Canals first, then a lake with room to run
Your trip at a glance
Three nights in Venice, then five by Lake Garda near Sirmione, with rest time built in for children.
Route and nights in each base
- Venice3 nights · Nights 1–3Dorsoduro
- Sirmione area5 nights · Nights 4–8Sirmione
Day 9 is departure, with no extra hotel night.
- Length
- 9 days / 8 nights
- Transfer days
- Day 4: Venezia Santa Lucia to Sirmione (allow 4–5 hours hotel to hotel (editorial allowance)).
- Arrival
- This version assumes Venice Marco Polo.
- Departure
- This version assumes departure from Verona airport, which is the nearest to Sirmione.
- Car
- No car needed
- Getting around
- On foot and by boat, then train and bus
- Hotel allowance
- €100–€200 (family room) per room, per night (example: two adults and two children (ages 8 and 12) in one family room). An editorial allowance for the room only, not the trip cost; the full budget is below.
- Pace
- Relaxed: few moves and open time. Gentle, with rest time
- Physical demands
- Walking: a few hours on foot on sightseeing days (our estimate). Steps and slopes: many steps and bridges. Luggage: 1 hotel change with luggage.
Book these first
- First Flights and a family room or connecting rooms in both places; family rooms are limited and book out first.
- Then A timed slot for the Doge's Palace, and a check of the child ticket rules.
- Closer to the date The bus or taxi from the station to Sirmione, and the Lake Garda ferry timetable for your dates.
Nothing here is booked for you. Book once your dates are fixed, and check each official site for current rules and prices.
Who it suits
Families with children of primary and early secondary age who want a city and a lake, with real rest time between.
Younger children, or anyone with a stroller or limited mobility, will find Venice harder; see the variations.
- Trip PDF
- The PDF is the original 9-day sample itinerary. It is not an export of a trip you have customized. Free with your email: the download starts straight away and we email you a link to it (6 pages, 17.7 KB).
- Saved trip
- Your own editable copy in Build My Trip. Saving asks only for your email, so we can send you a link back to it; there is no password or account. Each overnight base is its own stop with its own nights, so you can change one without the others. The sample here stays as it is.
- Excel planner
- A workbook made from your saved trip, not from this sample. Download it from Build My Trip once the trip is saved; anything still missing is marked in the file.
Day by day
These are suggestions, not reservations: nothing here is booked for you. Check opening days and ticket availability for your own dates.
Venice
Day 1 Arrive in Venice
Make your way to your accommodation by water bus or on foot from the nearest stop, and leave luggage if the room is not ready. Take a short walk along the Zattere waterfront and have an early dinner. A late arrival simply means skipping the walk.
Planning note: Count the walk from the stop to your door, including bridges and steps with luggage.
Day 2 St Mark's and the Doge's Palace
Make St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace your main outing, early in the day before the square fills. Allow roughly 3 hours in all with children, with a snack and a rest between. Spend the afternoon quietly and keep dinner early.
Optional or alternative
- A ride along the Grand Canal on a water bus is a simple way to see the palazzi without a long walk.
Planning note: Check the opening days and ticket scope for the Doge's Palace and the basilica. The Doge's Palace is €15 for ages 6 to 14 (€35 for adults, €30 if booked online 30 or more days ahead). St Mark's Basilica is €10 per adult in the official ticket shop (the €3 on an older page is outdated); entry is by booked slot, Monday to Saturday 09:30 to 17:15 (last entry 16:45), and on Sundays and holidays it opens only at 14:00. Children under 11 enter free, so the 8-year-old does not need a ticket; for the 12-year-old the shop lists a reduction for ages 10 to 18, so check the price when you book.
Day 3 Boat to the lagoon islands
Take a boat to Murano and Burano, or the Lido for a beach, and keep it to one island or one outing. Burano's colorful houses and the Lido's sand suit children better than a second museum. Pack tonight for the journey to the lake.
Planning note: Island service is fullest from April to October; check the timetable for your date.
Sirmione area
Day 4 Venice to Sirmione
Venezia Santa Lucia → Sirmione
Train to Desenzano or Peschiera, then bus or taxi · Allow 4–5 hours hotel to hotel (editorial allowance)Take the train from Venezia Santa Lucia to Desenzano del Garda or Peschiera del Garda, then a local bus or a taxi to Sirmione. The fastest trains take about 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes (a direct Frecciarossa); a regional train via Verona takes nearly 3 hours. The bus then takes about 20 to 25 minutes but runs about hourly, so station to Sirmione is roughly 1 hour 50 minutes at best and up to about 4 hours 20 minutes. This is a travel day with luggage: leave in the morning, allow for the bus connection and keep the afternoon free. Sirmione has no train station, so the last stretch is by road.
Planning note: In peak season some buses stop outside the old center and a shuttle runs to it; check where yours stops and how far your hotel is from that stop. Allow time for carrying luggage over Venice's bridges to the boat or station.
Day 5 Sirmione's castle and old town
Walk into Sirmione's old town and see the castle that guards its entrance, then walk out along the peninsula toward the Roman ruins at its tip. Go early; the old town is busy with day visitors in summer. Keep the afternoon for a swim.
Optional or alternative
- The Roman ruins at the tip of the peninsula (Grotte di Catullo) are an optional extra with their own ticket. Per the Ministry of Culture's museum portal (October 2026) they open Tuesday to Saturday 08:30 to 19:30, Sunday 10:00 to 19:30 and Monday 09:00 to 13:00, with the last entry 45 minutes before closing; shorter winter hours usually start in late October, so check before you go. Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month. The ticket price was not found on an official page.
Planning note: The Scaliger castle is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday 08:30 to 19:15, with the last entry about 45 minutes before closing (Ministry of Culture museum portal, October 2026). The ticket price was not found on an official page: check it on the portal or with the museum office, +39 030 916468.
Day 6 A rest day by the lake
Keep this day open. A swim, a long lunch, a lazy afternoon and an early dinner. This is the rest day: do not fill it.
Optional or alternative
- The thermal spas near Sirmione are an option for the adults, with their own age rules and tickets; check them for your children.
Planning note: Treat this as the buffer day. Swap it with another day if the weather turns.
Day 7 A boat on the lake
Take a ferry on Lake Garda to another lakeside town, or spend the day at a lake beach. Choose one outing and keep the rest of the day empty. Crossings and timetables vary by season, so check them the day before.
Optional or alternative
- Gardaland, a theme park at the southern end of the lake, is a full day with its own tickets and queues; it needs separate planning.
Planning note: In 2026 the full timetable runs from 16 May to 4 October and a reduced one to 1 November; there is no passenger service from 2 November to 12 March, so this day only works in the season. Check the timetable and the last return.
Day 8 Verona, or another easy day
Take a short regional train to Verona for a half day, or stay by the lake for another quiet day. Verona's Roman arena and old streets make a good half day with older children. Pack in the evening.
Optional or alternative
- Verona's Roman arena has its own ticket and may have event closures; check dates.
Planning note: Regional trains to Verona leave from Peschiera or Desenzano, not Sirmione; allow for the bus to the station.
Departure
Day 9 Depart
Leave enough time for the bus or taxi to the station or the airport and your airline's or train operator's recommended check-in window. This version assumes departure from Verona airport, which is the nearest airport to Sirmione.
Planning note: Confirm the transfer to Verona airport and allow a generous buffer.
Transport / practical logistics
Getting between cities and around
Luggage, bridges and a bus. The practical difficulty is the transfer day: Venice's bridges with luggage, then a train, then a bus to a town with no station. The hotel-to-hotel allowance is an editorial buffer, not a timetable.
| Leg | On the way | Allow in your day |
|---|---|---|
| Day 4: Venezia Santa Lucia to Sirmione | Train to Desenzano or Peschiera, then bus or taxi No through-ticket to Sirmione | 4–5 hours (editorial allowance) Hotel to hotel |
Luggage, bridges and strollers
Venice has no cars and few step-free routes; most bridges have steps. Pack light enough for each adult to carry a bag over a bridge, check whether your hotel is near a water-bus stop, and consider luggage storage at the station on arrival and departure days. Strollers are difficult in Venice and easier at the lake.
The final road connection to Sirmione
- By train and bus: Take the train to Desenzano del Garda or Peschiera del Garda, then the local bus to Sirmione. The bus is line LN026 (Arriva): about 23 minutes from Desenzano station and about 19 from Peschiera, roughly hourly, €2.20 at the ticket (more on board). The timetable seen was the winter one to June 2027; check the summer timetable for your dates. Check where the bus stops in peak season, since the stop may be outside the old center.
- By taxi: A taxi from the station to Sirmione is simpler with luggage and children and costs more; no official fare is published, so agree the price before you travel (taxi +39 030 916082).
- Departure: This version assumes departure from Verona airport, which is the nearest to Sirmione. A direct LN026 bus to Verona Porta Nuova takes about 62 minutes, and the Verona Airlink shuttle from Porta Nuova to the airport takes about 15 minutes (€7 one way, children over 4 included). It runs every 20 minutes most of the day and every 40 in the evening, from Porta Nuova 05:15 to 22:50 and from the airport 05:35 to 23:10. Leave a generous buffer.
Book the right stations
Use Venezia Santa Lucia for a stay in historic Venice, rather than Mestre on the mainland. Regional trains do not need a seat reservation; compare ticket types for your actual dates. Children's train fares: Frecciarossa is half price for ages 4 to under 15; Regionale is half price under 12, so the 12-year-old pays the adult fare. The budget uses adult fares as an upper bound.
Airport transfers are separate
- Arrival: This version assumes Venice Marco Polo. Compare the airport bus plus local transport with an airport boat service, and check how far your hotel is from the nearest stop. The ATVO bus takes about 20 minutes to Piazzale Roma; Alilaguna (€18) takes roughly 1.5 hours to San Marco. Allow for baggage and delays before any onward booking.
- Departure: This version assumes departure from Verona airport. Check the transfer from Sirmione and leave a generous buffer. Airport transport is not included in the intercity allowances.
A route with less friction
Travel light, keep snacks and water in your day bag, and plan the transfer day for the morning. Keep one set of dry clothes for the lake.
No rental car is needed. A lake boat, a thermal spa or a theme park visit is optional and needs its own budget.
What to book, and in what order, is listed under Book these first.
Budget / transparent assumptions
Estimated budget
A budget you can reconcile. Illustrative allowances for two adults and two children (ages 8 and 12) in one family room, 8 nights and 9 calendar days. All figures are EUR. These are editorial planning scenarios built from Voyaren's 2026 cost data where it has figures (items marked general allowance are not from Voyaren's cost data), not checked hotel quotes or live ticket prices.
| Category and basis | Lower | Upper |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, Venice 3 nights × €100–€200 per family room (mid tier) | €300 | €600 |
| Accommodation, Sirmione area 5 nights × €100–€200 per family room (mid tier) | €500 | €1,000 |
| Food 9 days × 4 travelers × €40–€60 (casual meals; children's meals may cost less) | €1,440 | €2,160 |
| Venice to Sirmione 1 leg × 4 travelers × €16–€45 (train plus bus, costed at adult fares as an upper bound: regional about €14 plus €2.20 bus; high-speed €20–€42 by date and booking time, plus the bus) | €64 | €180 |
| Airport transfers 2 journeys × 4 travelers × €15–€30 (general allowance) | €120 | €240 |
| Local transport 9 days × 4 travelers × €5–€10 (general allowance) | €180 | €360 |
| Core sights Doge's Palace €30–€35, St Mark's €10, per adult | €80 | €90 |
| Lagoon island boats Round trip, 4 travelers × €20–€40 | €80 | €160 |
| Lake Garda ferry One outing, 4 travelers × €12–€23 round trip (Sirmione to Peschiera €6 one way, to Lazise or Bardolino €11.50; the 12-year-old pays the adult fare, the 8-year-old's child fare was not checked) | €48 | €92 |
| Accommodation taxes 8 nights × 2 adults × €3–€10 | €48 | €160 |
| Subtotal | €2,860 | €5,042 |
| Contingency 10% of subtotal | €286 | €504 |
| Total for the family | €3,146 | €5,546 |
Per person: €786.50–€1,386.50 for the trip.
Daily equivalent for the family: €349.56–€616.22 across 9 days.
What this does and does not cover
The core-sights allowance covers the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica for two adults. Children's tickets, the Sirmione castle and any spa are not priced. Confirm the exact basket and booking fees. Premium guided tours, upgrades and private transfers may exceed these allowances.
Excluded: Flights, insurance, shopping, major alcohol spending, children's sightseeing tickets, the castle and ruins in Sirmione, spas, Gardaland, Verona's Roman arena, extra nights and excursions not listed above. Any date-specific access charge should be checked separately. Accommodation taxes are a general allowance, not a statement of municipal rates. Avoid counting taxes twice if included in your hotel quote.
Use the range as a starting point. Replace each allowance with actual quotes before booking. The low scenario requires all categories to land near their lower allowances; popular dates and central hotels can exceed the upper scenario. Arrival and departure each receive a full-day food allowance to leave some flexibility.
This is a fixed illustrative example. The Trip Budget calculator gives its own estimate for the route and choices you enter, so the two will not always match.
These allowances are editorial estimates, not quotes or live prices, built from Voyaren’s researched cost tables (compiled 19 September 2026 from 2025–2026 sources). This itinerary was last reviewed on 9 October 2026.
More about this trip
Why this route works
Children cope with a trip better when it has one hard part and one easy part. Venice is the hard part: bridges, steps and crowds, so it gets three nights and short days. Lake Garda is the easy part: five nights in one place with a lake to swim in, a castle to climb and a rest day with nothing in it. The link between them is one train and a bus. The trip is written for a family of four with two children, aged about 8 and 12, in one family room.
Where to stay
- Venice: Dorsoduro. Quieter than the area around St Mark's, with the Accademia and the Zattere waterfront, a broad promenade that suits children. Expect bridges and steps; check the walk from the nearest water-bus stop with luggage and a stroller if you use one.
- Sirmione area: Sirmione. A castle-guarded peninsula on Lake Garda, with thermal springs and swimming. Sirmione has no train station, and the old core is compact and busy with day-trippers in summer. Choose a hotel inside or close to the old town, or a short bus ride away, and check parking if you will have a car.
Seasonal and traveler variations
Children's ages and room arrangements change the plan and the cost. This example assumes a family of four in one family room, with children aged 8 and 12; younger children need more rest and often a stroller, which makes Venice harder. Build My Trip lets you change the party size. With a spare afternoon, add breathing room rather than another outing.
Dates matter: No departure date is assumed. Late spring through early fall is the most comfortable for swimming and boats. In summer, Venice is hot and the lake is busy; Lake Garda passenger boats run a fuller timetable from mid-May to early October, a reduced one to early November and again from mid-March, and do not run at all from early November to mid-March. Check current schedules, opening days and ticket details before booking.
This is the standard 9-day, 8-night example. If your trip is a different length, change the nights in Build My Trip, treat any extra days as a slower pace, and review the day-by-day plan again rather than squeezing these 9 days into fewer.
Lake Garda passenger ferries run a full timetable from mid-May to early October and a reduced one to early November and from mid-March; there is no passenger service from early November to mid-March. Swimming is a summer activity. Venice is hot and busy in summer and can flood in winter.
- Younger children: Shorten Day 2 and use the Lido as the Day 3 outing. Check stroller access and add a night at the lake.
- Teenagers: Add Verona's arena or a lake activity and give them a free afternoon in Venice.
- Summer: Venice is hot and the lake is busy at midday. Go early, swim in the afternoon and avoid Sirmione's old town at noon.
- Spring or early fall: Water is cooler and boats run on reduced timetables; build more around Verona and walking.
Accessibility and walking, in detail
An official source says that part of this route is not step-free. No itinerary here has been verified as step-free. The notes below show what official sources say about each part of this route; where a part is not listed, no official information was found. Check each leg, each sight and your accommodation before you rely on it.
- Walking effort
- Not yet verified Walking effort is an editorial estimate: no official source gives daily walking distances for this route. Short days in Venice, whose bridges are not step-free, then easy walking by the lake; the final bus or taxi leg to Sirmione has not been verified.
- Stairs, slopes and uneven surfaces
- Not step-free Not step-free: Venice on foot: bridges. Partly verified: Dorsoduro: Zattere-Accademia-Salute accessible itinerary. Not yet verified: Grotte di Catullo and archaeological museum. Some official pages could only be read through a search engine's copy and need a re-check. Sources: Comune di Venezia – Citta per Tutti / Ufficio EBA (checked 2026-10-10); Comune di Venezia – Direzione LL.PP. / Ufficio EBA (checked 2026-10-10); Grotte di Catullo (Ministero della Cultura) (checked 2026-10-10)
- Step-free transport
- Partly verified Partly verified: Sala Blu assistance: lead times and channels, Trenitalia regional trains: low floor / platform access, Venezia Santa Lucia station, Alilaguna (airport/lagoon boats), Venice vaporetti, landing stages and water buses, Lake boats (Como, Bellagio, Garda): Navigazione Laghi, Venice Marco Polo airport assistance. Not yet verified: Desenzano del Garda-Sirmione station, Sirmione access: bus/taxi from Desenzano or Peschiera, old-town approach. Sources: RFI (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana) (checked 2026-10-10); Trenitalia (checked 2026-10-10); RFI (checked 2026-10-10); RFI (checked 2026-10-10); Alilaguna (checked 2026-10-10); ACTV/AVM (public transport operator); Comune map https://www.comune.venezia.it/sites/comune.venezia.it/files/page/files/Mappa%20Venezia%20Accessibile%20giugno%202017%20ITA.pdf (checked 2026-10-10); Navigazione Laghi (Gestione governativa) (checked 2026-10-10); Regione Lombardia (Lombardia Facile) (checked 2026-10-10); Comune di Venezia (map, 2017) (checked 2026-10-10)
- Accommodation
- Not yet verified Depends on the property you choose. Italian hotel star ratings do not guarantee a lift or a step-free entrance: ask the property about lifts, steps at the entrance and the route from the nearest stop before you book.
- Attractions
- Partly verified Partly verified: Burano and Torcello islands, St Mark's Basilica. Verified: Doge's Palace: regular visit. Not yet verified: Venice St Mark's area from Giardinetti/Vallaresso stops, Sirmione castle (Rocca Scaligera). Optional, not counted: Verona Arena (optional half day). Some official pages could only be read through a search engine's copy and need a re-check. Sources: Comune di Venezia – Citta per Tutti (checked 2026-10-10); MUVE Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (checked 2026-10-10); Procuratoria di San Marco (checked 2026-10-10); MUVE (checked 2026-10-10); Polo museale della Lombardia (Ministero della Cultura) (checked 2026-10-10); Fondazione Arena di Verona (checked 2026-10-10)
Sources and review date
- Voyaren cost data (accommodation, attractions, tax) (data/italy-costs.json, compiled 2026-09-19)
- Voyaren ferry data (lagoon islands, Lido, Lake Garda) (data/ferry-days.v1.json, compiled 2026-09-25)
- Voyaren neighborhood data (Sirmione access) (includes/WhereToStay.php)
- Lake Garda bus, rail and ferry information (Arriva LN026, Trenitalia, Navigazione Laghi, Verona Airlink) (checked 2026-10-10; summer 2027 timetables are not yet published)
Content last reviewed: 2026-10-09.
Suggested activities are ideas, not reservations, and nothing on this page is booked for you. Times, closures, ticket rules and prices change, and the budget is an illustrative planning allowance rather than a quote, so check current details before you book. This page has no affiliate or booking links; see our affiliate disclosure for how Voyaren is paid elsewhere on the site.