Lake Garda, Northern Italian lake in Lombardy, Italy
Italy's largest lake extends 32 miles (52 kilometers) from the mountains of Trentino province in the north to the gentle hills near Desenzano del Garda in the south, covering 143 square miles (370 square kilometers) and reaching depths up to 1,135 feet (346 meters).
Roman settlements developed along the shoreline starting in the first century BCE, with villas and trading posts exploiting the region's strategic position between Verona and Brescia, establishing foundations for present-day towns like Sirmione and Desenzano.
Since Roman times the lake has connected northern Italian regions and served as a natural trade route between the Alps and the Po Valley, fostering the development of trading centers and fishing villages along its shoreline.
Multiple ferry lines operate between municipalities along the shoreline, offering connections from April through October with more frequent service during summer months, and car transport available on selected routes.
The mild microclimate allows cultivation of olive trees, lemons and oleander at higher latitudes than elsewhere in northern Italy, as the large water mass moderates temperatures throughout the year.
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