Seven Inspiring Villas in
Italy's Lake Garda Region
by INHABIT EDITORS
Lake Garda, Italy’s largest freshwater body, was created by slow-moving glaciers during the last Ice Age. The result is of the most one of the most glorious places on earth. Olives, grapes, and lemons flourish is the surrounding mountains’ morainic soil, the temperate weather is livened up by mountain breezes, and everywhere you look, the beautiful cerulean lake stretches as far as the eye can see.
Even more spectacular? Calling it home. Here are seven swoon-worthy Lake Garda villas, from fairy tale-like retreats to modern architectural marvels, currently listed with Maddalena Magri and Corcoran Magri Properties.
Lazise
What’s Here: Two villas sit side-by-side in a park-like property of 22,000 square meters, or 5.4 acres. The pair of villas are both fully furnished, with panoramic views of the garden and of Lake Garda. The property also includes a tennis court and a swimming pool surrounded by rolling lawns. There’s an outdoor patio with a grill and a delightful vine-covered arbor that runs alongside the back of one of the houses. Both of the villas’ kitchens have a surfeit of charm, each with a cooking hearth and room for a dining table.
Why Here: Lazise is a lovely, medieval lakefront town that’s also home to two of Italy’s major amusement parks: Gardaland and Movieland. which offer rides, waterparks, and even a branch of the Medieval Times restaurant. For those interested in the real thing, Lazise’s Scaliger Castle, built in the 14th century, is one of the town’s primary landmarks and available for guided tours, as well as a pretty historic town center with narrow, cobbled medieval streets. Lazise is also one of the few Lake Garda towns with a sandy beach.
Torri del Benaco
What’s Here: Perched in the hills of Torri del Benaco, this joyful four-bedroom villa overlooks Lake Garda with two terraces, shaded with jaunty yellow-and-white striped awnings. The house has two living rooms, one on the ground floor and one on the floor above, both flooded with natural light and graceful, arched doorways. The garden is beautifully planted with olive trees, a palm tree, a pomegranate tree, and a Japanese maple. There’s also a heated and illuminated pool, as well as an outdoor fireplace.
Why Here: Torri del Benaco has long been a preferred under-the-radar holiday destination for celebrities, hosting the likes of painter Max Ernst, diva Maria Callas, and writer Andre Gide. After winning the Nobel Prize for Literature, Gide spent more than a month in Torri del Benaco in 1948, writing, “I had never before lived such wonderful, beautiful days.” With its temperate weather, picturesque surroundings, and delicious restaurants, Torri del Benaco is little changed from Gide’s visit, and continues to be beloved by all.
Torri del Benaco
What’s Here: This striking, furnished three-bedroom modern villa in Torri del Benaco has spectacular views of Lake Garda, the mountains, and Castello Scaligero, the town’s most famous landmark. The primary suite takes up the entirety of the upper level — with a walk-in closet and a luxurious bathroom with a bathtub and a shower — and opens up to a huge terrace with views for days. Two additional bedrooms are on the lower level, one of which is currently being used as a home gym. And if you want to get in some laps, the property has a dramatic infinity pool with an amazing vista of Lake Garda, where you can swim morning, noon, or night.
Why Here: Torri del Benaco is a fantastic base to explore the many hiking, sailing, and cycling opportunities near Lake Garda. A popular five-mile hike in starts in the hamlet of Pai and crosses a suspended Tibetan bridge that hangs 45 meters above the valley below to the village of Crero, before looping back to your starting point. As an added bonus, stop by Trattoria Panoramico in Crero to treat yourself to lunch after crossing the bridge — it’s famous for its veranda that boasts panoramic views.
Garda
What’s Here: A romantic and elegant six bedroom villa repeats the arched motif throughout its architecture, with arched windows, arched interior doors, and a ground-level loggia lined with arched openings. Five of the bedrooms are on the ground floor, one with an en suite bathroom, while the sixth bedroom is on the floor above. There are several additional rooms and a small bathroom on the attic level as well. The verdant garden with its long stretch of lawn has a picturesque well, and a small, above-ground pool.
Why Here: Garda is the eponymous little town that gave the lake its name and is set in the middle of a horseshoe-shaped bay, with a long waterfront promenade that winds between the town and the lake. The area is also known for its beautiful beach, which curves around the Baia delle Sirene, or Mermaids’ Bay, and the peninsula of Punta San Vigilio, which has a park, villa, and a little church.
Negrar di Valpolicella
What’s Here: Villa Grazia is a five-bedroom, five-bathroom home built by Veronese architect Libero Cecchini, on the outskirts of Verona, amid the Valpolicella vineyards. This villa embodies the Italian definition of sprezzatura, or an effortless elegance, and was chosen as the setting for two Italian music videos. Set in a park of 10,000 square meters (about 2.47 acres), the villa’s grounds boasts rose gardens, a tennis court, and a pool. Inside, there’s a dramatic living room, with a sculptural staircase, a library, billiard room, home gym, and sauna, as well as four en suite bedrooms. There’s also a separate guest or caretaker apartment, garage, and porticoed barn.
Why Here: Valpolicella is Verona’s wine country and has been producing wine since the time of the ancient Romans. Valolicella is nicknamed “The Pearl of Verona” and its seven communes — including Negrar — have long been a favorite destination for vacation homes. In 2020, an intricate mosaic floor from an ancient Roman villa was discovered underneath a local vineyard, proving that even the ancient Romans knew how to live the good life, enjoying the region’s temperate weather and delicious wines. Today, multiple Michelin-starred restaurants dot Valpolicella, serving amazing cuisine and equally stunning views.
San Zeno di Montagna
What’s Here: A grand seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom villa in San Zeno di Montagna has every amenity necessary to experience paradise on Earth. Each bedroom has an en suite bathroom, a gorgeous swimming pool, plenty of indoor and outdoor living space, hammocks, a fire pit, and a lush, multi-level garden. The house has all the newest technology, including an outdoor lighting system that can transform the whole property into party central (only if desired, of course).
Why Here: San Zeno di Montagna sits high above Lake Garda, earning its nickname as “the balcony overlooking the lake.” The small commune is known for its many outdoor excursions, including exploring Mount Baldo by hiking or mountain biking. If you’re interested in taking in the heights with a less strenuous activity, there’s also the Costabella Cable Car, which runs from Prada to Costabella.
Costermano sul Garda
What’s Here: Airy and light-filled, this four-bedroom, four-bathroom villa has, at its heart, a great room with double-height ceilings and windows. Serving as the central space for family and friends to gather, the great room also has a surround-sound system, a projector, and a large retractable screen for the most epic movie nights ever. Did we mention the wine cellar, naturally kept at the perfect temperature? The upper level has a primary bedroom on one side with a walk-in closet and a bathroom with a whirlpool bathtub made out of a single block of marble, and on the other side, another bedroom with en suite bathroom and space for a playroom or office. There’s a heated pool with spa, as well as multiple terraces and spaces for outdoor dining.
Why Here: Costermano sul Garda may be small, but it boasts some exceptional properties and restaurants — notably the Michelin-starred La Casa degli Spiriti — thanks to its location, which sits on an alpine balcony overlooking the naturally created morainic amphitheater left behind by the melting icebergs. It’s also a short drive from Costermano sul Garda to Spiazzi, from which you can hike to the remote church of Santuario Madonna della Corona, built into the cliffside of Mount Baldo, appearing to be suspended in midair.