A getaway in the lake of Garda
in Veneto, Italy.
The enchanting village of Torri del Benaco
The lake of Garda, the biggest lake both of Veneto and Italy, boasts many enchanting small towns along its stony shores.
One of them is the hamlet of
Torri del Benaco, whose origins date back to the Roman era.
The ancient village is located by the eastern lake shores, in Veneto, along the so-called
Riviera degli Ulivi (Olive trees riviera).
Torri del Benaco, located about 40Km/25mi from Verona , suits every taste and visitor: boasting lush vegetation and a marvelous view on the lake of Garda, with a wide range of cafes and cosy restaurants, plus a great historic heritage, it will please the nature lovers and the history enthusiasts, let alone those passionate about Italian wine and food.
The most imposing castle of the lake of Garda
The name Torri, Italian for towers, comes from its numerous defensive towers placed all around the town, allegedly about 60 during the Middle Ages.
What is left nowadays is the Castello Scaligero, an imposing crenellated castle standing on a rocky spur towering above the village, and just a few towers, one of them just close to the castle.
The castle was partly remodeled and rebuilt in the late 1300s over the ruins of a previous fortress built in the early 10th century by Berengario the 1st King of Italy, in order to defend the town from the frequent Hungarian incursions that plagued the area.
In 1404 Torri del Benaco passed under the dominion of the Republic of Venice and lost its strategic and defensive role: thus the big circular walls surrounding the small town were demolished during the 1700s.
The place of the walls was taken by a lemon-house, currently one of the few still surviving in the lake of Garda.
The castle of Torri del Benaco is open to visitor: in its interior it hosts the Museo del Castello Scaligero.
The biggest attractions of the museum is the old lemon-house, dating back to 1760, currently the only one in the Garda lake open to the public.
Inside, in the castle rooms, there is a museum dedicated to the local traditions, such as olives growing, boats building techniques and fishing – noteworthy the Sala della Pesca - fishing room - the oldest in Italy of its kind.
The museum hosts also a small botanic garden, populated by the most common trees and plants of the lake Garda area.
Finally, while walking along the castle’s ramparts, you’ll enjoy an amazing view on the deep blue of the lake, ranging from the peninsula of Sirmione to the village of Limone, on the Lombard side of the lake of Garda.
The pictoresque Calderini Square
The heart of the town is the delightful and lively Piazzetta Calderini, a very pictoresque small square overlooking the seashell-shaped small port, lined with characteristic buildings, among them some fine ancient Venetian palaces, and the 1400s Chiesa di Santa Trinità, with interesting medieval frescoes in its interior.
The small square is also embellished by big trees, that make it quite alluring especially during the hot summer days: you can relax in the shadow of big olive trees and plane trees having a coffee or an ice-cream sitting outside at a table bar.
Or you can eat out in one of the homely restaurants facing the square, tasting the local cuisine accompanied by a bottle of Veneto wine, while enjoying the magic view of this enthralling village blessed with the incredibly clear water of the lake of Garda all around.
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