Cool post, from my selfish p-o-v. Thanks for resurrecting.
We’ll be there next month split-based in Sirmione and Riva Garda for 2 weeks.
My wife and I are looking at a trip to Lake Garda this October, coincidentally at the same time as the Bardolino Wine Festival. Exactly how packed does Bardolino get during the festival? I’d like to attend one day, but would we be better off staying in another village (maybe Malcesine?) and doing Bardolino and the festival as a day trip via ferry?
It’s Packed! Mostly German/Austrian tourists, with wine glasses suspended from their necks.
Your plan is perfect.
Lazise is a nice little village too.
We rented a trike in Lazise and drove up to Trento. (Fun, but cold and a lot of work!)
(We ate at Osteria Al Capitel, which was fantastic, and got a killer bottle of Ripasso for about 20 Euros.)
Also, tasted at Quintarelli from there, and at Marion, a great little family-run winery.
Have fun!
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Dennis, these photos are great. You look like you have the same travel “sweet spot” of wines, eating, and activity that we do. I am reading through this thread to get ideas for our 3 days in the hills above Bardolino in September. Looking for things on the lake and also maybe Valpolicella too. First time for us in visiting this area. Getting close enough for me to start zeroing in. 
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Excellent, Jim. We really enjoyed. Hoping to get back next year. Enjoy!
Hey Dennis- i saw the village you stayed in but what did you stay ? Hotel or Apartment ? May squeeze a short holiday in around a work trip. Great pics !
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Suggestions on a 4/5 star hotel for Gardone Riviera ? I haven’t looked at ferry schedules yet but good central location to visit other parts of the lake ?
Malcesine is in the northern part of the lake. We were there in September last year. There is a frequent northern ferry route that simply go around at Malcesine, Limone, Torbole and Riva del Garda, with 20 minutes as the longest stop-to-stop. The towns are heavily infused with tourists from neighboring Germany and Austria, but we loved this part of Lake Garda. The ferries that go south to Sirmione are less frequent.
We have always been very happy at Hotel Bellevue in Gardone Riviera. Not a 4/5 star, but a 3 star that feels better than its rating. Since there are Bellevues all over, including at least one other at the Lago di Garda, I’ll put the link here: Hotel Bellevue 3 Stars Gardone Riviera | Lake Garda - Hotel Bellevue Gardone Riviera
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