Riva and the Trentino shore of Lake Garda
The harbour and the Rocca
At the northern tip of Lake Garda, where the lake narrows between steep mountains like a Norwegian fjord, Riva del Garda is an elegant town that combines Mediterranean and Alpine atmospheres: olive trees, palms and lemon houses next to rocky walls, under a mild climate. For centuries it belonged to the prince-bishops of Trento, then to Venice and Austria, and in the Belle Époque it was a fashionable resort of the Habsburg Empire, frequented by writers such as Thomas Mann, Kafka and Nietzsche. Its harbour, overlooked by colourful palaces, is the heart of the town.
On the harbour stands the Torre Apponale, a medieval tower 34 metres high, the symbol of the town, which can be climbed for a view over the roofs and the lake. Next to the lake rises the Rocca, a moated fortress of the twelfth century, rebuilt by the Venetians and the Austrians, which houses the MAG, Museo Alto Garda, with archaeological, art and historical collections. Above the town, on the rock of Monte Rocchetta, the Bastione, a Venetian round fortress of 1508, can be reached by a path or a panoramic lift. Nearby, the Cascata del Varone plunges almost 100 metres into a deep, narrow gorge, which can be visited along walkways. Riva and nearby Torbole are a paradise for windsurfing and sailing, thanks to two regular winds: the Peler in the morning, from the north, and the Ora in the afternoon, from the south.
Tip: walk or cycle along the old Ponale road, carved into the rock above the lake; climb the Torre Apponale at sunset.
Where it is
More things to see in Trentino-South Tyrol
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