Bassa Bresciana, Lake Garda, and Lake Idro

<< Lombardy

The Province of Brescia includes the western shore of Lake Garda, which features several popular lakeside resorts, including the historic towns of Sirmione, Desenzano del Garda, and Salò. More west is another lake located among the mountains, called Lake Idro. The area south of Brescia is instead a low-lying agricultural and industrial area known as Bassa Bresciana.

Sirmione

Sirmione is a town located on a long and thin peninsula on the southern bank of Lake Garda, in the Province of Brescia. The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and the town was an important center under the Romans. Sirmione remained relevant thanks to its strategic position, and was ruled by Verona and then Venice, before becoming part of Lombardy during the Napoleonic Wars. Sirmione is now a popular tourist destination.

✪ Scaliger Castle of Sirmione

The Scaliger Castle of Sirmione (Castello Scaligero di Sirmione) is a medieval fortress on Lake Garda, and one of the best preserved castles in Italy. Built during the 13th and 14th century, it was later abandoned and turned into a museum in the 20th century. The castle features various fortifications, and a rare example of medieval fortified port.

✪ Grottoes of Catullus

The Grottoes of Catullus (Grotte di Catullo) are the ruins of a Roman villa located at the end of the peninsula of Sirmione, overlooking Lake Garda. The villa was erected between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE, and its name comes from poet Catullus, who described Sirmione in his poems. However, there is no evidence that this was actually his villa. The archaeological area is dominated by the villa, and it features a long cryptoporticus and a garden. The park includes an archaeological museum with various prehistoric, Roman, and medieval finds.

Desenzano del Garda

Desenzano del Garda is the second largest city in the Province of Brescia, located on the southwestern shore of Lake Garda. The area was inhabited during prehistoric and Roman times, but the town only emerged during the Middle Ages, and was ruled for centuries by Venice. The city has experienced a rapid growth since the early 20th century, and it is now a tourist destination.

Giovanni Rambotti Civic Archaeological Museum

The Giovanni Rambotti Civic Archaeological Museum (Museo Civico Archeologico Giovanni Rambotti) is an archaeological museum in Desenzano del Garda. The museum includes a section dedicated to the prehistoric pile dwellings found around the city, along with various other archaeological finds dating between the Paleolithic and the Middle Ages.

Roman Villa of Desenzano del Garda

The Roman Villa of Desenzano del Garda is an ancient residence that has been unearthed in Desenzano del Garda. The villa was built in the 1st century BCE, but most of the surviving ruins date from the 4th century. The site includes a small archaeological museum with some ancient objects found in the villa.

Desenzano Castle

The Desenzano Castle is a medieval fortress located on a hill overlooking Desenzano del Garda. Erected in the 11th century, it was later expanded. Now it is mostly used to host events and exhibitions.

San Martino della Battaglia

San Martino della Battaglia is a small town that forms part of the municipality of Desenzano del Garda in the Province of Brescia. The town is best known as the site of an important battle between the Kingdom of Sardinia and Austria in 1859, during the Second Italian War of Independence.

Tower of San Martino della Battaglia

The Tower of San Martino della Battaglia is a war memorial located on the site of the Battle of Solferino and San Martino, fought here in 1859 during the Second Italian War of Independence. The tower was built in the late 19th century and it houses some statues and artworks celebrating the Italian Risorgimento. Near the tower there is small museum dedicated to the battle and a ossuary.

Lonato del Garda

Lonato del Garda is a town in the Province of Brescia, just west of Desenzano del Garda. Contested for centuries between local powers, it features a few historic attractions.

Rocca of Lonato

The Rocca of Lonato is a medieval castle erected on a hill overlooking Lonato del Garda. The castle has been expanded a few times and it was used until the 19th century. The structure features some well preserved walls and fortifications, and it houses the Gustavo Adolfo Carlotto Civic Ornithological Museum (Museo Civico Ornitologico Gustavo Adolfo Carlotto), a rich museum dedicated to the avian fauna of Italy.

Museo Casa del Podestà

The Museo Casa del Podestà is a 15th-century palace that used to host the local representative of the Republic of Venice when the town was under Venetian rule. The structure was restored and turned into a museum in the 20th century. It features various historic decorations, furnishings, and artworks.

Montichiari

Montichiari is a town located in the plain southeast of Brescia. A small town throughout most of its history, it developed rapidly since the late 19th century.

Duomo of Montichiari

The Duomo of Montichiari is the main church in the city, erected during the 18th century. The church features a beautiful Neoclassical facade adorned with some statues, while its interiors host various artworks and decorations.

Bonoris Castle

The Bonoris Castle is a castle originally erected in the Late Middle Ages in Montichiari. Heavily damaged in the 12th century, it was abandoned until the late 19th century, when a new building inspired by medieval castles was built here. Now turned into a museum, it features various decorated halls and some artworks.

Manerba del Garda

Manerba del Garda is a municipality in the Province of Brescia, which includes a few small villages on the shores of Lake Garda. The area is a popular tourist destination, known for its fort and its cliffs on the lake.

✪ Rocca of Manerba

The Rocca of Manerba is an ancient fortress located on top of a hill overlooking Lake Garda. The castle was erected during the Middle Ages and only some ruins survive today. The fort is surrounded by an archaeological park, where the ruins of a prehistoric settlment have been found. Thanks to its position, the castle offers an amazing view over Lake Garda.

San Felice del Benaco

San Felice del Benaco is a small town located on the western shore of Lake Garda, just south of Salò in the Province of Brescia.

Isola del Garda

Isola del Garda is the largest island in Lake Garda, and it is part of the municipality of San Felice del Benaco. The island was already inhabited during the Roman age, and it was later occupied by a hermitage and a convent. After the monastery was suppressed, the island was initially sold to private owners but later it was briefly used as a fortification after the unification of Italy. A large villa was erected in Gothic Revival style on the island in the late 19th century. The villa is surrounded by a large garden and now it is still inhabited. Sometimes the villa is opened to visitors.

Salò

Salò is a town located on the western shore of Lake Garda, in the Province of Brescia. Founded in ancient times, Salò emerged during the Late Middle Ages as one of the main centers along the western coast of Lake Garda. Ruled for centuries by Venice, it became part of Lombardy during the Napoleonic Wars. Salò is known for serving as the de facto capital of the Italian Social Republic, a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by Mussolini, between 1943 and 1945. Now it is a tourist destination.

Duomo of Salò

Also known as: Church of Santa Maria Annunziata

The Duomo of Salò is the main religious site in the city, located near the shore of Lake Garda. The church was built in Gothic style in the 15th century and it features an elaborate main portal. The Duomo of Salò houses various artworks, mostly dating from the Renaissance.

Salò Promenade

The entire town of Salò is crossed by a long lakeside promenade that offers some great views on Lake Garda. The promenade features various historic buildings, especially around the central square of the city, Piazza della Vittoria.

Salò Museum

The Salò Museum (Museo di Salò) is a museum in Salò, dedicated to local history and art. The museum houses a collection of modern and contemporary artworks, along with some archaeological finds, scientific instruments, and various memorabilia.

Gavardo

Gavardo is a town located in Valle Sabbia, a valley located west of Salò in the Province of Brescia.

Archaeological Museum of Valle Sabbia

The Archaeological Museum of Valle Sabbia (Museo Archeologico della Valle Sabbia) is an archaeological museum in Gavardo, focused on the history of Valle Sabbia. The museum features a rich collection that includes a paleontological section and various archaeological finds from the valley.

Gardone Riviera

Gardone Riviera is a small town located on the western shore of Lake Garda north of Salò, in the Province of Brescia. A popular tourist destination since the 19th century, it is best known for hosting the Vittoriale degli Italiani.

✪ Vittoriale degli Italiani

The Vittoriale degli Italiani is the former residence of Italian writer Gabriele d’Annunzio. The monumental estate, composed of various buildings, a theater, a park, and more, was erected between 1921 and 1938. The main building of the complex is the Prioria, a decorated residence featuring a huge collection of memorabilia of the eccentric poet. The park features a monumental mausoleum and a section of the warship Puglia. Other attractions here include large gardens and some exhibits dedicated to D’Annunzio.

André Heller Botanical Garden

The André Heller Botanical Garden (Giardino Botanico André Heller) is a botanical garden in Gardone Riviera. Founded in the early 20th century, the park houses many species of trees and plants, and it is adorned with a collection of contemporary sculptures.

Toscolano Maderno

Toscolano Maderno is a municipality that includes two small towns on the western shore of Lake Garda, in the Province of Brescia. Inhabited since ancient times, the area has been for centuries an important center for the production of paper, but now it is mainly a tourist destination.

Paper Museum of Toscolano Maderno

The Paper Museum of Toscolano Maderno (Museo della Carta di Toscolano Maderno) is a museum that showcases the long history of the production of paper in Toscolano Maderno. The museum is hosted in a former paper mill, and it features various historic machines and instruments.

Limone sul Garda

Limone sul Garda is a village located on the northwestern shore of Lake Garda, in the Province of Brescia. The town is a popular tourist destination, and it has been known for centuries for the cultivation of lemons.

Limonaia del Castèl

The Limonaia del Castèl is an 18th-century lemon garden in Limone sul Garda. The building has been reworked a few times, and now it serves as an exhibition center and a museum on the long history of the cultivation of lemons in the town.

Lungolago Guglielmo Marconi

Lungolago Guglielmo Marconi is the lakeside promenade of Limone sul Garda. The avenue is known for offering a great view on Lake Garda and the mountains surrounding the picturesque town. Many restaurants and stores are located along the promenade.

Anfo

Anfo is a small town located on the western shore of Lake Idro, in the Province of Brescia.

Rocca d’Anfo

Rocca d’Anfo is a 15th-century fortified complex located just north of Anfo and overlooking Lake Idro. Built by the Venetians, it was reworked and expanded numerous times, and it was used until World War I. The complex features a series of fortifications and military buildings located on the side of a mountain, and some areas can be visited.