Gardone
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Gardone

Gardone

Quiet Lake Garda town centred on D'Annunzio's extravagant Vittoriale estate and a gentle lakeside promenade.

Gardone sits just north of Salò on the western shore of Lake Garda. It is a small and rather charming place, quieter than the busier resort towns further north.

The main sight is the Vittoriale degli Italiani, the extravagant estate of the poet and nationalist Gabriele D'Annunzio. His house is jammed with all sorts of objects — beautiful individually, but taken together they create something like a sensory overload. In the gardens you will find an anti-submarine boat and parts of a warship, along with an open-air theatre with views over the lake.

The town itself has a pleasant lakeside promenade and a botanical garden (the Giardino Botanico Hruska) worth a visit if you are in the area.

Guide

Getting There

Gardone Riviera is most easily reached by ferry. The Navigazione Lago di Garda operates regular services connecting Desenzano, Salò, Gardone, Maderno, Limone, and Riva del Garda. The ferry is a more pleasant option than driving in summer, when the lakeside roads become congested. The crossing from Desenzano takes about an hour and a half.

By car, Gardone is about 30 km from Brescia, reached via the SS45bis road along the western shore. The nearest motorway exit is Desenzano on the A4. Parking in Gardone itself is limited in summer; arrive early or use the car parks on the outskirts and walk.

There is no train station in Gardone. The nearest stations are at Desenzano (on the Milan–Venice line) and at Brescia. Buses run from both to Gardone, though services are infrequent. The ferry from Desenzano is the more civilised option.

Guide

Things to Do

Gardone Riviera's main draw is the Vittoriale degli Italiani, one of Italy's strangest and most compelling estates. Beyond it, the town rewards a gentle afternoon of wandering: botanical gardens, a lakeside promenade, and views across the western shore of Lake Garda.

lake garda