Lake Garda
Lago di Garda is the largest, the least polluted and most popular of the Italian lakes. Tourism is a relatively new phenomenon here, because it began to develop only at the beginning of this century, when the construction of the road circling the lake was completed. So there is no such rare atmosphere of elitism here., which still reigns in Victorian summer resorts on Como and Maggiore, and the only famous guy from England, who spent a long time at the lake, was D.H. Lawrence, whose novel Twilight in Italy mentions many attractive places on this lake.
Still,, Lake Garda has its permanent place on the pages of European guides and thousands of holidaymakers from Germany come here every year, France and England, as well as from different regions of Italy. They are attracted here by the great windsurfing opportunities and the pleasant climate of Garda. Winters here are mild, and the years are not very hot, thanks to the influence of two breezes: blowing from 12.00 at night overnight and all morning northern sover, and the ova blowing from the south through the afternoon and evening. Along the so-called. Riviera Bresciana, the most sheltered section of the west coast, lush olive groves grow, vines and citrus trees, whose fruits are used to make oil, citrus syrups and Bardolino wines, Soave and Yalpolicella. The scenery of the shores of the lake is extremely diverse: the rich vegetation of the central shore gives way to the harsh landscape of the north, where the lake narrows, and jagged mountains surround them more and more tightly, but too long, 16-kilometer flat south coast, stretches the plain.
Desenzano, Słrmione and the South Coast
Located near the motorway and railway line from Milan to Venice, the southern shore of Lake Garda is, as you might expect, very popular among tourists. The largest city on the lake is DESENZANO DEL GARDA, a large railway junction and the best point to start exploring the lake and the surrounding area. . However, it is not worth stopping here and it is best to go further by bus (departure times are coordinated with train arrivals), or board a ship to Riva, located at the northwest end of the lake (several cruises a day).
One train stop east of Desenzano (rare connections) lies SAN MARTINO DELLA BATAGLIA, the site of the famous battle, during which in 1859 Napoleon III and Victor Emmanuel II defeated the Austrians. Built in 1893 of the year to commemorate the victory of Torre di San Martino (in summer Wed-Mon. 9.30-13.00 and 14.00-19.00; in winter 9.30-12.30 and 13.30-17.00), has paintings and sculptures of the main characters of the battle, and from the top you can enjoy a beautiful view of the battlefield and Lake Garda. Behind the tower is the museum of the battle.
Horrified by the huge number of soldiers killed in this battle, Swiss, Henry Dunant decided to found the Red Cross and wrote a short booklet Diary of Solferino, in which he proposed the establishment of "philanthropic societies", intended to help the wounded in war by the zealous, avid and well-trained volunteers”. The founding of the Red Cross led to Dunant's bankruptcy, who spent the last years of his life in a home for the poor. He was found there and presented with the first Nobel Prize., but Dunant never left there again. 11 km south of San Martino, In SOLFERINO, a monument was erected in honor of Dunant and the Red Cross. There is a paved path led along the ridge of the hill, along which stands a wall with a series of plaques dedicated to individual signatories of the Geneva Convention. From the nearby fortress you can see a nice panorama of the area, and on the outskirts of the village there is a small museum of souvenirs after the battle (Hours. openings like Torre di San Martino).
In and around Sirmione
Lying on the butchering on 4 km deep into the lake narrow peninsula, SIRMIONE is a very popular place. Its charm, however, is spoiled by numerous luxury hotels, souvenir kiosks and crowds of tourists. It is not worth stopping here, because hotels are very expensive and always full, just visit a few more interesting points in the town and stroll along the surrounding beaches.
Most tourists go straight to Rocca Scaglieri (codz., in summer 9.00-13.00 and 15.30-20.30, in winter 10.00-19.00). This almost completely water-surrounded fairytale castle, with boxy towers topped with small turrets, is named after the family of rulers of Verona, who built it in the thirteenth century, when they exercised authority over the region. There is nothing interesting inside, and the views from the castle walls are not beautiful enough, so that they can encourage people to buy an unjustified expensive ticket.
Crowds can be avoided when going out of town, on a triangular mountainous promontory overgrown with cypresses and olive groves, free from vehicular traffic. For a picnic, it is best to stop at the Church-owned San Piero (in the interior you can see thirteenth-century frescoes) shady terrain. Behind the church, on the eastern shore of the peninsula, is located Udo, and on the west side of the rock, from which you can jump into the water.
On the very promontory of the peninsula are located the so-called. Grotte di Catullo (Tue-Sun. from 9.00 until dark). For the use of tourists called Villa Catulli, the white ruins are actually the remains of a Roman spa. Three hundred meters below the surface of the lake beats hot, sulfuric source, whose waters are still popular in the area. Catullus actually settled in the city, coming all the way from the Black Sea by boat, which he had to drag on the ground here and there, to reach the lake with her. Ruins scattered along a slope, among old olives, are captivating, and in addition you can see from here beautifully mountains on the opposite side of the lake. Above the beach there is a small museum of antiquity, where fragments of mosaics and frescoes are exhibited.
In July and August, it is necessary to reserve accommodation in Sirmione. Without a reservation, it's best to go to the AAST office, Viale Marconi 2, which has a list of rooms for rent, but they are not cheap. In the center, near the castle, on Via Vittorio Emanuele, there are two relatively inexpensive hotels: Risorgimento (• 030/916325) and Speranza (• 030/916116), where double rooms in low season cost approx. 25 OOOL. Five minutes from the tourist office stands the hotel Lo Zodiaco, Via XXV Aprile 18 (*030/916095), with coastal garden and double rooms of 25000-29000L (depending on the season). Nearest campsite, Sirmioncino (•030/919045), is located at a distance of 15min. march from Via Colombare to the base of the peninsula, although and camping, and nearby beach, can be extremely crowded.