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Malcesine: Things to Do, Castle and the Monte Baldo Cable Car
The top things to do in Malcesine, on the Veneto shore of Lake Garda, are the Scaligero Castle, the 20-minute cable car ride up Monte Baldo at $33.39 (€30) return, and a 2-hour sail on a historic boat. From 2 November to 12 March no passenger ferries call, so the season shapes the visit.
Quick answer Castle, cable car, boats, ferries, seasons
Malcesine's big three are the castle, the Monte Baldo cable car ($33.39 (€30) adult return, about 20 minutes to the top) and the water. The cable car closes for maintenance from 2 November to 25 December. Ferries reach Limone in 20 minutes and Riva in 65 minutes, but stop from 2 November to 12 March.
Key takeaways
- Want time on the water? The Malcesine sailboat cruise on the Siora Veronica lasts 2 hours for $45.
- Heading for the mountains? The Dolomites day trip from Lake Garda runs 10-12 hours for $95.
- Choosing a base? Compare Malcesine with things to do in Sirmione on the south shore.
- Planning the whole lake? Start with the lake garda guide and visiting Lake Garda.
What Is Malcesine Famous For?
Malcesine is famous for its Scaligero Castle on a rock above the lake and for the cable car up Monte Baldo.
Malcesine is the northernmost town on the Veneto shore, about 40 km northwest of Verona. It is listed among I Borghi più belli d'Italia, the most beautiful villages in Italy.
The Main Things to Do at a Glance
The table compares the main things to do in Malcesine by cost and timing. Fares and hours come from the cable car company, the town tourism portal and Navigazione Laghi. The sailboat price is the current price of the tour on this site.
| Activity | Cost | Time It Takes | How to Do It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scaligero Castle and museums | Ask at the castle | Every day to 31 October 9:30-18:00 | Seasonal hours below |
| Monte Baldo cable car, top station | $33.39 (€30) return | About 20 minutes each way | Ticket office or online |
| Siora Veronica sailboat cruise | $45 | 2 hours | Afternoon sailing from the harbor |
| Ferry to Limone | $8.35 (€7.50) one way | 20 minutes | Navigazione Laghi, summer timetable |
| Ferry to Riva del Garda | $12.80 (€11.50) one way | 65 minutes | Navigazione Laghi, summer timetable |
The Old Town and Market
The cobbled old town is free to wander. Look for the Captain's Palace on your way through. A weekly market fills the old town on Saturday with cheese, olive oil and fruit.
In summer, concerts take place at Teatro Lacaò, a natural amphitheater at the foot of the castle. Two of the largest islands on Lake Garda, Isola di Sogno and Isola dell'Olivo, also lie within Malcesine.
Sources: Funivie del Baldo, Navigazione Laghi, Navigazione Laghi.
When Is Malcesine Castle Open?
The Scaligero Castle opens every day 9:30-18:00 until 31 October, then switches to weekends and holiday dates at 10:30-17:00 through the winter.
The castle stands on a rock over the water. Its tower is 31 metres tall and rises about 70 metres above the lake.
Opening Hours by Season
The table lists the castle's seasonal opening days and hours as the Malcesine tourism portal gives them. Check the portal before a winter visit, as dates shift.
| Period | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Until 31 October | Every day | 9:30-18:00, last entry 17:30 |
| November | Saturday and Sunday | 10:30-17:00, last entry 16:30 |
| 5 December to 6 January | Every day | 10:30-17:00 |
| From 9 January and in February | Saturday and Sunday | 10:30-17:00 |
Museums, Goethe and History
Inside are the Monte Baldo and Garda Natural History Museum and a room dedicated to Goethe. The poet sketched the castle, and locals arrested him as a spy. His drawings now hang in the castle museum.
The Langobards first built a castle on this rock between the 5th and 6th centuries. The Franks destroyed it in 590, and King Pepin stayed in the rebuilt fort in 806. Alberto della Scala took it in 1277, and Venice gained control in 1439. The castle bell, cast in 1442, still rings. The castle became a national monument in 1902.
The cable car line from Malcesine up Monte Baldo. Photo: Falk2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How Much Is the Malcesine Cable Car?
An adult return from Malcesine to the Monte Baldo top station costs $33.39 (€30) at the ticket office or $31.16 (€28) online.
The cable car climbs from the lakeside to Tratto Spino at 1,760 m in about twenty minutes. You can also stop at San Michele, the mid station.
Cable Car Fares
The table compares Monte Baldo cable car fares from Malcesine as the cable car company lists them. Online tickets cost less than those bought at the ticket office. There is no family fare.
| Ticket | Ticket Office | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Adult return, top station | $33.39 (€30) | $31.16 (€28) |
| Adult one way, top station | $24.49 (€22) | $22.26 (€20) |
| Adult return, San Michele | $13.36 (€12) | $11.13 (€10) |
| Adult one way, San Michele | $8.90 (€8) | $6.68 (€6) |
| Junior return, top station | $20.03 (€18) | $17.81 (€16) |
| Junior one way, top station | $16.70 (€15) | $14.47 (€13) |
Who Pays What
Children up to 1.20 m ride free, but they still need a free ticket from the ticket office. Buy online for the lower fare. The ride takes about 20 minutes to the top, so a summit visit fits into a morning.
Sources: Funivie del Baldo, Funivie del Baldo.
When Does the Monte Baldo Cable Car Run?
The summer season runs 4 April to 1 November, the cable car closes for maintenance 2 November to 25 December, and winter runs 26 December to 21 February.
The cable car runs in two seasons with a long maintenance gap between them.
Summer Hours
Weather can stop the ride, and the first and last rides shift with the season, so check the cable car company's timetable for the day you go.
Winter and the Maintenance Gap
From 2 November to 25 December the cable car does not run at all. The winter season runs 26 December to 21 February. In the gap, plan the castle and the old town instead.
Monte Baldo is also the launch point for paragliding over Malcesine, and the town tourism portal lists sailing and bike rental too. For a bigger mountain day, the Dolomites Full-Day Tour from Lake Garda takes 10-12 hours for $95.
Sources: Funivie del Baldo, Funivie del Baldo.
Tours That Fit
A full day in the mountains for those who have done Monte Baldo.
Dolomites Full-Day Tour from Lake Garda
A long 10-12 hour coach day from Lake Garda to Pordoi Pass and Ortisei with an optional €28 cable car, from $95 per person.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Likegarda
What Boat Trips Leave From Malcesine?
The historic Siora Veronica sailboat runs a 2-hour cruise for $45, and Navigazione Laghi ferries link Malcesine with Limone in 20 minutes and Riva in 65 minutes.
Malcesine faces Limone across the narrow northern lake, so boats are the quickest way to the west shore.
The Siora Veronica Sailboat
Malcesine: Panoramic Cruise on Historical Sailboat costs $45 per person for 2 hours and holds a 4.3 rating from 380 reviews. The waterfall cruise sails in the early afternoon on the Ora wind toward Tremosine. Check the start time when you book.
On the way back it passes the Scaligero Castle and the Captain's Palace.
Ferries to Limone and Riva
The table compares the two most popular ferry trips from Malcesine, with times from the summer timetable and fares from the Navigazione Laghi fare sheet. Return tickets cost double.
| Route | Fare Zone | Time | Full Fare One Way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malcesine to Limone | Zone 3 | 20 minutes | $8.35 (€7.50) |
| Malcesine to Riva del Garda | Zone 4 | 65 minutes | $12.80 (€11.50) |
| Zone day pass Centro (adult) | Limone-Malcesine to Maderno-Torri | 1 day | $26.16 (€23.50) |
Picking the Right Ticket
The Centro day pass covers Limone-Malcesine down to Maderno-Torri for one day at $26.16 (€23.50). It only pays off if you ride several legs in one day. A return to Limone costs $16.70 (€15), so for a single crossing the one-way fare of $8.35 (€7.50) is enough.
Sources: Navigazione Laghi, Navigazione Laghi, Navigazione Laghi.
Do Ferries Run From Malcesine in Winter?
No, there are no passenger ferries on the lake from 2 November to 12 March, only the Torri-Maderno car ferry.
Off-season visitors reach Malcesine by road.
Ferry Seasons
The autumn timetable runs 5 October to 1 November, and the spring one 13 to 25 March. From 2 November to 12 March the only boat on Lake Garda is the Torri-Maderno car ferry. There are no passenger boats on the rest of the lake.
At the same time the Monte Baldo cable car closes for maintenance until 25 December, and the castle opens only on weekends in November. Plan a winter visit around the castle's December opening days.
Sources: Navigazione Laghi, Funivie del Baldo.
How Long Is the Transfer From Verona to Malcesine?
Malcesine is about 40 km northwest of Verona, and ATV buses link it with Garda and Peschiera.
Buses, cars and, in season, ferries all reach Malcesine.
By Bus
ATV Verona runs line 483/484 along the east shore, Malcesine-Garda-Peschiera, and Riva-Torbole-Malcesine-Brenzone-Torri-Garda. From Verona, line 164 runs to Peschiera and Garda, where you change. Bus times change by season, so check the current timetable on atv.verona.it before you travel.
By Road or Boat
By car, the road from Verona runs along the east shore of the lake. Malcesine is about 120 km northwest of Venice. In the ferry season, a boat from the south shore is the slow, scenic option, and visiting Lake Garda explains the routes from the airports.
Source: ATV Verona.
Is Malcesine, Italy Worth Visiting?
Yes, Malcesine is worth it for the castle, Monte Baldo and the boats, best between mid-May and early October, when the ferries, the cable car and the castle all run.
Malcesine suits travellers who want mountains and water in one stop.
Best Time to Go
The full ferry timetable runs from 16 May to 4 October, the cable car runs from 4 April to 1 November and the castle opens every day until 31 October. That makes mid-May to early October the window when everything runs. After 2 November the ferries stop and the cable car closes for maintenance.
Sirmione or Malcesine?
The table compares Malcesine with Sirmione, a town on the south shore, using the official castle and transport details for each.
| Feature | Malcesine | Sirmione |
|---|---|---|
| Castle | Scaligero Castle with natural history museum | Scaligero Castle, $11.13 (€10), closed Mondays |
| Big extra | Monte Baldo cable car, about 20 minutes up | Grottoes of Catullus Roman villa |
| Setting | Mountains above the narrow north lake | Peninsula on the wide south lake |
| Read more | This page | Things to do in Sirmione |
Which Suits You
Pick Malcesine for paragliding and views from 1,760 m. Pick Sirmione for Roman ruins and short boat trips. Both have a Scaligero Castle.
If you are still choosing a lake, read Lake Garda vs Lake Como.
Sources: Musei Lombardia, Funivie del Baldo.
Malcesine Questions
How long does the Monte Baldo cable car take from Malcesine?
About 20 minutes to the top station at 1,760 m. Pair it with the Malcesine sailboat cruise in the afternoon.
Is the Monte Baldo cable car open in November?
Only on 1 November. It closes for maintenance from 2 November to 25 December. For a mountain day in that gap, see the Dolomites day trip.
How long is the ferry from Malcesine to Limone?
20 minutes on the summer timetable, $8.35 (€7.50) one way. More on the lake ferries in visiting Lake Garda.
Do ferries run from Malcesine in winter?
No. From 2 November to 12 March there are no passenger boats, only the Torri-Maderno car ferry. Plan routes with the lake garda guide.
What is Malcesine famous for?
The Scaligero Castle, where locals once took Goethe for a spy, and the Monte Baldo cable car. The Siora Veronica cruise shows both from the water.
Is Malcesine better than Sirmione?
Malcesine suits mountains and sailing, Sirmione suits Roman ruins and short boat loops. Compare with things to do in Sirmione.
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