Riva del Garda

Riva del Garda is a small town of nearly 20,000 inhabitants located at the northern end of Lake Garda, in the Trentino region, and tourism is its most important activity.
It is a pretty, lively town, frequented by sports enthusiasts, particularly for the nearby windsurfing spots that benefit from its windy conditions. It is also a base for excursions into the surrounding mountains.
Here the lake is framed by the rocky walls of Mount Rocchetta. Its width is narrower than in the south, and the waters are colder and deep blue. Its origins date back to the Romans, and its climate is prized for growing citrus fruits and olive trees, producing a famous extra virgin olive oil, the northernmost in the world.

Sights and monuments

Protected by old walls that have kept their medieval gates, the historic center is small, pedestrianized and charming, with a part along the lakeside and its terraces.
Among the buildings, the Apponale Tower in the very center on Piazza Tre Novembre dates from 1220, the Palazzo del Comune was rebuilt by the Venetians in the 15th century and the Palazzo Pretorio was built in 1375 by the Scaligeri.
The Church of the Inviolata in Baroque style dates from the early 17th century, and the streets of the small medieval quarter are lined with pastel-colored houses.

The beautiful medieval castle on the lakeside, the Rocca di Riva di Garda, houses the MAG (Alto Garda Museum), with the archaeological section displaying pieces from the Paleolithic to late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages; the historical section of the region from Prehistory to the Second World War; the Picture Gallery with painters from the region and elsewhere from the 14th to the 19th centuries, including Hayez, Giuseppe Craffonara, Vincenzo Vela and Giuseppe Canella.
In the surroundings, several forts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are well preserved, built under the Austro-Hungarian Empire: the Forte Garda east of the town and the forts and anti-aircraft batteries of Mount Brione.

Surroundings

• A 5-minute drive from Riva del Garda, the Varon waterfall is in a park, where a route along walkways and stairs leads through the caves to the spectacular waterfall that plunges into the gorge from its height of 98 meters.
• The Strada della Forra is a spectacular scenic road southwest of Riva, with its bends and tunnels through the mountain.
• The Strada del Ponale is an old road that climbs along the valley of the Ponale stream, connecting the pretty Lake Ledro to Riva del Garda, which has been converted into a cycle path and hiking trail.
• To the northwest lies a medieval wonder with the village of Canale di Tenno, beside the small lake.
• North of Riva, the evocative medieval remains of Arco Castle dominate a rocky spur in the Sarca valley, with 14th-century frescoes

Information

• Website of the municipality of Riva del Garda: www.comune.rivadelgarda.tn.it
• Article Wikipedia
• Tourism portals: www.gardatrentino.it

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