In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Italy
Malcesine
Spend 1–2 days in Malcesine: visit the Scaliger castle, ride the Monte Baldo cable car, and enjoy the lakeside promenade.
Malcesine is a medieval lakeside town on Lake Garda, 60 km northwest of Verona. Its compact historic centre, a 14th‑century castle and the Monte Baldo cable car make it ideal for a short stay. One full day covers the main sights; a second day adds a ferry ride to Limone or a hike on Monte Baldo.
- Country
- Italy
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire 115 · Ambulance 118
- Plugs
- Types C, F, L · 230 V · 50 Hz · Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).
- Tipping
- Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.; Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1–2 |
| Gelato | €2–3 |
| Ferry crossing | €12–15 |
| Monte Baldo cable‑car return | €15–20 |
| Castle entry | €6 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- VRN · Verona Villafranca Airport
- Main airport for the region, about 60 km (37 mi) southeast of MalcesineMain airport for the region, about 37 mi (60 km) southeast of Malcesine
Typical fares
- Ferry Malcesine ↔ Limone
- ≈ €12 each way, summer only (check schedule)
- Monte Baldo cable‑car round trip
- €15–20, open late spring to early autumn
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The historic centre is walkable. Ferries run Jun‑Sep to Limone sul Garda; the Monte Baldo cable car operates late spring to early autumn. Buses connect to Verona.
See and do
Known for
- Castello Scaligero
- Monte Baldo cable car
- Lake Garda promenade
- Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Limone sul Garda | Summer ferry from Malcesine harbour, about 20 min crossing | ≈45 min total |
| Monte Baldo summit | Cable car from Malcesine to Malcesine‑Baldo, then hike or take the chairlift | ≈2 h round trip |
Sleep
- Hotel Vacanze 2000
- Family hotel just outside town, good for budget or mid‑range stays.
- Boffenigo
- Wellness hotel in Costermano, splurge option.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Scusiskuˈzi |
| Thank you | Grazieˈɡrattsje |
| How much is it? | Quanto costa?ˈkwanto ˈkosta |
| Where is the ferry? | Dove è il traghetto?ˈdove ɛ il traˈɡetto |
| Can I have a map? | Posso avere una mappa?ˈposso aˈvere ˈuna ˈmappa |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars; avoid: Walking in and pointing without a greeting
- Cheek kisses: Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead; avoid: Kissing strangers or in business settings
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches; avoid: Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
- Queues: At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino); avoid: Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated and ask for the bill; avoid: Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
- Conversation: Food, football and family are safe openers; avoid: Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals); avoid: Refusing seconds too firmly
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry service only runs June‑September; plan ahead in off‑season.
- Cable‑car tickets are seasonal; check opening dates before travel.
- The castle bell chimes loudly on the hour – bring ear protection if sensitive.
Malcesine is a safe tourist town; standard precautions apply and watch for busy ferry docks in summer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Malcesine yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Castello Scaligero
- Monte Baldo cable car
- Lake Garda promenade
- Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Comune di Malcesine official site: www.comunemalcesine.it/
- Wikivoyage: Malcesine, revision 4625107 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4625107
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/malcesine). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.