Stephen Moore Fine Art

A Three-Week Painting Adventure on Lake Garda

We are just back from a three-week painting adventure on Lake Garda in northern Italy. Lake Garda is a spectacular place to paint and explore. It is the largest of the glacial lakes in Italy, nestled in the northeast corner against the pre-Alps at its northern end.

Though I had heard of Lake Garda before the trip, I assumed it would be similar to Lake Como—perhaps a bit less interesting, since I had not heard much about it. Then I stumbled across some compelling travel videos on YouTube, first about Riva del Garda and then Malcesine. Those videos inspired the trip, but being there offered far more than the videos could convey. You simply cannot appreciate the magnificence of the mountains rising out of the Alpine waters like a tsunami so immense that in places you have to tilt your head up and down to take it all in. Layers of rugged peaks trail into the distance, gradually blending with the sky. It was truly something to see—and to try to paint.

I am writing this to share our experience and offer some practical insights for artists who might wish to visit and paint in the area.

Practical Considerations for Plein Air Painters

Plein air painters carry a lot of gear. While ferries, taxis, and buses are available, you will still do a great deal of walking. We typically walked one to five miles a day in search of the perfect subject. Inspiration was everywhere. The walks themselves were enjoyable (if tiring), and the environment felt pristine and sparkling. The Italians thoughtfully place trash cans and benches all along the promenades and lakeside walkways.

I paint with acrylics; my wife mainly uses watercolors. Before the trip, two AI sources informed us that local regulations around Lake Garda forbid pouring dirty paint water on the ground. Our solution—also AI-inspired—was to use an inexpensive paint-hardening powder designed for leftover house paints. It turns acrylic-contaminated water into a solid waste product that can go into non-recyclable trash. A little goes a long way (I brought far too much). We poured the hardener into Dixie cups of dirty water; it rapidly thickened into a semi-solid that we sealed in a zip-lock bag and disposed of in the available containers. We respected both the law and the environment, and the method worked beautifully.

I usually paint on gallery-wrapped canvases in the studio. One-and-a-half-inch deep canvases are heavy and bulky for travel and walking, so I brought sheets of 300-pound watercolor paper, gessoed on one side. The 22 × 30 sheets were divided into quarter sheets for convenient 9 × 12 paintings. I clamped and taped them to a small rigid foam-core board. This system worked very well—the size was manageable to finish on location, and the setup was simple and light.

Still, I wanted to paint on canvas while there. A friend once described carrying stretcher bars, tacking canvas onto them on location, painting, then removing the painted canvas to roll it for transport and tacking on a fresh piece. He worked fairly large (30 × 40). I started more modestly with 22 × 28 stretchers, and it proved much easier than expected. I used ¼-inch staples that came out cleanly with a staple remover. The rolled canvas traveled in an inexpensive telescoping plastic tube ordered online (checked as baggage). If I did it again I would bring more than one set of stretcher bars. With only one set I was limited to a single canvas painting per day, since we were often far from the hotel on foot. My wife suggested layering a second canvas over the first and removing the finished painting on location—an excellent alternate plan that we tried near the end of the trip. I added ten inches to each dimension of the canvas so it could later be restretched on 1½-inch deep bars; the rolled canvas was therefore 32 inches on the short side.

My Soltek easel (not so new anymore) was fantastic—quick to set up and break down. Pricey, but worth it.

Riva del Garda

We stayed in three locations: Riva del Garda first, then Malcesine, and finally Bardolino.

In Riva the colorful historic old town was about a mile from our hotel. It was busy, and the walkways were covered with artful stone mosaics. Even with a tarp I preferred not to paint on those old streets, choosing grassy areas instead where an accident would be less consequential. Crowds can also be distracting. About four hundred yards from the hotel, however, lay the lake beach (spiaggia)—a mix of sandy/pebbly ground and grass. Locals and tourists use these beaches much as we use sandy beaches at home, though without the dense umbrella culture. The atmosphere was family-friendly and pleasant. Mountains surging out of the Alpine water, windsurfers, sailors, kite surfers, lush trees, and nearby pizzerias (with bathrooms) made it an inviting place to paint with abundant subject matter.

The main challenge in Riva is the predictable daily wind. Neighboring Torbole draws athletes who love wind-driven sports; they are a spectacle to watch and paint. Strings of small sailing-school boats identical to those I know from Beaufort were towed out and back. The wind can be gusty, so I painted behind bushes or other windbreaks. Cyclists are another constant presence. German was the language I heard most often on the entire trip—Germans and Italians alike love cycling the lake, and dedicated bike lanes run through town, sometimes shared with pedestrians. The cyclists can be assertive, especially if you are wide-eyed and wandering.

Riva earns an A+ for paintability and inspiring subject matter, tempered only slightly by the wind to a solid A. I would gladly return. We walked to Torbole but did not explore it thoroughly, nor did we visit Arco. A day trip into the Dolomites is easily done from Riva—something for next time.

Malcesine

Our second week was in Malcesine. When we first arrived at Hotel Capri, perched on a hill away from the lake, I was momentarily dismayed. We entered through the back and took an elevator down to the lobby and restaurant. The views of the lake and mountains from there were spectacular and instantly exciting. We did not have a room with a primo view, yet every breakfast (excellent ones) left us mesmerized by the evolving scene. On evenings when our legs would carry us no farther, dinner at the hotel was a pleasure—the chef was outstanding.

Malcesine offered endless painting opportunities: the busy old town with the Scaliger Castle, the promenade and mountains, beaches with arched shores and small stone jetties, and panoramic mountain scenes from the higher roads. We barely sampled them all. Although whitecaps and windsurfers showed that wind was present on the lake, it never bothered us on shore. Paragliders stepping off mountainsides and performing stunts high above were a constant spectacle—something I had never seen before.

Malcesine was a glorious place to paint. I even received a commission for the Hotel Europa on the north end of the beach: a view of the Scaliger Castle that included their dock, as requested. Silvia and Sara seemed very pleased. We made good art friends there. I give Malcesine an A+ for painting and overall vibe—a wonderful place to visit, explore, and paint. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who looked after us.

While based in Malcesine we visited Limone sul Garda. It is beautiful, but even in the shoulder season it was very crowded. The old harbor is lovely; any paintings from there will come from photographs.

Bardolino and Day Trips

Our final week was in Bardolino. The town is relatively flat and the promenade is lined with hotels. The pebbly beach has a scalloped edge formed by rock jetties and many small piers—reminiscent of our own coast, but with distant mountains. The old town featured a Ferris wheel, a more modern harbor, a lakeside fountain, and (during our visit) festival remnants that gave it a state-fair atmosphere. It was popular and busy. From Bardolino, looking west you see the Sirmione peninsula; looking north, part of Garda. Immediately south lies Lazise.

The first two weeks brought amazingly good weather. In the third week clouds and rain arrived. We took a taxi to Lazise—a beautiful old town with a very paintable harbor, though also crowded. We explored, photographed, and walked back through Cisano. The next day, still under uncertain skies, we walked to Garda. Garda is lovely and would make a fine base. Mountains frame the view north and south. We took many photos when the sun appeared and returned by ferry, but did not paint there. Finding a setup that would not obstruct others seemed tricky. Beyond Garda, Punta San Vigilio looked promising from the highway; we hope to visit next time.

With weather deteriorating we took the ferry to Desenzano and Sirmione. Desenzano felt more urban, with a large port and a beautiful old harbor of impressive architecture. We stayed long enough for photos and coffee; I would love to paint the harbor and explore further. Sirmione occupies a long peninsula jutting into the lake, with trees, park-like areas, and the old town. We had originally planned to stay there but changed to Bardolino after hearing complaints about crowds. Sirmione was busy; its Scaliger Castle is best seen from a boat. Quieter painting spots may exist farther out on the point.

With time short and no convenient ferry to Torri del Benaco, we hired a taxi for a final reconnaissance. The driver said it was nice and quieter—he was right. Torri has a very paintable old harbor and much more we did not have time to explore. Tourists were fewer. We painted through changeable weather for two days in the harbor area. Two plein-air painters drew curiosity from children and adults alike; we never quite managed to stay out of the way, yet it was a pleasant experience. I would happily return to paint and explore more—perhaps even stay there.

On our last day we painted on the beach in Bardolino. The promenade is right there, so we provided the morning’s entertainment. After the first painting under returning intense sun our energy faded—the trip was ending—and we packed for home.

Reflections

The most exciting places I painted on Lake Garda were Malcesine, Riva del Garda, and Torri del Benaco. I love painting light, strong local color, sky, mountains, and water. These locations offer an abundance of all of them. If those elements appeal to you, I believe you would enjoy painting here as much as I did. I definitely hope to return.

A few practical takeaways: paint hardener is an excellent way to convert liquid acrylic waste into solid landfill-safe material, and labeled trash cans are plentiful. Rolling canvas and tacking it onto stretchers (even two layers on one set of bars) works well; since the tube must be checked baggage you can choose a larger size if desired, though 22 × 28 felt about the practical maximum for working in the elements. The Soltek easel made setup and breakdown fast and easy.

Thank you, Reba, for the hat—it saved me from intense sun on many occasions and was remarkably comfortable. And thank you, Christian, our congenial and helpful driver who moved us from hotel to hotel and to and from the airport. We preferred not to rent a car and navigate Italian roads; Christian took care of everything with quiet efficiency.

Lake Garda delivered far more than the videos promised. The light, the water, the mountains, and the generous spirit of the places themselves made for a memorable painting adventure.