Lago di Garda

In the summer of 2024 after visiting Bérgamo, we planned to visit more cities like Verona, but it was simply too hot to do that, so we made a stop at Spiaggia di Rivoltella. There we went for a swim and moved on to the Adriatic. From Rivoltella we got a glimpse of Sirmione and the lake, but it was during our winterholidays of 2024-2025 tha we discovered a little more of the lake before we headed back north again. We made a nice stop in Malcesine, but Kurt Hielscher published some more photos from around the lake so for sure we'll come back one day.

Malcesine

Leaving Verona after we spend a few days including the celebration of New Years Eve there, we moved back to the north and ended the first day of 2025 here in Malcesine at Lake Garda. We enjoyed a stunning sunset while playing guitar and singing out loud at a very nicely situated parking lot near a small harbour. From there we had a nice view on the mountains at the opposite side of the lake and the castle which origins date back to centuries BC. 

The castle was destroyed by the Franks in 590 A.D. and then rebuilt. After Hungarians invasions, it belonged to the diocese in Verona. From 1277 to 1387, the castle was renovated under Alberto della Scala's rule and from then on called Scaliger Castle (see my previous post from Verona with the tombs of the Scaliger family). The castle was occupied by the House of Visconti from 1387 to 1403 and only two years later incorporated into the dominion of the Republic of Venice until 1506. Ownership changed several times: from Republic of Venice (1516 to 1797), then French followed by the Austrians (1798 to 1866) and then back again to Venice. Since 1902 the castle officially is a national monument. 

After sunset, we went by foot from the parking lot to the center to find a restaurant and have dinner. The next day I jumped on my bike to get some fresh bread for my family. This time I didn't go along the road at the shores of the lake but on the main road, the SR 249 or Via Gardesana, to finally attempt to rephotograph Kurt Hielscher's photo. And indeed, it turned out one can make this photo passing by car but I'll recommend to find a parking lot, jump out, walk along the shores and enjoy the view. 

The next morning.

Enjoying the sunset while playing guitar and singing out loud. Happy times!!

Unfortunately, we didn't really explore Malcesine by daylight nor visit the castle itself. That's something for a next time and I do have the feeling we'll come back again here to the Lago di Garda if only because Kurt Hielscher published some more photos from around the lake.

At Lake Garda south of Malcesine. We made a stop here and the boys went for a refreshing swim on new years day.

Moving further north along Lake Garda with Torbole and Riva del Garda in the distance.

In the summer of 2024 we already passed Lake Garda one and made a stop for a swim on the other side of the lake at Spiaggia di Rivoltella with a view on the famous peninsula with the Castello Scaligero di Sirmione. Here Kurt Hielscher made another photo, but it was simply too hot to try to make that one on that day and we moved on.

Below: View on Malcesine at sunset.