Riva del Garda isn’t a great town, its extension is actually smaller compared to other towns around the lake. It was originally born as a customs port to get taxes from the goods exchanged by the settlements around the lake, but in the following centuries it became a great market center and the main acces to the Princedom of Trento. In its apparently smal territory, Riva del Garda hides an incredible quantity of locations, experiences and entertainment opportunities. Defining them extraordinary is yet not enough! In this article we’d like to enlist for you at least five (but they’re so much more!).
Are you ready to discover them with us?
1.Ponale Road
Projected in 1861 by engineer Giacomo Cis, this impressive monument to human connected for the first time the communities of Ledro valley with Riva del Garda. Before the connections were only through mountain passes or by boats, so this road made the trade and the communications much more easy. Now its closed to the vehicle transit and can be accessed only by bikers and pedestrians. It’s nearly entirely carved into he rocky cliffs over Lake Garda and gives to the visitors amazing views on Riva del Garda and the lake’s east coast. Extremely important during WWI, it became the ideal location for the defense line huge works: many of them are still visible and some can be visited. It’s the eight wonder of the world!
2. Monte Brione
Although the size is not that impressive (only 376 m on the sea level, 310 over the land), Brione Mount is a chest of natural treasures – and not only. During the decades that came before the WWI it has been equipped with a thick web of protection systems, from the port up to the top, given by four big fortresses scattered over its crest. A beautiful path goes in and out the trenches, providing beautiful aerial views on the lake; as we get in the depth of the forest we will find a protected biotope where birds can nest away from the hunters and the holm oak forest can perpetuate itself protected against the human disturbances. It’s well worth a trek!
3. Panoramatic lift and Bastione di Riva del Garda
The modern and charming glass lift that takes us up to the top was built following the initial idea of the chairlift that took inhabitants and tourists to have a look at the city from above, from the 50’s to the 80’s when it got shut down. Unce on top, the renewed restaurant bar but especially the huge size of the watch tower will welcome us. It’s simply called “Bastione” (bastion) by the inhabitants: it was projected in the 16th century by Venice Republic, built about 1507 and destroyed by french general Vendôme in 1702. If you like, you can descend by the ancient pavemented road used to bring up to the tower food and weapons. A must see!
4. Punta Larici
In the small village of Pregasina is a magic place, on the border of Trentino shire. A natural balcony that has nothing to envy to the often mentioned northern balconies on nowegian fjords. Located on the peaks south of the village, Punta Larici allows you to have a view of 180° on lake Garda. It descends really steep down to the lake with its 907 meters on the sea level ad it’s a location of great charm that you can enjoy in every season. If you will dare to the edge, brace yourselves: the scenario will give you a pure adrenaline shot!
5. Monte Rocchetta
Inhabitants simply call it “Rocchetta” (ironically Little Cliff, although it reaches 1550 meters!). It’s a real chest of wonders to explore. On it you will find the forementioned Bastione watchtower and the Ponale Road. Going higher you will find many other things that will intrigue your curiosity. WWI soldiers cities dugged in the stone of the mountain, precipices with stunning views over the lake, even a villa that was built for the high ranks of the Austrian army, totally in the middle of nowhere! Without mentioning challenging iron paths. Above all this, here dominates the Nature protected by the institution of a biotope, that extends to Ledro valley because on these moutains are botanic rarities taht can be found nowhere else but here. Amazing!
Click here to know more about Monte Rocchetta…
But Riva del Garda is not over yet!
Did we intrigue you to explore Riva del Garda and its surroundings? We are enthousiasts as much as you, it’s a wonderful place. These 5 opportunities, these 5 suggestions are only the beginning of a great amount of experiences, locations, glimpses, events to discover. But that is another story… and shall be told another time.
