Great personalities from the history of literature and art have linked their name to Malcesine, Venetian village of the north-eastern coast of Lake Garda, in the province of Verona and not far from the border with Trentino Alto Adige. In the past, Malcesine was practically an obligatory destination for travelers from northern Europe who ventured south to discover Italy, its landscape beauties, its artistic treasures and its millenary culture, its sun. Johann Wolfgang Goethe he stopped in Malcesine at the beginning of his Grand Tour that would have kept him in our country between 1786 and 1788. He arrived on these shores of Lake Garda when the slopes of the mountains and the medieval architecture that distinguish Malcesine were illuminated by soft colors autumn, September 14, 1786. He fell in love with the splendid landscape, the ancient profiles of the castle, the hospitality of its inhabitants.
At the beginning of the twentieth century it will be the turn of Franz Kafka who, staying in Riva del Garda, will cross the blue waters of the lake by boat for a trip to Malcesine. Gustav Klimt arrives in Malcesine in the summer of 1913. Even the great Austrian painter falls in love with these sweet horizons which he portrays in two canvases dedicated to Malcesine and its nearby hamlet of Cassone. Between water and mountains Malcesine is a small medieval jewel with ancient origins that have seen Etruscans, Romans, Lombards and Franks settle in these parts. And then the Scaligeri and the Republic of Venice (until 1797) which gave great importance to the Gardesana dell'Acqua, a subdivision of the territory around the lake into districts, ten municipalities endowed with a certain autonomy.
In the heart of Malcesine, the Scaligero Castle and the Palazzo dei Capitani
Malcesine is its ancient VI century castle, with the keep over thirty meters high and the thick walls from which the Lombards controlled this eastern shore of Lake Garda. The waters of the lake and the ancient castle that overlooks them are perhaps the most representative image of this locality.
Malcesine is also the Palace of the Captains, an ancient building in Venetian Gothic style which is located, like the Castle, in the heart of the village and a few steps from the shores of Lake Garda. From the XNUMXth century, it is built on Roman and then Romanesque remains and surrounded by a beautiful palm garden overlooking the lake. From the ancient seat of the Captain of the Lake, this building currently houses the Town Hall and the City Library. The Palace and the Castle have been National Monuments since 1902.
Lake Garda in Malcesine, a paradise for sailors
The present of Malcesine are relaxing walks along the lakefront and getting lost in the cobbled streets of the charming old town. The itineraries for jogging, trekking or cycling along the cycle path that runs along the beach. The beach or rather the beaches, among the most beautiful in Garda. Public and private beaches, small bays overlooking the waters of the lake where sailing is the favorite sport.
It is no coincidence that four athletes from Malcesine participated in the Olympic Games in this discipline. In fact, Garda, especially in its northern part, has favorable and constant wind conditions, ideal for practicing this sport at an amateur and competitive level. But also kite surfing, wind surfing and sup. And then the the paragliding flight taking off from the nearby Monte Baldo which can be reached, up to its 1760 meters, in 10 minutes thanks to a spectacular rotating cable car.
Between the Dolomites and the Po Valley an olive oil with a light and refined taste
Lolive oil from Garda. The cultivation of the olive tree may seem strange in these parts where it has been practiced for centuries thanks to the very mild climate. In Malcesine the presence of the olive tree probably dates back to Roman times, the first documents mention it around 900 AD. Lake Garda is a particular olive tree that exploits this microclimate, suspended between the snow of the nearby Dolomites to the north and the cold mists of the Po Valley to the south.
The resulting fruit gives a refined product with very particular characteristics. It is an olive oil with a very fruity, light aroma, with a sweet almond flavor and a very low degree of acidity. There The eastern shore of Lake Garda is also called, for this particular production, the Riviera degli Olivi.
Source of the photo: The Scaligero castle (ph credit: Weighs, CC BY 3.0)
