Toscolano-Maderno on the western shore of Lake Garda is surprisingly easy to reach — four hours by car from Munich, a 45-minute flight from Brescia, two hours by train from Verona. Here are the complete routes at a glance.
By car — the most common option
From Munich (southern Germany, Austria)
Classic Brenner route: Munich → Brenner motorway A93/A22 → Bolzano → Trento → Rovereto → Affi → westwards along the lake to Toscolano-Maderno. Around 4 hours of pure driving time, no breaks. Tolls in Austria + Italy together about €30–35 per leg. Don't forget the Austrian vignette (at the petrol station right before the border in a pinch — digital, 10 days for €11.70).
From Frankfurt / Stuttgart
Via Memmingen → Füssen → Reutte → Fernpass → Innsbruck → Brenner. Total driving time about 6–7 hours. The Fernpass route is more scenic than pure motorway, but can jam on summer weekends — alternative: Brenner motorway from Innsbruck.
From Verona / Milan / Brescia
- Verona: A4 motorway towards Brescia → exit Desenzano → west-shore road SS572 northwards. About 1 hour.
- Milan: A4 towards Brescia → exit Desenzano. About 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Brescia: A4 towards Milan as far as Desenzano, then the west shore. About 45 minutes.
Parking on site
All of our apartments include a reserved parking space — Boutique Sky · M1, Sunrise Sky · M2 and Skylounge 360° · M3 in the residence on Via Oriolo, Resort Sky Spa · M4 on Via Vigole. For day trips there are paid parking spaces directly at the Maderno harbour (€2/hour, €15/day).
By plane — faster than you'd think
Four airports are relevant for Lake Garda. Sorted by driving time to the west shore:
- Brescia (BSC): ~45 minutes by car to Toscolano-Maderno. Few direct connections, but Ryanair flies from Berlin and Düsseldorf among others.
- Verona Villafranca (VRN): ~1 hour. Bigger choice of connections, all German-speaking hubs (Munich, Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg). Eurowings, Lufthansa, Ryanair.
- Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY): ~1 hour 15 minutes. A Ryanair hub with many direct flights.
- Milan Malpensa (MXP): ~2 hours 15 minutes. The widest choice of international connections.
Rental cars: all four airports have rental desks right in the terminal. Book early if you arrive in summer — prices easily double between March and June.
By train — relaxed but longer
The train is the slower but stress-free option. The nearest station is Desenzano del Garda (Stazione Desenzano-Sirmione) on the southern shore.
- Munich → Verona → Desenzano: about 6 hours, one or two changes. ÖBB Nightjet gets you there overnight while you sleep.
- Verona → Desenzano: 20 minutes by regional express.
- Milan → Desenzano: 1 hour direct.
From Desenzano to Toscolano-Maderno you take the bus (line 026) in around 45 minutes, or the fast ferry in 35 — the latter is the more scenic arrival, luggage included. In summer every 30–60 minutes from the Desenzano pier.
Arriving directly at the apartment
Whichever way you arrive: Ezio, our caretaker on site, handles key handover in person between 15:00 and 19:00. If you arrive later (for example after an evening flight to Verona), self-check-in is possible by arrangement — access code by email beforehand.
A tip for the last mile: Via Oriolo runs through an old residential part of Maderno with narrow streets. If you don't have a nimble car, ask Ezio for the exact approach route in advance — it saves you 5 minutes of searching.
In comparison
For families with children and bigger luggage, the car is usually the best option — more flexibility for day trips to olive mills or hiking areas. For couples on a short weekend, a flight to Brescia or Verona plus rental car on site often makes sense. The train is sustainable and relaxing, but takes a bit more time.
If you have specific questions about the journey (traffic in high season, toll updates, the best fuel-stop routes) — just ask before your stay.