LAKE GARDA - TORRI DEL BENACO
CASTLE OF TORRI DEL BENACO
AFTER YEARS OF ABANDON IN WINTER OF 1980 A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS DECIDED TO GIVE NEW LIFE TO THE CASTLE OF TORRI DEL BENACO AND, IN 1983, AFTER RENOVATION WORKS THE MUSEUM OF THE CASTLE WAS INAUGURATED. IN ITS ROOMS ARE PRESERVED THE ASPECTS OF CULTURE AND THE DAILY LIFE OF THE INHABITANTS OF TORRI DEL BENACO: THERE IS A SECTION DEDICATED TO AGRICULTURE, WITH A TORCH FOR OLIVES RECONSTRUCTED USING ORIGINAL STONE PIECES; THERE IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT SECTION DEDICATED TO FISHING. BUT THE MAIN ATTRACTION IS THE 350 YEARS OLD GREENHOUSE OF CITRUS TREES, WHERE PLANTS CAN GROWP UP TO 25 FEET IN HEIGHT, AND EACH PLANT CAN PRODUCE UP TO 3.000 LEMONS EVERY YEAR!
SOMEONE SAY THE CASTLE OF TORRI DEL BENACO WAS BUILT BY THE ROMANS AND THE WESTERN TOWER WOULD PROVE IT, BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER, RIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT IN A DIFFERENT PERIOD. ACCORDING TO OTHERS, INSTEAD, THE TOWER WAS BUILT IN THE TENTH CENTURY BY THE KING BERENGARIO THE FIRST, WHO HAD THE CASTLE COMPLETELY REBUILT AND HAD THE TOWER AND THE WALLS BUILT TO SHELTER THIS PART OF LAKE GARDA FROM THE HUNGARIAN INVASIONS. WHAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT CENTURIES LATER THE VISCONTI FAMILY FROM MILAN TOOK ONLY 6 DAYS TO DESTROY IT!
OLD TOWN OF TORRI DEL BENACO
THE PORT OF TORRI DEL BENACO IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ON LAKE GARDA, SHELL-SHAPED, WHOSE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE DATES BACK TO THE ROMAN AGE. THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY GARDESANA BUILDING OVERLOOKS THE HARBOR, AND HAS HAD DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS ACROSS THE CENTURIES: THE WAREHOUSE OF THE PORT, HEADQUARTERS OF THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME OF THE REPUBLIC OF VENICE, WHILE TODAY IT HAS BECOME A FIRST-CLASS HOTEL AND RESTAURANT.
THE LOOK ON THE LAKESIDE OF TORRI DEL BENACO SEEN FROM ITS PORT IS WONDERFUL, WHILE THE INLAND QUIET STREETS AND SQUARES ARE A SEQUENCE OF BEAUTIFUL GLIMPSES AND CHARACTERISTIC SPOTS. TAKE YOUR TIME TO WALK BY THE TOWER OF THE TOWN HALL, WITH ITS WATCH THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT OF THE WHOLE REGION.
IF THEN YOU WANT TO EAT OR DRINK SOMETHING FRESH YOU JUST NEED TO GET BACK TO THE LAKE PROMENADE AND GO IN ONE OF THE MANY BARS AND RESTAURANTS YOU WILL FIND.
BEACHES OF TORRI DEL BENACO
BAIA STANCA AND BAIA DEI PINI: THESE ARE THE MAIN BEACHES IN TORRI DEL BENACO, BOTH PLACED NORTH OF THE OLD TOWN. THESE BEACHES ARE REALLY POPULAR BECAUSE THE ACCESS IS FREE AND THE WATER VERY CLEAR AND NOT DEEP, SO KIDS CAN PLAY SAFELY.
SCUBA DIVING IN TORRI DEL BENACO
THIS IS ALSO THE RIGHT PLACE FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE SCUBA DIVING. AT A DEPTH OF 82 FEET LIES AN UNDERWATER NATIVITY SCENE, PLACED THERE IN 1991, WHILE AT 130 FEET UNDER LAKE LEVEL THERE IS A SECOND ONE, AT THE END OF A CLIFF. WITH LOTS OF DIVING SCHOOLS THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!
THE TANELLA CAVE
IF YOU PREFER TREKKING IN THE WOODS YOU CAN GO TO THE HAMLET OF PAI DI SOPRA, A DISCTRICT OF TORRI DEL BENACO, WHERE YOU CAN EXPLORE THE TANELLA CAVE, AND ENJOY BEAUTIFUL STALACTITES AND STALAGMITES WITH A GUIDED TOUR.
THE GARDEN OF CASA BIASI
IN PESINA DI CAPRINO VERONESE YOU CAN FIND THE GARDEN OF CASA BIASI. THE GARDEN WAS BORN IN 1977 THANKS TO AN IDEA OF MARIO AND LUCIANA BIASI, WHO CREATED THIS GREAT GARDEN OUT OF SCARCE FERTILE VINEYARDS. THEY GAVE FREE VENT TO THEIR FANTASY AND PASSION FOR BOTANICS. TODAY NICO, THE SON OF MARIO AND LUCIANA, TOGETHER WITH HIS WIFE CECILIA PUT THE SAME PASSION IN TAKING CARE OF THIS GARDEN. THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR TWENTY YEARS TO MAINTAIN AND EXPAND THIS FASCINATING CREATION! THE ROMANTIC PARK, THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, THE LINDEN AVENUE, CEDAR TREES, SYCAMORE TREES, CAMELLIAS, CYCLAMENS, HORTENSIAS, OLIVE TREES, LEMON AND ORANGE TREES AND MUCH MORE WILL ASTONISH YOU! IF YOU LIKE FLOWERS AND PLANTS DO NOT MISS THIS 4 ACRES JEWEL!