gardoneriviera

In northern Italy, a series of large lakes dominate the landscape, each and every one with its own myths and legends. Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano are all on the list of must-visit-destinations of every traveller planning a trip to Italy. Large mansions with impeccable gardens, ancient vineyards and romantic lake boat-tours are all part of what to expect when visiting this part of the world. But of all the lakes, Lake Garda is perhaps the most famous.

Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake and the third-largest in the Alps (surpassed only by Lake Constance and Lake Geneva). Because of its notable size, Lake Garda has many different facets to its personality, and can appear vastly different depending on which part you visit.

Garda’s southern side, with an almost Mediterranean feel, is the most popular among tourists in high season, especially for those travelling with children. The narrow northern stretch, with its steep fjord-like banks, is the preferred spot among windsurfers.

The middle of the lake, on the western shore, and especially the 20-kilometre stretch from Salò in the south to Gargnano in the north, is known for its pleasant microclimate, which has attracted wealthy and prominent visitors for hundreds of years. On this route lies the small community Gardone Riviera, considered one of the chicest towns on this particular coastline.

The small island in the middle of the lake is located almost across from the town, and most hotels will be happy to make accommodations for private boat trips on the lake or to nearby towns such as San Michele, Riva del Garda or Salò.

Cineastes will immediately recognize the name Salò from “Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom” the infamous 1975 horror film by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Loosely based on the novel The 120 Days of Sodom by Marquis de Sade, as well as inspired by the structure of Dante’s Divina Comedia, Pasolini transformed the story of sexual sadism to a commentary on the corruption and evilness of the fascist Republic of Salò (in Italian, Republica Sociale Italiana or RSI).

The RSI lasted between 1943 and 1945, from the beginning of German occupation of Italy to the complete surrender of German troops. It was a German puppet state and the last incarnation of the Italian fascist state, led by Benito Mussolini, based in the idyllic town on Lake Garda, the beauty of the landscape a stark contrast to the aggressiveness of fascist ideology.

One of the most lavish hotels in the region is Grand Hotel Feltrinelli in Gargnano, once home to Mussolini and his family, as well as to 30 SS-officers stationed in the cellar, ordered to keep close watch on the Italian leader, so that he wouldn’t undermine German forces in Italy.

Gardone Riviera

For more than a hundred years, Gardone Riviera has been celebrated as one of the most beautiful towns on Lake Garda, a legacy clearly visible in the long lines of lavish buildings and stylish hotels.

There are two main religious buildings; the parish church of San Nicolò da Bari (on Via dei Caduti 26), decorated with frescoes and with three medallions on the vault, attributed to the famous local artist Francesco Monti. The other is the charming Evangelical Lutheran Church, located near the Vittoriale, characterised by an unusual neo-Gothic architecture and a lovely garden with a view of the lake. This side of the lake is known as the “Riviera dei Limoni” (“Lemon Trees Riviera”); full of luscious camphor trees, oleanders, bougainvillaea and lemon trees.

One of the town’s main attractions is the Giardino Botanico Fondazione André Heller, a beautiful garden founded by Arthus Hruska in 1910, today run by Andre Heller's foundation. It has a wide selection of plants and sparkling fountains.

The garden also includes approximately 30 modern sculptures by internationally renowned artists, such as Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, Rudolf Hirt, Fernand Léger, Joan Mirò and Auguste Rodin.

Villa Alba (Corso Giuseppe Zanardelli, 73) is a prime example of Greek architecture, with a majestic façade with colonnade and pediment decorated in the style of the Parthenon. Initially named Villa Ruhland, it is set in a large and luxuriant garden.

During the occupation, the villa was a Nazi broadcasting centre, but today it’s used for conferences and events. Not far from the villa is the Lungolago D’Annunzio, an elegant promenade that stretches along the side of the lake, with many restaurants, cafés and bars. At night, the stillness of the lake makes a lovely view for a dinner or cocktail.

Many like to explore the charming historic city centre, Gardone Sopra. Here, you will find a labyrinth of buildings, staircases and verdant courtyards, with a calmer atmosphere, more relaxed vibe and less touristy restaurants.

To Stay: Villa Fiordaliso

There are many reasons to stay at a hotel. At times, you simply need somewhere to sleep while on your way to somewhere else; at other times, you need a strategic base for local exploration. The Art Nouveau-styled Villa Fiordaliso belongs to a third category, where the hotel itself is the destination.

The reason to stay here is to relax – you check in to check out of your daily routines and allow yourself a few lazy days away from everything and everyone. Perhaps you don’t even leave the hotel after you arrive. The large Fiordaliso garden allows for shorter strolls, it's possible to go swimming in the lake and the restaurant is one of the best in the entire region.

Formerly a private villa, it has its place in history, as during the Italian Social Republic this was the home of Clara Petacci, Mussolini’s mistress. Traces of her time can be found in the Claretta Suite, well preserved with Damasco wallpaper, yellow Siena marble and wooden furnishing.

With only five rooms (and an abundance of staff), the atmosphere is intimate.

Across the garden is a high tower, built in Neo-gothic style towards the end of the 19th century but bought and transformed into a private dock in 1925, to be used for Vittorale, the large compound situated not far away.

The tower is also where Mussolini and Petacci would have their tête–à–tête encounters from November 1943 to October 1944. Today, the Torre houses a piano bar, and from May to September, there is an open-air club on Fridays and Saturdays.

Many come here not for the hotel but for its restaurant, run by chef Dino Colantuno, and has one star in the Guide Michelin. It has an excellent wine list, in particular local and Italian wines.

The restaurant specialises in Italian cuisine. They are well-known for the dishes with the local cheese Bagòss, made from cow milk produced in the nearby hillside village Bagolino, using only cows belonging to the race Bruna Alpina (exclusive to this region). Because of the lake’s temperate climate, organic fruits and vegetables are available year-round.

Breakfast is served either in your room or on the terrace, but the terrace is recommended.

If you tire of lounging around the hotel, the staff can provide a number of options, from boat rentals, organising vineyard-visits and private tours of lemon groves.

For a Verdant Excursion: Vittoriale degli Italiani

Vittoriale degli Italiani – or in English, The Shrine of Victories of the Italians – is one of the strangest but also most beautiful places to visit in the region around Lake Garda. The original villa, Villa Cargnacco, in the centre of the vast estate, once belonged to the German art historian and specialist of Italian Renaissance, Henry Thode.

As an art expert, Thode argued that German art, in order to become truly great, should not only be technically advanced and realistic in its expression, but it should also (and more importantly) embody the German spirit.

Married to Daniela von Bülow, who was the granddaughter of Franz Liszt and daughter of Hans and Cosima von Bülow (who, in her second marriage was wed to Richard Wagner, with whom she founded the Bayreuth Festival),

Thode was an integral part of German nationalist society around the turn of the last century, formulating the cultural policies of what would eventually become known as the Third Reich.

Following a falling-out between the German intellectual and the Italian government, the villa was confiscated by the Italian state, and subsequently purchased by the poet and novelist Gabriele D’Annunzio, who quickly began reconstructing the compound together with architect Giancarlo Maroni according to his own vision and ideas.

As a poet, D'Annunzio was associated with the Decadent movement, promoting an aesthetic ideology of excess and artificiality. Politically, he was part of the Italian ultra nationalist movement.

Though he never labelled himself a fascist, his ideas and visionary aesthetics had a fundamental impact on Benito Mussolini, and D'Annunzio is often described as one of the most important influences in the shaping of fascism.

Initially, D'Annunzio's expensive renovations of the Garda estate were aided by the fascist regime, happy to keep him occupied in the countryside, far away from political power. In order to do so, they made huge sums available in order for him to expand the property and to further add on to the already impressive collection of books and art left behind by Thode (which had been confiscated along with the building).

Construction began in 1921 and ended in 1938, following the death of d’Annunzio. The aim was to display the power of Italy. D’Annunizio himself had, for a brief time, been the dictator of the city of Flume (today known as Rijeka in Croatia), seeking to have Italy annex the city. When this was denied, they declared Flume an independent state (which foreshadowed the Italian fascist system, with D'Annunzio as its “Duce”). He declared war on Italy before finally surrendering in late 1920, after five days of fighting.

In Gardone Riviera, he could focus on the more aesthetic aspect of his nationalist ideas, creating a tribute to the military victories of his and Italy’s past.

In 1925, an aeroplane D’Annunzio had used to fly over Vienna distributing political pamphlets was brought to the estate, as was the MAS naval vessel he used to mock the Austrians, also part of his psychological warfare during World War I.

A few months later, the protected cruiser Puglia was hauled up the hill and placed behind the house, which required further acquisition of surrounding land and buildings – today the area is vast and contains buildings, streets and several parks.

The ship, placed behind the main building complex, is deliberately pointed towards the Adriatic Sea, seemingly ready to conquer the Dalmatian shores.

D’Annunzio was supported by King Victor Emmanuel III, who in 1924 gave him the hereditary title of Prince of Montenevoso, while in 1937 he was made president of the Royal Academy of Italy.

The actual villa, called the Prioria, is also an unusual experience. It holds two waiting rooms, one for wanted guests and one for unwanted ones (Mussolini often found himself in the latter, as the two were political rivals within the fascist movement).

In the Relic room, there is a large collection of religious statues and images of different beliefs, placed together to make a statement on what D'Annunzio viewed to be the universal character of spirituality.

There are also other large buildings on the estate, such as the mausoleum, a circular structure situated on the highest point, and contains not only the remains of D’Annunzio himself but also of several of the men who served him.

A large amphitheatre, based upon classical Roman models, is today often used as the stage for dance performances and music evenings in warm summer evenings.

A Biodynamic Daytrip: Villa Calicantus

With only 8 hectares, spread out over the three best hills of the Bardolino Classico area, Villa Calicantus is one of the smallest but also most interesting wineries in this region. Surrounded by olive trees, on the western side of Lake Garda, they produce between 30,000 and 40,000 bottles a year, depending on the weather and temperature.

A biodynamic vineyard since 2014, they refrain from using any kinds of chemicals.

The reason that Chiara and Daniele Delaini, the founders and owners of Villa Calicantus, have chosen the more difficult (but ultimately more rewarding) path of organic farming is that their work is based in love of and respect for nature.

Bothered with how winemaking was becoming first and foremost a business, they decided to purchase the vineyard in 2011 and already from the start, to operate it in an organic manner.

Seeing themselves not as the owners of land, but as its guardians, this ensures the fertility of the soil also for future generations.

The morainic soil of the Bardolino Classico has rather peculiar characteristics, with the effects that it is not possible to produce rich bodied wines with high alcohol levels.

Instead, the wines from Villa Calicantus are best described as elegant and complex. The grapes used are a combination of local, traditional varieties of Verona, Corvina Rondinella and Molinara. The wines are fermented with their spontaneous yeast, for as long as the vintage requires.

Villa Calicantus Sollazzo

This sparkling rosé wine has notes of red orange and grapefruit. Sollazzo is Italian for “enjoy the sun”, which gives an indication of the vibe of this wine.

Villa Calicantus Bardolino Classico Soracuna DOC (2019)

Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, Merlot.

This is a table wine. The grapes come from three parcels of vineyard, located on the hills just above the village of Bardolino. In the local dialect, “Sora'' means “above” and “cuna” means “baby cot”. “Going for a sora cuna” means going to a party at the house of a newborn child. In 2017, Chiara and Daniele Delaini, the owners of Villa Calicantus, had a daughter, and this was also the first year this wine was made. The name is a celebration of these two events.

Villa Calicantus Bardolino Superiore Avresir (2017)

Grapes: Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, Sangiovese.

The Avresir is the Riserva of Villa Calicantus. The vines are grown on one of the highest hills in the area. The breeze from Lake Garda combined with the influence from the Alps create an incredible microclimate, which translates into a tasting experience when drinking this wine.

To Stay

Villa Fiordaliso

Very pleasant hotel in Art Noveau-building with large garden and direct access to the lake.

Corso Guiseppe Zanardelli, 150

Gardone Riviera

Antico Osterio Brolo

Osteria in the old part of Gardone Riviera, with four guest rooms above the restaurant.

Via Carere, 10

Gardone Riviera

To Eat and Drink

Lido84

Traditional food made with local ingredients, overlooking Lake Garda. Reservation essential.