If you're planning your first trip to Northern Italy and want to combine Venice, Lake Garda and Verona, this is the route I'd recommend giving yourself at least a week for.
We've visited this part of Italy loads over the last few years, including as part of our 16-day Italy itinerary with the kids. We've been to Venice three times, Murano and Burano twice, Sirmione twice and Verona several times, either staying there or passing through as part of longer trips around Italy.
Last May, we actually travelled this exact route, starting in Venice before continuing to Lake Garda and finishing in Verona. We did it much quicker than the itinerary I'm sharing here, but we'd already visited all of these places before and knew exactly what we wanted to see again.
If it was my first visit, I wouldn't rush it quite as much.
Instead, I'd give myself seven nights. That gives you time to explore Venice properly, visit the islands of Murano and Burano, spend three nights at Lake Garda and finish in Verona without feeling like you're constantly checking out of hotels and moving on.
You don't need to hire a car either. We've travelled around this whole area using public transport, with trains connecting Venice, Lake Garda and Verona and ferries and buses making it easy to explore once you're there.
I also really like the way this route flows. You can fly into Venice, gradually make your way west through Lake Garda and Verona, then fly home from Verona rather than travelling all the way back to where you started.
And if you've got longer, even better. You could easily turn this into a 10-day or even two-week Northern Italy trip, particularly if you want to slow things down around Lake Garda and explore more of the towns around the lake.
In this guide, I'll show you exactly how I'd plan the route based on our own trips, including where we've stayed, how we've travelled between each stop, what we've paid and what I'd prioritise if I was visiting for the first time.
Planning a bigger Italy trip? We’ve travelled around Italy loads over the last few years, mostly using trains and public transport. You can find all our Italy travel guides and itineraries here, including budget trips, where to stay and how to get around without a car.
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📍 Route: Venice → Lake Garda → Verona
🌙 Length: 7 nights / 8 days
🏨 Bases: Venice (3 nights) → Sirmione (3 nights) → Verona (1 night)
🚆 Getting around: Trains, water buses, ferries & buses/taxis
🚗 Car needed: No
✈️ Fly into: Venice Marco Polo
✈️ Fly home from: Verona
✈️ Fly into Venice Marco Polo
⛴ Water transport from the airport into Venice
🏨 Check in for 3 nights
🇮🇹 Easy afternoon and evening exploring Venice
📍 St Mark's Square & Basilica
🌉 Rialto Bridge & Bridge of Sighs
🚶 Wander the canals and quieter streets
🛶 Optional gondola ride
⛴ Water bus from Venice to Murano
🔥 Explore Murano and its glass-making workshops
🌈 Continue to colourful Burano
⛴ Return to Venice for your final evening
🚆 Venice Santa Lucia → Desenzano del Garda
🚌 Bus or taxi to Sirmione
🏨 Check in for 3 nights
🌅 Spend the afternoon/evening exploring Sirmione
🏰 Scaligero Castle
🏛 Grotte di Catullo
🏖 Jamaica Beach
♨️ Optional thermal spa
🍦 Wander the old town and lakefront
⛴ Ferry to Peschiera del Garda
🏘 Explore the old town and waterfront
🍝 Stop for lunch by the lake
⛴ Return to Sirmione for your final evening
🚌/🚕 Sirmione → Desenzano del Garda
🚆 Short train journey to Verona
🏨 Check in for 1 night
🏟 Verona Arena, Piazza delle Erbe & Juliet's House
🍝 Spend your final evening in Verona
☕ Enjoy a little more of Verona if your flight time allows
🚌 Airlink from Verona Porta Nuova to Verona Airport
✈️ Fly home
Why I'd plan it this way: With only seven nights, I'd rather keep the hotel changes to a minimum and use Venice and Sirmione as proper bases. You still get Venice, Murano, Burano, Sirmione, Peschiera and Verona, but you're only unpacking your suitcase three times rather than moving hotels every couple of days.
For the first three nights, I'd base myself in Venice itself. It means you can unpack properly, spend two days exploring Venice and then visit Murano and Burano as a day trip without having to move your luggage between the islands.
We've flown into Venice Marco Polo Airport ourselves, and getting from the airport towards Venice by water is much easier than it might sound.
Once you've collected your luggage, follow the blue signs for Water Transport through the airport. We found it really straightforward and the signs take you all the way down towards the water.
From here, you can take an Alilaguna water bus into Venice. There are different lines and stops depending on where your hotel is, so I'd check which stop is closest to your accommodation before travelling rather than automatically getting off at the first main stop.
I'd also choose the hotel before deciding exactly which airport boat to take.
Venice isn't somewhere you want to arrive with a week's worth of luggage and then discover you've got a 30-minute walk involving several bridges to reach your hotel.
One thing we learnt when using the airport water transport ourselves is that the journey is actually quite a nice introduction to Venice. Instead of arriving by road or train, you're straight out onto the lagoon with your first views of the islands before you've even checked in.
With three nights, I'd prioritise location over having the fanciest hotel.
I'd look for somewhere within easy walking distance of a vaporetto stop, particularly because you'll be arriving with luggage and using the boats again for your Murano and Burano day trip.
We've previously recommended Hotel Antico Doge, which is near Rialto Bridge and within walking distance of Fondamente Nove. That location works particularly well for this itinerary because Fondamente Nove is one of the main departure points for boats towards Murano and Burano.
I wouldn't plan loads for the first day because how much time you have will depend entirely on your flight.
Once you've checked in and dropped your bags, I'd just head out and start exploring on foot.
Venice is one of those places where you don't really need a plan for your first few hours. Wander along the canals, cross whichever bridges take your fancy, stop for something to eat and gradually make your way towards some of the main sights if you've got time.
If you arrive early enough, you could head towards Rialto Bridge or St Mark's Square, but there's no need to try to tick everything off straight away because you've got a full Venice sightseeing day tomorrow.
And if you fancy doing a gondola ride at some point during the trip, your first evening could be a lovely time for it. Otherwise, I'd save the money, find somewhere for an aperitivo and enjoy the fact you've got another two nights in Venice rather than trying to cram the city into a few hours.
For your first full day, I'd stay in Venice and explore as much as possible on foot. We've visited Venice three times now, and walking is still my favourite way to see it.
You can use the vaporetto to get around, but unless you're travelling quite a distance, I'd save it for when you actually need it. Half the fun of Venice is wandering through the little streets, crossing bridges and finding places you weren't actually looking for.
I'd start the morning around Piazza San Marco, particularly if you want to visit St Mark's Basilica or the Doge's Palace. This is one of the busiest parts of Venice, so getting here earlier gives you a chance to see it before the biggest crowds arrive.
You can visit St Mark's Basilica, walk around the square and see the Campanile before heading towards the waterfront.
The Bridge of Sighs is also right beside the Doge's Palace, so it makes sense to see these together rather than coming back later in the day.
If you want to go inside the Basilica or Doge's Palace, I'd book your tickets in advance. Queues can get really long, particularly during the busier months.
From St Mark's Square, I'd walk towards Rialto Bridge.
It's not a particularly long walk, although in Venice there's every chance it'll take you twice as long as expected because you've gone down the wrong street or stopped to look at something along the way.
We've done plenty of that ourselves.
Around Rialto you'll find loads of shops, cafés and places to stop for food, as well as the Rialto Market if you're there while it's open.
The bridge itself gets incredibly busy, but it's still one of those Venice sights I'd want to see on a first visit.
After you've seen some of the main sights, I'd make the afternoon much less structured.
Head away from the busiest streets and just wander. We've found that you don't have to go particularly far from St Mark's and Rialto before Venice starts to feel much quieter.
You could head towards Cannaregio, stop for cicchetti, sit beside one of the canals or simply see where you end up.
Another option is Scala Contarini del Bovolo, with its spiral staircase and views across the rooftops. If seeing Venice from above is something you'd like to do, I'd fit this into the afternoon rather than trying to add another major attraction.
If you've never been to Venice before, you might also want to add a gondola ride.
We've done one ourselves, and while it's definitely not the cheapest way to spend half an hour, it is one of those very Venice experiences.
The official gondola fares are set rather than something you need to haggle over, although the price is for the gondola rather than per person. If you're travelling as a family or group, that makes the cost a little easier to justify.
I'd probably do it later in the afternoon or early evening once you've finished most of your sightseeing for the day.
By this point, I wouldn't plan another list of things you need to see.
Find somewhere for dinner, have another wander and enjoy Venice once some of the day-trippers have started leaving.
You've deliberately given yourself three nights here, so there's no need to treat your full Venice day like a race. Tomorrow is completely different anyway, as you'll be heading out across the lagoon to Murano and Burano.
For your final full day in Venice, I'd head out to Murano and Burano. We've visited both islands twice now, and they're really easy to combine in one day from Venice.
This is also why I'd now choose to stay in Venice for all three nights rather than moving hotels. You can leave your luggage behind, head out with just what you need for the day and come back to the same hotel that evening.
I'd start fairly early and head to Fondamente Nove, where you can catch a vaporetto across to Murano.
Murano is the closer of the two islands, so I'd visit here first before continuing to Burano.
The island is famous for its glass making, and you'll find shops and workshops all over Murano selling pieces made locally. We've watched the glass blowing ourselves, and I'd definitely include a demonstration or workshop if it's your first visit.
You can also visit the Murano Glass Museum, or simply wander along the canals and browse the shops. Murano isn't huge, so you don't need to spend the whole day here.
I'd allow a couple of hours before continuing to Burano.
From Murano, head to Murano Faro and take the vaporetto across to Burano.
We've done this journey ourselves and it takes around 40 minutes, so it's a nice chance to sit down for a bit after walking around Murano.
Burano is completely different. The island is known for its rows of brightly coloured houses, and even after visiting twice, it's still somewhere I'd happily go back to.
The colours aren't random either. Homeowners need permission before changing the colour of their house, which helps maintain the look Burano is famous for.
You don't really need a huge sightseeing list for Burano.
Most of our time there has been spent wandering around the canals and little streets, taking photos and stopping in the shops.
Burano is also famous for its lace making, so you can visit the Lace Museum if you want to learn more about it. You'll also spot the leaning bell tower of San Martino as you walk around the island.
I'd leave plenty of time for lunch too. There are restaurants around the canals, along with more casual places if you don't want a big sit-down meal.
After lunch and a final wander around Burano, take the vaporetto back towards Venice.
I'd allow most of the day for Murano and Burano rather than trying to squeeze them into a couple of hours. Both get much busier once the day trips arrive, which is another reason I'd start reasonably early.
Once you're back in Venice, you've got your final evening to revisit anywhere you particularly liked, have dinner and enjoy one last wander before moving on to Lake Garda the following morning.
And this is where the itinerary changes pace nicely. After three days of Venice and the islands, you're swapping canals and crowds for three nights beside Lake Garda.
After three nights in Venice, it's time to move on to Lake Garda for the next three nights.
For this itinerary, I'd choose Sirmione as your base. We've visited Sirmione twice now, including staying there ourselves, and I think three nights gives you a really nice balance. You have time to explore Sirmione properly, but you can also use one of your days to see more of Lake Garda.
Sirmione doesn't have its own train station, so the easiest route from Venice is to take the train from Venezia Santa Lucia to Desenzano del Garda.
Direct trains are available, with the faster services taking around 1 hour 30 minutes, although journey times vary depending on which train you choose.
I'd leave Venice sometime in the morning rather than rushing out at the crack of dawn. You've got three nights at Lake Garda, so there's no need to sacrifice your final breakfast in Venice just to arrive an hour earlier.
Once you reach Desenzano del Garda, you'll need to complete the journey to Sirmione by bus or taxi.
When we stayed in Sirmione, we used a taxi from Desenzano station. There weren't any waiting outside when we arrived, but there was a sign at the taxi rank with the number for a local company.
We called them and a taxi arrived within about five minutes. The journey to our hotel took around 20 minutes and cost us €25.
You can also use the bus if you'd rather keep the cost down, but with a week's worth of luggage, this is one of the points in the itinerary where I'd personally be tempted to pay for the taxi.
We stayed at Hotel Alevic and I'd happily use it again for this itinerary.
The location was one of the main reasons we chose it. It's only around a five-minute walk from Sirmione's old town and Scaligero Castle, so once you've checked in you don't need transport every time you want to go out.
Breakfast was included during our stay, and when the weather is suitable it's served out in the garden. There was loads of choice, including a separate selection for different dietary requirements.
Our room also had a balcony, and the hotel has a rooftop pool and bar overlooking Lake Garda.
That pool is another reason I'd like having three nights here. With a faster itinerary it's very easy to book a lovely hotel and then spend so much time sightseeing that you never actually use any of it.
Once you've checked in and dropped your bags, I wouldn't immediately start ticking off the main attractions.
Sirmione's old town is really easy to explore on foot, so I'd use the afternoon to get your bearings. Walk through the entrance beside Scaligero Castle, wander around the little streets, head down towards the lake and, obviously, stop for your first gelato.
We've been to Sirmione twice and it's one of those places where I don't think you need to be doing something every minute. A big part of visiting is simply wandering around the old town and stopping beside the lake.
If you're travelling when the weather is warm, I'd also leave some time to head back to the hotel and use the rooftop pool.
Then find somewhere for dinner in Sirmione and have a fairly relaxed evening.
You've got a full day here tomorrow, so I'd save the castle, Roman ruins and anything else you specifically want to visit for then rather than trying to cram them into your arrival day.
Today I'd stay in Sirmione and give yourself a full day to explore properly.
We've visited Sirmione twice now, and although the old town isn't particularly big, there's more to see than you might expect. This is also one of those places where I'd leave some spare time in the day rather than planning attraction after attraction.
I'd start with Scaligero Castle, which you really can't miss as you enter Sirmione's old town.
The 13th-century castle sits right on the water and is one of the most recognisable sights in Sirmione. You can go inside and climb up for views over the rooftops and Lake Garda.
Because you're staying in Sirmione, you also have the advantage of being able to get into the old town earlier, before many of the day-trippers start arriving.
From the castle, continue through the old town towards the northern end of the peninsula and the Grotte di Catullo.
Despite the name, these aren't actually caves. They're the remains of a huge Roman villa sitting right at the end of the peninsula, with Lake Garda surrounding you on three sides.
I'd allow a decent amount of time for this part of the day because there's quite a large archaeological site to walk around.
While you're at this end of Sirmione, you can also head down towards Jamaica Beach.
It's not a sandy beach, so don't arrive expecting somewhere covered in sun loungers and soft sand. It's known for the huge flat rocks along the edge of the lake and the clear water surrounding them.
In warmer weather, this would be a lovely place to stop for a while before heading back towards the old town.
After the castle and Roman ruins, I'd make the afternoon much more relaxed.
There are loads of little streets and shops around Sirmione, along with plenty of places to stop for lunch or a gelato. We've had some absolutely enormous gelatos here, so I'd definitely leave room for one.
If you're staying at Hotel Alevic and the weather is good, this is also when I'd head back and actually make use of the rooftop pool rather than filling every hour with sightseeing.
Another option is Terme di Sirmione if you'd like to add some spa time to the trip. Personally, with three nights here, I'd much rather have a few hours relaxing than feel like I needed to find another attraction simply because I had time left.
Head back into the old town for dinner and enjoy another evening beside the lake.
This is one of the reasons I'd give Sirmione three nights rather than trying to squeeze Lake Garda into a shorter stay. You're not just arriving, spending one frantic day sightseeing and leaving again the following morning.
Tomorrow you can leave your luggage at the hotel and use the ferry to see another part of Lake Garda, before coming back to Sirmione for one final night.
For your final full day at Lake Garda, I'd use the ferry to visit Peschiera del Garda.
We've been to Peschiera three times now, and I think it works really well alongside Sirmione. The two feel quite different, and taking the ferry also means the journey becomes part of the day rather than simply being another train or bus ride.
From Sirmione, you can take the ferry directly to Peschiera del Garda.
I'd check the timetable for your actual travel dates before planning the day, as Lake Garda ferry schedules change throughout the year and there are more services during the main season.
If the ferry timings don't work for your trip, you can also travel between Sirmione and Peschiera by bus.
For this itinerary though, if the boats are running, I'd definitely choose the ferry. After spending the last few days using trains and walking, it's a lovely way to actually get out onto Lake Garda and see some of the scenery from the water.
Peschiera sits at the southern end of Lake Garda and is surrounded by canals and huge defensive walls.
The fortified town is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but you don't need a particularly complicated sightseeing plan here. I'd start by wandering through the historic centre, walking alongside the canals and exploring some of the old fortifications.
We've visited Peschiera three times, including staying here as a base on one of our longer Italy trips, and it's a really easy place to explore on foot.
There are plenty of cafés and restaurants around the centre too, so I'd stop somewhere for lunch rather than trying to rush through and catch the next boat back.
After lunch, I'd head down towards the waterfront and spend some time around the lake.
This day is deliberately less packed than your full day in Sirmione. By this point you've already had Venice, Murano, Burano and several days of sightseeing, so I don't think you need another day filled with attractions.
Have a wander, get a gelato, sit beside the lake and enjoy having nowhere you urgently need to be.
Later in the afternoon, take the ferry or bus back to Sirmione for your final night at Lake Garda.
I'd probably make this another relaxed evening. Head back into the old town for dinner, have one last walk beside the lake or, if you're staying somewhere with a pool and the weather is good, make the most of the hotel before you leave.
Tomorrow you're moving on to Verona, but it's only a short journey away. That's another reason I like this route so much. You get three completely different parts of Northern Italy without spending hours of the trip travelling between them.
After breakfast, it's time to leave Lake Garda and head to Verona for your final night.
I wouldn't rush out of Sirmione first thing. Verona isn't far away, so you can have breakfast, check out and then make your way over late morning, leaving you with most of the afternoon and evening to explore.
Sirmione doesn't have a train station, so you'll first need to get back to Desenzano del Garda by bus or taxi.
When we've done this journey, we've used a taxi between Sirmione and Desenzano station. From there, trains run directly to Verona Porta Nuova, with the journey taking around 25 to 30 minutes.
You could also travel via Peschiera del Garda, but as you're staying in Sirmione, I'd simply check the bus and train times for your date and choose whichever route works best.
Once you arrive at Verona Porta Nuova, you can walk into the historic centre or take a local bus if you don't fancy doing it with your luggage.
With only one night, I'd definitely pay attention to location.
You don't want to spend half of your final day travelling backwards and forwards to a hotel on the outskirts, so I'd stay somewhere around the historic centre.
We've previously stayed at Hotel Milano & SPA, just steps from the Arena, and the location is brilliant for a short visit.
They also have a rooftop terrace overlooking the Arena, which is a pretty impressive setting for your final night in Italy.
Once you've dropped your bags, I'd head straight out and explore.
Start at Verona Arena, right in Piazza Bra. If you want to go inside, you can visit independently or book a guided tour, but even just seeing it from the outside is impressive.
From there, walk towards Piazza delle Erbe, one of my favourite parts of the city, and then on to Juliet's House.
The courtyard is free to enter, but you'll need a ticket if you want to go inside and onto the famous balcony. It can get incredibly busy here, so don't expect a peaceful Romeo and Juliet moment.
If you've still got plenty of time, head to Torre dei Lamberti for views across the city.
You can then continue towards the river and cross Ponte Pietra, with some lovely views back towards Verona.
I wouldn't worry if you don't manage absolutely everything. You've deliberately got the following morning available too, depending on your flight time.
For your last evening, I'd keep things simple and stay around the historic centre.
Find somewhere for dinner, have one final wander through Piazza Bra and Piazza delle Erbe and enjoy Verona once you're no longer trying to get from one attraction to the next.
If you're staying at Hotel Milano, I'd definitely finish with a drink on the rooftop overlooking the Arena.
After a week of Venice, the islands and Lake Garda, Verona is a really easy final stop. It's compact enough to see plenty in an afternoon and evening, but still feels completely different to everywhere else you've visited on the trip.
Your final day will obviously depend on what time your flight leaves, but if you've got a later flight, I'd use the morning to see anything in Verona you didn't manage the day before.
This is another reason I like finishing the itinerary here. You're not facing a long journey back across Northern Italy just to catch your flight, so you can make the most of your final few hours.
If you still have time for some sightseeing, you could visit anything you missed the previous afternoon or simply have a slower morning around the historic centre.
Leave your luggage at the hotel after checking out, find somewhere for breakfast or coffee and have one last wander.
If you didn't make it across Ponte Pietra the day before, I'd head that way. You could also revisit Piazza delle Erbe, do a little shopping or just enjoy not having a massive sightseeing list for your final morning.
Definitely. Seven nights is a nice amount of time for this route, particularly if it’s your first visit and you don’t want to spend half the trip changing hotels.
If you have 10 days, I’d probably add the extra nights around Lake Garda. There are so many towns around the lake that you could easily keep Sirmione as your base and use the ferries to explore more of them.
With two weeks, you could slow the whole trip down even further, spend longer in Venice and Verona, or add another stop in Northern Italy.
Personally, I wouldn’t try to cram lots more destinations into the seven-night version. I think Venice, Murano, Burano, Sirmione, Peschiera and Verona is already a really good amount to see in a week without it starting to feel like you’re constantly on the move.
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