Lonato del Garda

The pivotal monument is the Rocca and Casa del Podestà complex, home of the Ugo Da Como Foundation. The Brescian senator (1869-1941), a bibliophile and collector, collected more than 50,000 volumes here – including incunabula, cinquecentine and manuscripts – and a picture gallery with works from the Brescian and Veneto schools. The Rocca, with its crenellated walls and hanging garden, offers a circular view that on clear days reaches as far as the Po Valley.

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, designed by Paolo Soratini in 1738, is one of the most significant Baroque buildings in the province of Brescia: central plan, frescoed dome and altarpieces of the Venetian school. The medieval Civic Tower, which has been restored and can be visited, flanks the 55-meter-high cathedral.

Lonato is also a land of living traditions. The St. Martin’s Fair (Nov. 11) has enlivened the center with stalls, tastings and historical re-enactments for more than five centuries. The surrounding area, dotted with morainic hills covered with vineyards and olive groves, produces Lugana – one of the most popular DOC whites on Lake Garda – and a delicately fruity extra-virgin DOP olive oil.

For those who love greenery, the Parco della Rocca offers walks among meadows and century-old trees overlooking the lake, while hilly paths lead toward the Valtenesi villages through a still intact agricultural landscape. Lonato is connected to the lake shore by the hamlet of Rivoltella, where there are public beaches and bathing establishments.

Itineraries from Lonato

• CAI 803 – Rocca di Lonato and Spia d’Italia – cultural excursion
• Valtenesi bicycle route – pedaling from Lonato to Salò