Lake Garda Travel GuideIsola Del Garda Boat Tour: Private Cruise With Prosecco
- 1.5 hoursDuration
- 4.9 · 428Reviews on Viator
- From $496.04per boat (private tour)
- Free cancellation 24hCancellation
Quick answer The short answer
This Isola del Garda boat tour costs $496.04 for the whole boat, lasts 1.5 hours and is private, with a guide, driver and a bottle of Prosecco included. It is a cruise around the island and does not land on it.
Key takeaways
- The boat passes Sirmione, Maria Callas' villa, the Rocca di Manerba, San Biagio Island and Isola del Garda. See what you see from the water.
- Want to set foot on the island? Read does this boat tour land on Isola del Garda for the landing visit.
- On a budget, the Sirmione Boat Tour Around the Peninsula costs $13 per person for 25 minutes.
- Prefer to steer yourself? The Sirmione Fiat 500 Boat Rental is $143 per boat for 1 hour.
Sold and operated by Bertoldi Boats Snc. Booked and paid through Viator. We may earn a commission if you book through our link, at no extra cost to you. Compare all Lake Garda tours
This Isola del Garda boat tour is a private 1.5-hour cruise run by Bertoldi Boats Snc, priced at $496.04 for the whole boat. A local guide and driver point out Sirmione, Maria Callas' villa, the Rocca di Manerba, the Grottoes of Catullus and the waters off San Biagio Island and Garda Island, and a bottle of Prosecco comes with the option. It suits small groups who want the boat to themselves and a short time on the water. The tour runs on Lake Garda and is weather-dependent, with a free alternative date if weather cancels it. You can see how it compares with the other boat trips on Lake Garda before you book.
About This Tour
Bertoldi Boats Snc runs this private 90-minute circuit on Lake Garda. A guide and driver/guide travel with you and a glass of Prosecco is included, with one bottle per the tour option. The price of $496.04 covers the whole boat, not each person.
The route passes Sirmione, the Rocca di Manerba and San Biagio Island, then heads across the water for views of Isola del Garda and its palace and lawns. The boat does not land on the island. The whole 1.5 hours is spent on the water, and the tour is suitable for all fitness levels.
$496.04 per boat (private tour), all taxes, fees and handling charges included. A parking fee is extra and not in the price.
1.5 hours, all of it on the lake.
Not stated. You must give the supplier your telephone number as soon as possible.
No departure times are stated. Book a slot and confirm the time on the booking page.
Private tour. No maximum group size is stated.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. Weather cancellations get an alternative date.
Check Dates and Availability
Departure times are not published, so check live slots on the booking page. Cancel free of charge until 24 hours before departure.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Tour Itinerary
The tour is one 1.5-hour circuit without published clock times, so the steps are phases.
-
Meet
Board the boat
The meeting point is not published. Give the supplier your telephone number as soon as possible.
-
On the water
Sirmione peninsula
The guide points out the Grottoes of Catullus and Maria Callas' villa as the boat works along the peninsula.
-
On the water
Rocca di Manerba
Across to the Rocca di Manerba.
-
On the water
San Biagio Island
Pass San Biagio Island offshore.
-
On the water
Isola del Garda
Views of the Venetian neo-Gothic palace, the terraces and the Italian-style gardens. The boat does not land. Prosecco is included.
-
End
Back to the start
The circuit closes after 1.5 hours back at the departure point.
Boats in the harbor at Sirmione. Photo: Jan Sende, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Price Covers
The $496.04 covers the private boat, the guide and driver, all taxes and handling charges, and a glass of Prosecco with one bottle per the tour option. Food, other drinks and the parking fee are not in it.
Included and Excluded
The inclusions name a local guide, a private tour, a driver/guide, all taxes, fees and handling charges, and a glass of Prosecco. One bottle of Prosecco comes with the tour option. Food and drinks are excluded unless specified, and the Prosecco is the drink that is specified.
| Item | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private boat and driver/guide | Yes | 1.5-hour circuit, run by Bertoldi Boats Snc |
| Local guide commentary | Yes | English and other languages not stated |
| All taxes, fees and handling charges | Yes | Stated in the inclusions |
| Prosecco | Yes, one glass | One bottle included per the tour option |
| Food and other drinks | No | Excluded unless specified |
| Parking fee | No | The price does not include parking |
| Landing on Isola del Garda | No | Cruise only, no stop ashore |
| Hotel pickup | No | Not offered |
| Entry tickets to sights | No | Not part of this tour |
What You Pay on Top
Budget for parking at the departure point, since it is an extra, and for any food or drink beyond the Prosecco. If you add time in Sirmione before or after, the Scaligero Castle and the Grottoes of Catullus cost $11.13 (€10) each, and a combined ticket covering both plus the Roman Villa in Desenzano costs $22.26 (€20) and stays valid 7 days. Both Sirmione sites close on Mondays.
Book It If, Skip It If
Book it if
- you want the whole boat to yourselves at $496.04 total, so the per-person cost drops with every extra guest
- you are happy to see Isola del Garda from the water, since the 1.5 hour cruise passes five sights without landing
- you want a bottle of Prosecco included with a guide and driver on a private 1.5-hour circuit
Skip it if
- you want to set foot on the island, since the boat does not land and the official guided landing visit is the way to walk the gardens
- you travel as a couple on a budget, when the Sirmione Boat Tour Around the Peninsula costs $13 per person for 25 minutes
- you want golden hour built in, when the Sirmione Sunset Boat Tour does 45 minutes with Prosecco for $34.21 per person
Pros and Cons
An honest read on where this tour wins and where it does not.
What we genuinely like
- Private boat for your group only, at $496.04 total, so the per-person cost drops with every extra guest
- Guide and driver/guide commentary included across five sights in 1.5 hours
- A bottle of Prosecco included with the option
- 4.9 rating from 428 reviews
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, and an alternative date if weather cancels
The honest downsides
- The boat does not land on Isola del Garda, which the title may lead you to expect
- A parking fee is extra and the amount is not stated
- The meeting point and departure times are not published
- Food and drinks are excluded unless specified, so only the Prosecco is covered
- At $496.04 per boat it is far more than the $13 shared peninsula loop if you travel as a couple
Who it's NOT for: Travelers who want to set foot on the island should book the official guided landing visit instead, and small budgets should look at the Sirmione Boat Tour Around the Peninsula.
Before You Go
A short checklist for the boat, the weather and the drive to Sirmione.
Season and Weather
The tour is subject to favorable weather conditions. If weather cancels it, the operator offers an alternative date. Bring a light layer and sun protection for 1.5 hours on open water.
Getting to the Start
The meeting point is not published. By car, a parking fee applies and is not included in the price. By ferry, Desenzano to Sirmione is zone 1 at $3.90 (€3.50) and takes 20 minutes in season.
Remember the ferry gap: from 2 November to 12 March only the Maderno-Torri car ferry runs, so winter arrivals are by road. Public transportation options are available nearby.
Money, Ages and Access
Prices on shore are in euro. The European Central Bank reference rate is 1 EUR = 1.1130 USD, which is how the dollar figures on this page are converted. The tour has no minimum age, the listed age range is 0 to 120, and infants can ride in a pram or stroller.
It suits all fitness levels. Service animals are allowed. Wheelchair access on the boat is not stated, so ask the operator directly if someone in your group needs step-free boarding.
Sources: European Central Bank, Navigazione Laghi.
Does This Boat Tour Land On Isola Del Garda?
No. This is a cruise around the island, and the boat does not go ashore.
What This Tour Does Instead
The 1.5 hours are spent on the water, off the shores of Sirmione, the Rocca di Manerba, San Biagio Island and Garda Island, with fine views of the palace and lawns. If seeing the island from the lake is enough, this private circuit works well, because it adds Sirmione and the Manerba shore that a pure island trip skips.
| Option | Time | Lands on the island |
|---|---|---|
| This private cruise with Bertoldi Boats | 1.5 hours on the water | No |
| Official guided landing visit | 2 to 2.5 hours on the island, 15 to 40 minutes transfer each way | Yes, guided only |
How the Landing Visit Works
Isola del Garda cannot be visited independently. The guided tour with boat transfer must be booked at least the day before, the stay on the island lasts 2 to 2.5 hours and the transfer takes 15 to 40 minutes each way. Guided tours run from late March or early April through October, every day except Monday.
If landing matters to you, book the official visit on isoladelgarda.com and treat this cruise as a different product. A good compromise is to do both on different days, pairing a morning landing visit with an afternoon on your own boat from the Sirmione Fiat 500 Boat Rental.
Source: Isola del Garda.
The gulf of Manerba with San Biagio and Isola del Garda, seen from the west shore. Photo: This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder . Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message . This image is not in the public domain . Please respect the copyright protection. It may only be used according to the rules mentioned here. This specifically excludes use in social media , if applicable terms of the licenses listed here are not appropriate. Please do not upload an updated image here without consultation with the Author. The author would like to make corrections only at his own source. This ensures that the changes are preserved. Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author. Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract ., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Isola del Garda on Video
Isola del Garda, its villa and gardens. Third-party video by Travels With My Friend. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
How the Tour Runs
The route and the total time are known but no clock times and no meeting address are published. You must pass your telephone number to the supplier as soon as possible.
The Circuit, Part by Part
The meeting point is not published. The boat works a 1.5-hour circuit: along the Sirmione peninsula past the Grottoes of Catullus and Maria Callas' villa, across to the Rocca di Manerba on the western shore, past San Biagio Island, and out to Isola del Garda for views of the Venetian neo-Gothic palace and its terraced gardens. You return to the start point.
No stop ashore, no swimming stop and no free time are stated.
| Part of the tour | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Meet and board | Not stated | Meeting point not published |
| Sirmione peninsula, Grottoes of Catullus, Maria Callas' villa | Part of the 1.5 hours | Seen from the water |
| Rocca di Manerba | Part of the 1.5 hours | Western shore headland |
| San Biagio Island | Part of the 1.5 hours | Passed offshore |
| Isola del Garda | Part of the 1.5 hours | Views of the palace and lawns, no landing |
| Return to start | Not stated | End point not stated |
The Boat and the Guide
This is a private boat with a driver/guide and a local guide who provides commentary. Boat type and length are not stated. Languages are not stated either, so if commentary in a specific language matters, ask the operator through the booking page before you commit.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, service animals are allowed, and public transportation options are available nearby.
What You See From The Water
The route strings together five sights in 90 minutes, all viewed from the lake.
The Island and Its Villa
Its villa on Isola del Garda is Venetian neo-Gothic, designed by Luigi Rovelli in the early 1900s, with terraces and Italian-style gardens descending to the water. Over the centuries the island hosted Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Anthony of Padua and Dante, and served as a pirates' refuge, a monks' hermitage and a Savoy garrison.
The Other Landmarks on the Route
On the Sirmione side the boat passes the Grottoes of Catullus and the villa of Maria Callas, the Greek-American soprano. The route also passes the Rocca di Manerba and San Biagio Island. To see Sirmione's sights properly afterward, the Scaligero Castle opens Tuesday to Sunday 8:30-19:15 and the Grottoes of Catullus Tuesday to Saturday 8:30-17:00, Sunday 8:30-14:00, both closed Mondays.
Check the hours before you go. Check the hours before you go. Check the hours before you go.
Sources: Isola del Garda, Musei Lombardia.
Sirmione Around the Boat Trip
The tour passes Sirmione, so pair it with the town's two Roman-and-medieval sights, and plan the drive or ferry in.
What to Add Before or After
Sirmione squeezes a medieval castle, Roman ruins and a lakefront old town into one narrow peninsula. The Scaligero Castle costs $11.13 (€10), full price, with a $2.23 (€2) reduced rate for EU citizens aged 18-25 and free under 18, and the ticket includes the keep. The Grottoes of Catullus also cost $11.13 (€10), card only on site.
The combined ticket with both, plus the Roman Villa in Desenzano, is $22.26 (€20) and valid 7 days. Both sites close Mondays, so do not plan castle-and-cruise on a Monday.
| Sight | Hours | Ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Scaligero Castle | Tue-Sun 8:30-19:15, ticket office closes 45 minutes earlier | $11.13 (€10), reduced $2.23 (€2), under 18 free |
| Grottoes of Catullus and museum | Tue-Sat 8:30-17:00, Sun 8:30-14:00, last entry 40 min before closing | $11.13 (€10), cashless on site |
| Combined ticket, both plus Desenzano Roman Villa | Valid 7 days | $22.26 (€20) |
Getting in Without a Fine
The historic center is a ZTL, a limited-traffic zone, and from late March to mid October vehicles need prior authorisation with registered plates. Fines run $92.38 (€83) to $370.63 (€333). Park outside and walk, or come by boat.
The Navigazione Laghi ferry from Desenzano to Sirmione is fare zone 1, $3.90 (€3.50) one way, and the crossing takes 20 minutes on the summer timetable. From Peschiera the fare is zone 2, $6.68 (€6). Note that from 2 November to 12 March no passenger ferries run on the lake, only the Maderno-Torri car ferry, so in that window you arrive by road.
If you would rather have a guided ride around the peninsula itself for a fraction of the cost, the Sirmione Boat Tour Around the Peninsula is $13 per person for 25 minutes, and the Sirmione Sunset Boat Tour adds golden-hour light and a flute of Prosecco for $34.21 per person.
Sources: Musei Lombardia, Sirmione Municipality, Navigazione Laghi.
Is It Worth Visiting Isola Del Garda?
It depends on if you want to stand on the island or simply see it.
From the Water, on This Tour
From the lake you get the postcard angle on the neo-Gothic villa and its terraced gardens, with a guide explaining the island's saints, poets and garrisons as you pass. On this private circuit that view costs a share of $496.04 per boat, and you also see Sirmione, Manerba and San Biagio in the same 1.5 hours. Nobody else shares the deck.
On the Island, on the Official Visit
To walk the gardens you need the official guided visit, booked at least a day ahead, with 2 to 2.5 hours on the island and a 15 to 40 minute boat transfer each way. Tours run from late March or early April through October, closed Mondays. If the gardens are the reason for your trip, book that directly with the island's own booking page, then keep this cruise for a different day or skip it.
Verdict: the island seen from the water is worth 90 minutes, the island walked is worth a separate morning.
Source: Isola del Garda.
Best Season And Time Of Day For The Cruise
Departure times are not published, so ask for a slot around the light you want.
Season by Season
The tour is subject to favorable weather conditions, so a day with settled weather is the safer pick. Landing visits on the island itself run from late March or early April through October.
Time of Day
No departure times are published. Late afternoon heads toward sunset, and if the golden hour is the point, the dedicated Sirmione Sunset Boat Tour at $34.21 per person builds the whole 45 minutes around it. Whichever slot you pick, the operator will offer a new date if weather cancels the run, so booking a first morning and holding a spare afternoon is a simple hedge.
Source: Isola del Garda.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this Isola del Garda boat tour land on the island?
No, it is a 1.5-hour cruise that passes the island without stopping. To walk the gardens you need the official guided visit, booked at least a day ahead, covered in does this boat tour land on Isola del Garda.
How much does the tour cost?
$496.04 per boat for the private group, with taxes and fees included and the parking fee extra. The price details are in what the price covers.
Is it worth visiting Isola del Garda?
From the water the neo-Gothic villa and terraced gardens are the lake's best sight, and on this private circuit you also get Sirmione, Manerba and San Biagio in the same 1.5 hours. See the full argument in is it worth visiting Isola del Garda.
What is included in the price?
The private boat, a local guide and driver/guide, all taxes and handling charges, and Prosecco with one bottle per the option. Food, other drinks and parking are not included, as set out in what the price covers.
How much is a boat trip on Lake Garda generally?
Shared loops start around $13 per person for 25 minutes in Sirmione, day cruises run about $61 per person, and this private circuit is $496.04 per boat. Compare them in the tour list on Lake Garda Italy.
What happens if the weather is bad?
The tour is subject to favorable weather conditions, and if it is cancelled the operator offers an alternative date. Cancellation terms are in about this tour.
Can children come on board?
Yes. The listed age range is 0 to 120, infants can ride in a pram or stroller and there is no minimum age.
Compare with
Sirmione: Fiat 500 Boat 40HP Rental, no boating license required
Self-drive a Fiat 500 style boat from Sirmione with no license, for up to four people on one hourly rate.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Rent Boat Sirmione
Sunset Tour in Sirmione
A short, low-cost 45-minute sunset boat loop around Sirmione with a glass of Prosecco, no full-day commitment.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Garda Tours - Motoscafisti Consortium Sirmione
Sirmione: 25 Minute Boat Cruise around the Peninsula
A short and cheap 25 minute loop around the Sirmione peninsula with captain narration, run by the operator based at the castle harbor.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Garda Tours (Motoscafisti Consortium Sirmione)
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
We may earn a commission if you book through one of our links, at no extra cost to you. Full affiliate disclosure