Lake Garda Lombardy: All the Things to See

Italy's largest lake, Garda is undoubtedly a place that always manages to amaze with the variety of its landscapes and identities. After all, it stretches across three Italian regions: Trentino-Alto Adige (Trento), Veneto (Verona), and, indeed, Lombardy (Brescia). Each of these areas faces a different side and has its own peculiarities. Specifically, Lake Garda in Lombardy includes 14 towns. In this article, you will find the most fascinating Lombard locations on Lake Benaco.

Sirmione and Its Castle on the Water

Certainly among the most iconic places on the Lombardy side of Lake Garda is Sirmione. It is a location where you can visit one of Italy’s most beautiful castles, the one on the water. The Scaliger Castle (or Rocca Scaligera) not only has a very special charm (precisely because it seems to almost “float” on the lake), but also allows you to fully enjoy the surrounding panorama.

In Sirmione, however, there are not only medieval streets and castles. There are also, for example, the Roman remains of the “Grottoes of Catullus,” which are also well worth a visit. Of all the places you can visit on the blue waters of Garda, without a doubt Sirmione is among the best known and most important.

The Vittoriale, A Journey Through D’Annunzio’s Life on Lake Garda in Lombardy

It must also be said that Garda is not just landscapes. Much of contemporary history has passed through these waters, especially on the Lombardy side. Thus, in Gardone Riviera, you find the so-called Vittoriale (or Vittoriale degli Italiani).

Home of Gabriele D’Annunzio from 1921 until his death, it is a building of considerable fascination that shows the greatest self-celebration of the poet. Just think that inside the villa there is even a military ship. And D’Annunzio’s tomb.

But not only that: you can visit the villa, the gardens, the open-air theater, and the collections that belonged to the Vate. All complemented by the spectacular lake landscape.

Isola di Garda, The Exotic You Don’t Expect

For those who want a somewhat whimsical experience, Isola di Garda is probably the most suitable place. Located within the municipality of San Felice del Benaco, it is a particularly exotic island whose history begins with the Romans.

Over time it was then acquired by the monks of San Zeno, later donated to Saint Francis of Assisi, and gradually became a school of philosophy and theology. Napoleon sold it in 1797, and since then it passed through many hands, until Gaetano de Ferraris and Maria Annerkoff created an exotic garden inside it which still exists today. In fact, it is about making friends through travel, which is a great way to feel good with yourself and others. In this case, these are wonderful trips among islands, lakes, towns with their historic centers, and lots and lots of nature.