Camping region
Family resorts, historic towns and particularly practical transport connections sit close together on the southern shore. Peschiera, Sirmione and Desenzano offer three very different bases for a camping holiday.
Between fortress, peninsula and town life
Southern Lake Garda feels noticeably different from the mountainous north. The landscape becomes flatter, towns sit closer together and large camping resorts play a stronger role. Peschiera del Garda, Sirmione and Moniga del Garda are our three camping bases, deliberately representing different sides of the south and southwest.
Peschiera combines a fortified town, canals, railway station and Gardaland. Sirmione represents the distinctive peninsula with the Scaliger Castle, thermal water and Roman history. Moniga adds an exceptionally large choice of genuine campsites and a calmer Valtenesi character on the southwestern lake.
Desenzano remains important as a town, railway hub and excursion destination but does not receive its own camping place page. The regional recommendations instead represent the three actual camping bases of Peschiera, Sirmione and Moniga.
Why the south
The south is particularly strong for families, town visits and trips where convenient transport connections matter.
Peschiera, Sirmione and Desenzano can be linked relatively quickly along the southern shore. This makes the region especially useful for campers who want to visit several towns without spending every day on long drives around the lake.
Large waterparks, children's programmes, sports facilities and proximity to Gardaland shape the Peschiera area in particular. At the same time, traditional lakeside campsites and calmer sections appear towards Sirmione and Desenzano.
Peschiera is about fortifications, canals and theme parks, Sirmione about its peninsula, castle and thermal water, and Desenzano about town life, harbour and rail connections. These contrasts make the southern shore especially varied.
Peschiera and Desenzano both have railway stations on the main Verona–Brescia–Milan corridor. For excursions or car-free arrival, the south is therefore more flexible than many smaller Lake Garda towns.
Our selection
Four different camping properties represent a family resort, traditional lakeside camping, Sirmione and the western side of the southern shore.
Five-star family campsite directly on Lake Garda in Peschiera with a large aquapark, five pools, slides and 80–90 m² camping pitches.
Camping Bella Italia is our top recommendation for southern Lake Garda because it represents the region’s typical strengths especially well. It sits directly on the lake and only around 1.5 kilometres from central Peschiera. Traditional camping pitches are around 80 to 90 m², complemented by a very broad range of rental accommodation.
Bella Italia is particularly strong for families: five pools, water slides, play areas, children’s clubs, sports and extensive daytime and evening entertainment make the resort a holiday destination in its own right. At the same time, Peschiera, Gardaland and the southern shore’s transport connections remain easy to include.
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Four-star campsite directly on Lake Garda in Peschiera with traditional pitches, a pool, restaurant and useful access to the old town and railway station.
Large lakeside resort in Sirmione with a camper area, three pools, water slide, private beach and extensive family facilities.
Four-star lakeside campsite in Moniga with a pool, spray park, pitches, mobile homes and family-oriented activities.
Places in the south
These three towns are our camping bases in the south. Desenzano remains an important town and excursion destination within the region but is not presented as a separate camping place page.
Camping base
Peschiera is one of Lake Garda’s most practical camping bases: directly on the water, with a historic fortified town, railway station, cycle routes and very short access to Gardaland.
Explore place
Camping base
Sirmione is not a classic camping town but an exceptional peninsula with a castle, old town, thermal water and Roman ruins. Campsites deliberately sit south of the historic centre around Colombare and Lugana.
Explore place
Camping base
Moniga combines an unusually large choice of campsites directly on the lake with the calmer Valtenesi hinterland. The harbour, castle, Chiaretto vineyards and numerous campsites all sit within a compact area.
Explore placeExperience the south
Short distances make it easy to combine historic towns with a camping holiday.
Fortress town
Peschiera is unique on Lake Garda: the historic town sits within a star-shaped Venetian fortress and is crossed by canals. In the early evening, the walk combines particularly well with the harbour, old town and dinner by the water.
Onto the peninsula
The narrow peninsula becomes very busy later in the day. An early start makes the approach to the old town, the Scaliger Castle and the lanes noticeably calmer, with time afterwards to continue towards the Grotte di Catullo or the lakeshore.
Town by the lake
Desenzano feels more urban than many Lake Garda holiday towns. Around the old harbour, Piazza Malvezzi and the waterfront, a camping day can end easily with an aperitivo, dinner or a relaxed evening walk.
Plan well
The exact position within large holiday zones and the transport used for town visits make a significant difference.
A campsite east of the old town can be especially practical for Gardaland, while sites west of or close to the centre often provide stronger walking and cycling access to Peschiera itself. Not every campsite optimises both equally.
The historic centre sits at the end of a narrow peninsula. Especially in peak season, buses, bicycles, boats or an early start are often more relaxed than driving directly to the old-town entrance.
Travellers who want to include Verona, Brescia or Milan benefit from Desenzano's railway station. For campers, this can be a strong reason to leave the vehicle on the pitch and make a full-day trip by train.
Some southern-shore properties are very large. Distance from the pitch to the beach, pool, sanitary blocks or exit can noticeably affect daily life, so the preferred zone is worth considering at booking time.
Our conclusion
Travellers who want large campsites, short distances to theme parks and famous Lake Garda destinations will find especially broad options in the south. Peschiera is the strongest family and transport base, Sirmione the distinctive peninsula destination and Moniga adds an especially large campsite choice on the calmer southwestern lake.