also on the south-eastern side: Golf Club Paradiso del Garda near Peschiera, an 18-hole Jim Fazio design next to the Active Hotel Paradiso. Our guide to golf hotels on Lake Garda covers where to stay on or near each course.

The wine: Lugana, Bardolino and Valpolicella

Three appellations meet here: Lugana, a white from the Turbiana grape around Sirmione; Bardolino and its rosé, Chiaretto, on the eastern shore; and Valpolicella, home of Amarone, north of Verona. Visits almost always need a reservation.

Masi Tenuta Canova, Lazise

The easiest serious tasting to fit around golf, near the lake at Lazise. On Masi’s site the Canova Experience (one hour, four wines) costs 30 euros per person and includes the Wine Discovery Museum, the estate and the cellar. A Costasera Amarone vertical of three vintages costs 70 euros, and the two-hour Vino e Cucina Experience with lunch or dinner costs 99 euros. Same-day bookings cannot be made online. Canova is about 20 to 25 minutes from Sirmione and 15 from Paradiso del Garda.

Villa Della Torre, Fumane (Valpolicella Classico)

A Renaissance villa in the Valpolicella Classico zone, part of the Marilisa Allegrini group of estates. Its tasting includes a tour of the villa and five wines: a Lugana, a Valpolicella Classico Superiore, the Amarone di Villa Della Torre and two Tuscan wines from sister estates. The price is 60 euros per person, or 80 euros with cold cuts and cheese, with a minimum of two guests; book online. Duration and opening days are not stated, so check with the estate. Fumane is roughly 30 minutes from Ca’ degli Ulivi and 45 to 50 minutes from Sirmione. Our Valpolicella and Amarone wine tours guide covers more estates.

Villa Cordevigo and Vigneti Villabella, Bardolino hills

At Cavaion Veronese, the Villabella estate pours Bardolino, Chiaretto, Valpolicella wines and Lugana in a dedicated tasting room at Villa Cordevigo, whose restaurant Oseleta holds one Michelin star in the 2026 guide. Format and price are not published consistently, so ask the hotel. It is about 20 minutes from Ca’ degli Ulivi. Read our Villa Cordevigo review.

Lugana on the southern shore

Lugana vineyards surround Sirmione, Pozzolengo, Peschiera and Desenzano, so a cellar visit fits easily after a round at San Vigilio. We could not confirm 2026 visiting terms for individual Lugana cellars, so confirm times and prices with the estate.

The water: a day on a private boat or yacht

Garda has two boating worlds. The southern basin is wide, calm in the mornings and lined with harbours at Desenzano, Sirmione, Salò, Lazise and Bardolino: motorboat country, from classic wooden runabouts to day cruisers. The northern end, around Riva del Garda and Torbole, is sailing country, because motor navigation is banned on the Trentino waters. Gargnano and Bogliaco on the western shore have a long sailing tradition.

Typical routes and swim stops

• Sirmione peninsula: past the Scaliger castle, the Roman Grotte di Catullo and the flat Jamaica rocks.
• Isola del Garda: the lake’s largest island, with a villa and gardens. Visits are by guided tour only, with a return boat from ports such as Sirmione, Desenzano, Salò and Gargnano and a welcome glass of local wine; adults pay 41 to 51 euros depending on the port. The island cannot guarantee a mooring for private boats, so most private days admire it from the water. Our research turned up contradictory information: the island’s site gives a season from 29 March to October 2026, the Grandi Giardini Italiani association lists 19 March, and the island’s pages disagree on Saturday closing. Confirm before you plan around it.
• Manerba: clear water below the Rocca di Manerba for a swim stop.
• Gardone to Gargnano: villas and lemon houses along the western shore, ending at a harbour lunch.

Half day or full day, and what is included

A half day (three to four hours) covers Sirmione and a swim stop; a full day adds Isola del Garda, lunch in Salò or Gardone and the Manerba shore. A skippered charter usually includes the skipper, the boat and safety equipment; fuel, drinks and lunch may be extra, so ask for a written list. The season runs roughly April to October.

The Centomiglia regatta

The 76th Centomiglia Internazionale del Garda takes place on 5 and 6 September 2026, organised by Circolo Vela Gargnano under the Italian Sailing Federation. Crews gather around Gargnano and Bogliaco, and the courses link Lombardy, Trentino and Veneto. Expect western shore harbours to be busy that weekend.

A sample four-day itinerary

Driving times are approximate, outside peak summer traffic.

• Day 1, golf and Lugana: Verona airport to Sirmione takes about 30 minutes. Afternoon round at San Vigilio (15 to 20 minutes), then a Lugana tasting nearby.
• Day 2, on the water: a private boat from Sirmione or Desenzano: the peninsula, a swim off Manerba, Isola del Garda and lunch in Salò.
• Day 3, Valpolicella and the lake view course: Fumane (45 to 50 minutes) for a morning tasting at Villa Della Torre, then 30 minutes to Ca’ degli Ulivi for an afternoon round. For a shorter day, swap Fumane for Masi Tenuta Canova.
• Day 4, west shore golf: Arzaga (about 30 minutes) or Bogliaco (about an hour), then a final night in Gardone Riviera or Gargnano.

The courses compared

Best months, weather and practical tips

When to go: May, June and September give warm days and good course conditions without August crowds. April and October suit golf and wine, but some hotels and boat services run reduced schedules. Book tastings early around the autumn harvest.

• Handicap card: carry proof of handicap and home club membership; limits vary by club.
• Dress code: collared shirts and tailored shorts or trousers; avoid denim. Check with the club if unsure.
• Transfers with clubs: hire a car with a large boot, or mention golf bags when booking private transfers. Book tee times in advance.
• Wind for sailing: in the north, a northerly typically blows in the morning and the southerly Ora in the afternoon. Ask your skipper which suits you.

Where to stay for yacht, wine and golf

Villa Cortine Palace, Sirmione

A Relais & Châteaux villa in a five-hectare park on the Sirmione peninsula, with a private pier, a heated pool and its own boat for lake excursions. San Vigilio is 15 to 20 minutes away, Arzaga about 30. Seasonal, roughly April to late October; confirm dates with the hotel. See our Villa Cortine Palace review.

Best for: the classic southern base for all three.

Check rates at Villa Cortine Palace

Grand Hotel Fasano, Gardone Riviera

A former Habsburg hunting lodge with gardens to the water, a jetty, the AQVA Spa and the starred Il Fagiano. The concierge books classic motorboat tours towards Isola del Garda. Bogliaco is about 7 km away, Arzaga about 25 km. Open in 2026 from 27 March, scheduled until 6 January 2027. Read our Grand Hotel Fasano review.

Best for: lakefront grand hotel style on the western shore.

Check rates at Grand Hotel Fasano

Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda, Gargnano

An all-suite wellness resort above Gargnano with a spa of around 3,800 square metres. It is not on the water, so ask the concierge to arrange a boat from Gargnano’s harbour, home of the Centomiglia. Bogliaco is the nearest course. Usually closed for a few weeks each January.

Best for: a spa-led stay with sailing and a few rounds.

Check rates at Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda

Villa Cordevigo, Cavaion Veronese

A Venetian villa on a working wine estate, with Michelin-starred Oseleta. Ca’ degli Ulivi is about 20 minutes away, Fumane about 25, Bardolino’s harbour 10 to 15. Closed in recent winters from early January to around late March; ask for dates.

Best for: wine first, with golf and the lake close by.

Check rates at Villa Cordevigo

QC Termegarda, Calvagese della Riviera

A renovated 15th-century palazzo with Arzaga’s 27 holes at the door and a large thermal spa. Desenzano’s harbour is under half an hour away. Ask about winter closure dates.

Best for: golf at the door, with boat and wine days as excursions.

Check rates at QC Termegarda

For more routes and rules on the water, see Lake Garda by boat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I combine golf, wine and a boat day without changing hotels?

Yes. From Sirmione, four courses, Lugana cellars and Masi Tenuta Canova are within an hour, Valpolicella under an hour, and boats leave from the peninsula.

Can I hire a motorboat anywhere on Lake Garda?

No. Motor navigation is banned on the Trentino waters around Riva and Torbole. Motorboats operate on the Lombardy and Veneto sides.

Do I need a handicap certificate to play?

Expect to. Directories list limits of 36 at San Vigilio and Ca’ degli Ulivi and 54 at Bogliaco; confirm with each club.

When is the Centomiglia regatta in 2026?

The 76th edition is on 5 and 6 September 2026, organised by Circolo Vela Gargnano. Book western shore hotels and boats early for that weekend.