Salò and Gardone Riviera day trip from Sirmione or Riva del Garda or Bardolino or Brescia
A day trip to Salò and Gardone Riviera from Sirmione, Riva del Garda, Bardolino or Brescia: D'Annunzio's house and gardens at the Vittoriale degli Italiani, the André Heller Botanical Garden, then the lakefront and old town of Salò with the Palazzo della Magnifica Patria, the cathedral and the MuSa museum. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Salò and Gardone Riviera in 1 day
Day 1
Vittoriale degli Italiani
Gabriele D'Annunzio's hillside estate above the lake, with his crowded house, museum, open-air theatre, mausoleum and a warship set in the garden.
André Heller Botanical Garden
Hillside garden of plants from around the world, with ponds, bamboo and modern artworks placed among the paths.
Historic centre of Salò, lakefront and Palazzo della Magnifica Patria
Walk Lake Garda's longest promenade past the town hall's arcades and the palace of the old Magnifica Patria, into the lanes of the old town.
Salò Cathedral
Late-Gothic cathedral with an unfinished facade and a Renaissance marble portal, with paintings by Romanino and others inside.
MuSa – Museum of Salò
The town's museum in a former convent, with exhibitions on Salò's history and changing art shows.
Getting there
By car Salò is about 40 minutes from Brescia and from Sirmione, and about an hour and a quarter from Bardolino or Riva del Garda. Buses run from Brescia, and lake boats from Sirmione, Bardolino and Riva call at Salò and Gardone Riviera in season, a slower but scenic way to come.
Staying in Sirmione or Riva del Garda or Bardolino or Brescia? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Salò and Gardone Riviera
Spring and early autumn are the best seasons, mild and less crowded, with the gardens in flower from April. Summer is hot and busy on the lake, and boats run most often. In winter many hotels close and the Vittoriale keeps shorter hours.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Salò and Gardone Riviera on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Salò and Gardone Riviera on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Salò and Gardone Riviera on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Salò and Gardone Riviera
- Book a timed visit to D'Annunzio's house, the Prioria, ahead: it is seen only on guided tours and slots fill up.
- The Vittoriale needs half a day: the house, the museum, the warship Puglia set in the hillside and the open-air theatre are spread over a large park.
- The André Heller garden opens from about March to October; check before you go.
- Lake boats link Gardone Riviera and Salò in season, a pleasant way to travel between the two.
- Stroll Salò's long lakefront promenade in the late afternoon and stop for an aperitivo by the water.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Historic centre of Salò, lakefront and Palazzo della Magnifica Patria: 01 Nio, CC BY 3.0
- MuSa – Museum of Salò: 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 4.0
- Salò Cathedral: 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 4.0
- Vittoriale degli Italiani: Biblioteca Vittoriale, Public domain
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
