Windsurfing in Lake Garda
Trentino, Italy
By NP7 Crew · Updated
Europe's most scenic windsurf arena: the Ora wind between the mountains
Lake Garda at a glance
- Best time
- May-September
- Typical wind
- 12-20 knots (Ora)
- Level
- All levels, light mornings and powered afternoons
- Water
- Flat to light chop, deep water, afternoons like clockwork
Lake Garda is windsurfing between two-thousand-metre cliffs. Every summer afternoon the famous Ora wind funnels up the lake with clockwork reliability, turning the northern shore around Torbole into one of Europe's favourite windsurf playgrounds. Mornings are for espresso and rigging, afternoons for planing across deep blue water, evenings for pizza and gelato in town: the full Italian package.
Watch: Lake Garda in October
What to wear in Lake GardaNobody has said yet · Tell usNobody has said yet · Tell us
Been here? Pick the season, then tap what you wore.
Which forecast works in Lake GardaVote yoursVote yours
Nobody has voted yet. Been here? Tell the next rider.
Which forecast nails it here? Vote the model you trust.
It's the forecast model. In any wind app (Windguru, Windy…) you can pick which one to show. Not sure? GFS is the safe global default; the high-res ones (ICON-D2, AROME…) are sharper at coastal & thermal spots.
Global models
High-resolution (thermal / coastal)
The spots (2)
Malcesine
Tested by NP7: we've been here · Intermediate · Choppy
Half an hour down the eastern shore, Malcesine catches the Ora at full stride. The wind has more fetch here, so it arrives stronger and the chop runs bigger than in Torbole.
Torbole
Tested by NP7: we've been here · Intermediate · Flat water, Choppy
The classic. Torbole sits at the very top of Lake Garda, where two winds run the day: the Pelér drops down from the north for strong early-morning sessions, and the famous Ora funnels up the lake every summer afternoon with clockwork reliability.
Half an hour down the eastern shore, Malcesine catches the Ora at full stride. The wind has more fetch here, so it arrives stronger and the chop runs bigger than in Torbole. Launch from the grass in front of the centre, blast under the castle, and enjoy that the water is noticeably emptier. The cable car up Monte Baldo is the best no-wind backup on the lake.
No one has said yet what to watch out for here, or how easy it is to launch.
- Best
- Works
- No-go
Info from 2 riders
The classic. Torbole sits at the very top of Lake Garda, where two winds run the day: the Pelér drops down from the north for strong early-morning sessions, and the famous Ora funnels up the lake every summer afternoon with clockwork reliability. Flat to light chop, deep blue water, 2,000-metre cliffs on both sides, and espresso, pizza and gelato a barefoot walk from the rigging lawn.
No one has said yet what to watch out for here, or how easy it is to launch.
- Best
- Works
- No-go
Level: mostly Beginner (1)
Conditions: 100% flat water · 100% choppy · 100% deep water
A rider-built spotguide
The NP7 spotguide is built by riders, for riders. Rate the spots you know and put your home spot in Lake Garda on the map. A free account and you're one tap in.
- Rate the spots you know
- Add your home spot
- Wind stats & crowd forecasts
- Members' tips
Be one of the first to put your spot in Lake Garda on the map
Free. No payment, ever.
Stories about Lake Garda
Help build the guide
How Lake Garda rates
Where next
Volosko
Croatia · 2 spots
Murtensee
Switzerland · 1 spot
Gruissan
France · 1 spot
Potsdam
NewGermany