Garda Lake
11 things to do and see on Lake Garda and 1 not to doAn extraordinary one condensed of history, traditions, culture and landscape-environmental beauties. Lake Garda is all this and more, since each place, ravine, panorama offers a different suggestion depending on the time of year. During the summer, of course, the rhythms are tight, while in autumn and winter more contemplative atmospheres prevail, even if a little melancholy. That said, the tourism represents by far the main resource of the localities that follow one another along the shores of the lake which - it should be remembered - touches three regions: Veneto (province of Verona); Trentino Alto Adige (province of Trento) and Lombardy (province of Brescia). In short, regionalism, in this case, coexists with an equally strong community feeling that derives from the awareness of living in a wonderful context frequented every year by millions of visitors. Below we see together the main points of interest of Lake Garda with the warning that it is necessarily a partial list, however useful for a first approach with the places. Happy reading.
1 Peschiera del Garda
Our tour to discover the wonders of Lake Garda starts from Peschiera, a town of just over 10.000 inhabitants in the province of Verona. Peschiera del Garda is an almost perfect compendium of those characteristics at the base of the tourist fortunes of the area which we mentioned at the beginning. Our Story: from the Roman period, passing through the Scaliger, Venetian, Austro-Hungarian dominations up to the unification of Italy. Culture: two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Fortress of Peschiera, which still surrounds the historic center, and the pile-dwelling site of Lake Frassino, about 2 kilometers from the city. Environment: from the aforementioned Lake Frassino, ideal for birdwatchers, to about three kilometers of coastline for bathing and sports activities. Few hints, however useful to make the importance of a location at the center of numerous Italian events. One above all: the Conference, on November 8, 1917, between Vittorio Emanuele III and the French and English allies. On the occasion of that meeting, which was held in a room of the Palazzo del Comandante (or Palazzina Storica), the Italian king announced the resistance on the Piave which then led to the victory of the First World War. And the Historic Building, together with the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Frassino, are two other sites of interest that are absolutely worth visiting. Not to be missed!
2 Gardaland
A few kilometers from Peschiera, in the municipality of Castelnuovo del Garda, There is the largest amusement park in Italy and among the largest in Europe. We are talking about Gardaland which, with almost three million visitors a year, undoubtedly contributes to the popularity of the lake while not directly overlooking it. Obviously inside the park, like what happens in Paris with Disneyland, there are several hotels, but nothing prevents you from staying outside and organizing your holiday in a different way. To say, give it Peschiera railway station del Garda there is a convenient Shuttle Service which connects the two localities. As for things to do and see, you will be spoiled for choice, including a magnificent aquarium which since 2008 has been enjoying growing success with the public. For more information, see Official site: www.gardaland.it.
3 Punta San Vigilio
Few tourist resorts have all the features that can charm a visitor at the same time. Punta San Vigilio, in the municipality of Garda, is one of them. Not surprisingly, over the centuries this place has seen the presence of many illustrious guests: writers (above all Goethe), royalty, heads of state and, more recently, actors and sportsmen: all invariably captivated by the panorama and charm local. From the marina, in fact, the view embraces the whole of Lake Garda, going as far as the opposite Gulf of Salò, which we will talk about later.. In the summer months, moreover, it is possible to swim in the Baia delle Sirene Park. Admission is subject to a fee, but at sunset and in the low season you can also enter for free. It is not over because from Punta San Vigilio theexcursion to Monte Luppia, along a path strewn with rock carvings of considerable historical-archaeological importance. In short, a place that remains engraved in the heart and mind, an essential stop on a tour to discover Lake Garda. Not to be missed!
4 Malcesine
Malcesine is one of the unmissable stops on a tour to discover Lake Garda. The Old Town has kept amedieval atmosphere not at all scratched by the modernity of shops, bars, restaurants and other commercial activities present. In short, here in the part of the lake that is tightening towards the north, ancient and modern coexist very well, demonstrating that tourism does not always destroy the historicity of places. The most successful example, from this point of view, is certainly the Scaliger Castle overlooking the town. Inside this XNUMXth century fortress is the Natural History Museum of Garda and Monte Baldo. Nine rooms that precisely tell the overflowing nature of the lake and the mountain that with its 2.200 meters high stretches between the provinces of Verona and Trento. Monte Baldo which is connected to Malcesine by a very convenient cable car which from late March to early November allows thousands of tourists to indulge in outdoor activities: from trekking, to mountain biking, to the most comfortable walks in nature. For more information consult the place: funiviedelbaldo.it.
5 Riva del Garda
A tour to discover Lake Garda certainly cannot be missed Riva del Garda, at the northern end of the lake. In fact, the context is of great charm: already only the Old Town with its maze of alleys, churches, Piazza III Novembre, Torre Apponde e Piazza Catena offers endless suggestions, but woe to forget everything around. We refer first to the Rocca, the fortress built in 1124 at the behest of the Prince Bishop of Trento Altemanno (and then passed into Scaliger, Venetian and Habsburg hands), but within a radius of just a few kilometers there are other sites of considerable landscape and environmental interest. To limit ourselves to the three most famous we remember the Varone waterfall, Tenno canal (with the adjacent and beautiful lake) and the Ledro lake which we will focus on in more detail later. After reviewing the points of interest, the climatic factor must also be considered. Riva del Garda, in fact, has a sub-Mediterranean climate with temperatures very different from Trento and the rest of the region. This is an aspect that contributes considerably to the tourist fortunes of the locality, to which it is advisable to dedicate at least a couple of days of one's vacation. To be seen!
6 Lake Ledro
Previously we wrote that to best visit Riva del Garda it takes at least a couple of days. This is also to see what is around this town of about 17.000 inhabitants overlooking the northern side of the lake of the same name. And, among the many things to see, a particular mention certainly goes to Ledro lake. Let's talk about one of the most beautiful lakes in Trentino with a perimeter of over 10 kilometers around which numerous accommodation activities have sprung up. Tourism, however, has not changed the identity of the place which continues to be frequented above all by trekking lovers and others outdoor activities: above all canoe, see her e mountain bike. It's not over because Lake Ledro is also famous for its stilt houses, since 2011 below UNESCO protection like those of Peschiera mentioned at the beginning. Of the pile-dwelling village of Ledro this was noticed in 1929, the year in which the hydroelectric power plant serving Riva del Garda was activated. The lowering of the water level brought out hundreds of poles and countless other finds from then on under the magnifying glass of archaeologists and other experts. In more recent years the Bronze Age village was recreated in order to contextualize the archaeological finds found. An operation, this, carried out in synergy with the MUSE of Trento, whose experts are also involved in the sampling and monitoring of the avifauna of the mountains that surround this beautiful alpine lake at 700 meters above sea level. Not to be missed!
7 Limone sul Garda
On a tour to discover the wonders of Lake Garda, you cannot miss the appeal Limone sul Garda. An ancient village that has been able to adapt to the sirens of tourism without losing its identity. The name must not be misleading. In fact, although the cultivation of lemons (together with cedars and oranges) is the main crop of the territory, the toponym has nothing to do with this "vocation". Instead it derives from the Latin "limen" which means limit, border. And there is no doubt that it is a border post. During the First World War, the fact of being between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire caused a sudden slowdown in agriculture and fishing with the inevitable depopulation of the village. The situation changed in 1932, after the completion of the Gardesana Occidentale, a road link that put an end to the secular isolation of Limone sul Garda. It must be said, however, that precisely this isolation on the other hand greatly contributed to the charm of the territory, of which Goethe said a great deal during his famous trip to Italy. To be seen!
8 Vittoriale degli Italiani
As reiterated several times in the article to the charm of Lake Garda, in addition to the scenic and environmental beauties, history also contributes greatly. For example, about 40 km from Limone sul Garda there is the Vittoriale degli Italiani (municipality of Gardone Riviera), monumental complex of buildings, squares, gardens, waterways and a magnificent open-air theater commissioned by the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio architect, in 1919, of the infamous enterprise of Fiume. Visiting the Vittoriale, designed between 1921 and 1938 by the architect Giancarlo Moroni, is therefore an unrepeatable opportunity to deepen both the historical, political and cultural context that led to the affirmation of fascism, and a complex personality and brilliant as that of D'Annunzio, which cannot be reduced to the political events of the twenty years alone. For more information on the Il Vittoriale Foundation, the history, timetables and methods of visiting the area consult the website: www.vittoriale.it.
9 Salò
After the Vittoriale degli Italiani, a visit to Salò. This town of about 10.000 inhabitants, in fact, between 1943 and 1945 hosted some ministries of the Italian Social Republic (RSI) led by Benito Mussolini in the aftermath of the armistice. A controversial season that still causes historians and jurists to discuss, divided between those who consider that experience a fiction, since CSR was born with German approval, and those who, on the other hand, interpret that season as a blow to the tail of fascism landed on a vocation insurrectionist. Even today, after about eighty years, historical tourism (fueled, it must be said, by many nostalgics) drives thousands of visitors to these parts. But woe to reduce Salò to the sole consideration of these aspects. From lakefront, To Clock tower passing through the City Cathedral, up to the beautiful Boat tours (recommended the one forGarda Island) spending a day in these parts is undoubtedly one of the things to do on a tour to discover Lake Garda. To be seen!
10 Desenzano del Garda
La "Capital of the lake", as many call Desenzano, is an essential step of a holiday on Lake Garda. The importance of this town of about 30.000 inhabitants, in fact, is not only for tourism. Desenzano is a important road and commercial hub between Brescia and Verona, in the heart of that Lombard-Venetian economic locomotive of the north-east of the peninsula. Obviously, even from a tourist point of view, the location does not look bad at all. The Old Town, lakefront and especially the Castle overlooking the city are all points of interest that deserve to be visited. Same goes for the Giovanni Rambotti Archaeological Museum which houses many prehistoric finds found in the area. It is not over because Desenzano del Garda is also one renowned seaside resort And its beaches (Desenzano, Rivoltella and Spiaggia d'Oro) during the summer they attract many tourists eager to swim in the waters of the most beautiful lake in Italy.
11 Sirmione
From the "capital" to the "pearl" of Lake Garda. Our story ends with Sirmione, but the choice to put this place last obeys only narrative needs. On the contrary, in terms of beauty, Sirmione is probably among the very first things, if not the first, to see on Lake Garda. Give her Grottoes of Catullus, Scaliger Castle, passing through the alleys of Old Town up to churches of Santa Maria della Neve e San Pietro in Mavino, this town of about 8000 inhabitants halfway between Desenzano and Peschiera alone is worth a trip here. Moreover, it is also one renowned spa which, over the years, has favored the birth of a thriving hotel industry. In short, there are many reasons to visit Lake Garda, many more than those we have briefly mentioned. We said it, now it's your turn! ?
1 Don't come for a few days
An advice and nothing more since the web abounds with suggestions and itineraries of one, two, three days. However, the risk is to undergo grueling tour de force which inevitably leave very little space for the deepening of the places. Therefore, we suggest at least five days. A week is ideal.
