Lake Garda – West Coast Loop

Some of the best roads around Lake Garda are not along the shoreline. They lie just beyond it.

Starting from the elegant lakeside town of Salò, the route begins gently, following the contours of the lake before turning inland. The traffic fades, the noise disappears, and the road begins to climb.

Slowly at first. Then steadily. The ascent into the Valvestino is long and immersive, winding through forests and narrow gorges where the landscape feels wild and untouched. This is a different side of Garda — far from the busy lakeside, deep in the mountains where the roads are quiet and the riding becomes meditative.

At the heart of the route lies Lago di Valvestino, a hidden alpine reservoir surrounded by steep cliffs and dense woodland. The road traces its edges, offering moments of stillness and reflection before the ride continues. From here the character of the route shifts. The climb gives way to long, flowing descents. Fast, technical, perfectly engineered — the kind of roads that remind you why you ride.

As the route drops back toward Lake Garda, the horizon opens and the deep blue of the water reappears below. The final kilometres roll back into Salò, where the ride ends as it began — by the lake. A loop that reveals the hidden side of Garda. Quiet roads. Wild landscapes. Endless riding. Here to the East Coast loop