Lake Garda

Lake Garda, also known as Lago di Garda, is the largest lake in Italy. It is a beautiful place for holidays in northern Italy. The lake sits between Brescia and Milan to the west, and Verona and Venice to the east.

Surrounding the lake are stunning mountains, including parts of the Italian Alps, the Garda Mountains, and the Brenta Group. Long ago, at the end of the last ice age, glaciers shaped this special area.

Today, the lake and its sunny shores are shared among three provinces: Brescia to the southwest, Verona to the southeast, and Trentino to the north.

Etymology

In Roman times, the lake was called Benacus. Some people thought of it as a god named Benacus, linked to the god Neptune. Today, it is most commonly known as Lake Garda. This name comes from a town called Garda on the lake’s shore. The name has Germanic roots and dates back to the Middle Ages. It means a “place of guard” or “place of safety”.

The older name, Benācus lacus or Benaco, likely comes from a Celtic language. It may mean “horned”, referring to the lake’s many points or promontories.

Geography

The northern part of Lake Garda is inside the Alps. The southern part is in the Pianura Padana. The lake looks like a moraine valley, shaped by an old Paleolithic glacier. Some think the glacier filled an older dip made by a river.

Lake Garda's area is smaller than the lake itself. The lake is 52 kilometres (32 mi) long, but its area is 95 kilometres (59 mi). The east side runs close to the lake, while the west side curves more. Tall mountains in the area include Presanella and Adamello. The area splits into four parts: a plain, the lake, and two land parts west and east.

South of the lake, between Brescia, Mantua and Verona, hills form a round shape from old glacier activity. The main river flowing into the lake is the Sarca River, with others like the Ponale River and small streams. The only river leaving the lake is the Mincio River.

Lake Garda has a mild climate, letting special plants grow, such as olive trees, parasol pine, and some rare citrus trees. Ancient poets wrote about the lake's gentle winds. These winds blow from the mountains to the plains in the morning and back in the afternoon.

Lake Garda is full of diverse life. A special fish called carpione lives only here. Lake trout grow up to 50 centimetres (20 inches) and live deep in the water. The area around the lake has warm winters, letting olive trees, vines, and lemon trees grow. In spring, wildflowers like primroses and irises bloom, and birds and small animals live there too.

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  Parco Giardino Sigurtà is a park with many plants and flowers.

Countryside around [Desenzano](/wiki/Desenzano_del_Garda). Vines grow in the southern part.

Olive trees

Lemon trees in [Limone](/wiki/Limone_sul_Garda)

History

People have lived around Lake Garda since very old times. We know this because we have found old stone tools. These tools show that people were here during the Middle Paleolithic time.

Later, during the Bronze Age, people built special houses on stilts in the lower part of the lake. These houses were later abandoned during the Iron Age.

In Roman times, the area around the lake became part of the Roman Empire. Romans built many roads and settlements here. One famous battle happened at Lake Benacus between the Romans and a group called the Alamanni.

During the Middle Ages, the lake area was ruled by different groups, including the Lombards. Many towns around the lake grew and became more independent.

In more recent times, the area was involved in many wars, including the Napoleonic Wars and the Wars of Italian Independence. During World War I and World War II, the towns around the lake were affected by battles.

Myth and legend

Old stories from Greco-Roman mythology say that the River Mincius was the child of the Lake Benacus.

In old German Sagas, Garda was home to Ortnit.

Towns and villages on the lake

Lake Garda has many towns and villages around it. There are 26 places, called comuni, near the lake. The biggest one is Desenzano del Garda. Next are Arco and Riva del Garda.

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  Desenzano

Riva

[Lazise](/wiki/Lazise)

[Salò](/wiki/Salò)

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  Malcesine

[Toscolano Maderno](/wiki/Toscolano_Maderno)

[Limone](/wiki/Limone_sul_Garda)

[Torri del Benaco](/wiki/Torri_del_Benaco)

[Peschiera](/wiki/Peschiera_del_Garda)

Economy

Tourism

Lake Garda's economy mainly depends on tourism. Even back in Roman times, beautiful villas were built along the lake's shores, used by wealthy families. In particular, Sirmione was a favorite place because of its warm springs.

Tourism as we know it today began in the late 1800s, starting in the north-western part of the lake. One of the first tourist spots was Gardone Riviera, where the first small hotel was built. Over time, it grew into the grand Grand Hotel Gardone Riviera. The restaurant there is famous worldwide for its great views and tasty pasta dishes.

More hotels and villas appeared nearby, and after the famous poet Gabriele D'Annunzio built the Vittoriale degli Italiani, the area became even more popular. On the other side of the lake, tourism started later, around the 1930s, when a road was built along the shore. Since the 1950s, tourism has changed. Some people come to stay for a long holiday, while others visit just for a quick weekend or a few hours.

In the second half of the 20th century, many fun parks were built along the lake. The biggest is Gardaland, Italy's largest theme park.

Lake Garda is also great for sport tourism. Places like Riva, Torbole, and Campione are known for their windy weather, which attracts people who enjoy sail, windsurf, and kiteboard. The Centomiglia Regatta is held there every year.

Transport

Ships help people travel around Lake Garda. Navigazione Laghi runs ferries every day. These ferries go from Desenzano del Garda to Riva del Garda. They stop at Peschiera del Garda, Salò and Malcesine.

You can also take trains to get to the lake. The Milan-Venice railway stops at Desenzano-Sirmione and Peschiera railway station.

Buses can be faster than ferries. On the east side, ATV (Verona Transport Company) runs buses from Verona to Garda. One bus goes all the way to Riva del Garda. Trentino Transporti has buses from Riva del Garda to Rovereto or Trento. On the west side, SAIA (Brescia Mobilità) has buses between Desenzano del Garda, Salò, Gargnano and Brescia.

Lake Garda is between Brescia, Verona and Trento. This makes it easy to get to by roads and trains.

The lake has many roads around it. These roads include:

• State Highway 11 Padana Superiore, from Desenzano del Garda to Peschiera del Garda
• State Highway 45bis Gardesana Occidentale, from Salò to Riva del Garda
• State Highway 249 Gardesana Orientale, from Peschiera del Garda to Riva del Garda
• State Highway 572 di Salò, from Desenzano del Garda to Salò

Strada della Forra in Tremosine is part of the road from Salò to Riva del Garda.

Panoramas

Here are some beautiful views of Lake Garda from high places.

Panoramic view from Monte Baldo of Lake Garda

Panoramic view of Lake Garda from Cima Comer