Riva del Garda, Lakeside municipality at Lake Garda, Italy
Riva del Garda is a municipality on the northern shore of Lake Garda, nestled between the water and steep mountain slopes that rise over 2,000 meters (6,500 feet). The historic center clusters around a harbor lined with palaces from the Venetian and Habsburg periods, while modern neighborhoods extend along the waterfront promenade and into the flatter valleys.
The settlement was inhabited in Roman times and became a free commune in the Middle Ages before falling under the rule of the Scaligeri of Verona. After centuries under Venetian and then Austrian control, it became part of Italy in 1918, with many buildings and fortifications from each era still standing.
The name Torre Apponale likely comes from an old term for bastion, and the tower now overlooks a lively square filled with cafes and markets. Local festivals often take place directly on the lakefront, where visitors can experience traditional music and regional specialties like carne salada.
The old town is easy to explore on foot, and the harbor serves as a central landmark for walks along the waterfront promenade. The summer months bring many visitors, so spring and fall offer quieter conditions for relaxed strolling and sightseeing.
The Bastion, a 16th-century polygonal fortress right by the harbor, houses the civic museum and offers a wide view over the northern basin of the lake from its walls. Just a few steps away, the small church of Santa Maria Inviolata displays a baroque interior with frescoes and stucco work that is often overlooked by visitors.
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Cascate del Varone
3.4 km
Ponale road
2.8 km
Fortezza di Riva
892 m
Monte Brione
1.9 km
Castle of Tenno
3.9 km
Museo della Palafitte
6.6 km
Sentiero Busatte
3.6 km
Bastione
1.1 km
Santa Maria Assunta church
667 m
Lake Ledro Stilt house Museum
6.6 km
Forte San Nicolò
892 m
Inviolata church
817 m
Straßensperre Ponale
1.6 km
Besta Beach
6.4 km
Torre Apponale
785 m
Rocca di Riva
604 m
Forte Garda
1.7 km
MAG Museo Alto Garda
616 m
Saint John the Baptist church
2 km
Wind's Bar
2.5 km
Palafitte di Ledro
6.6 kmWerk Tombio
3.5 km
Monte Rocchetta
2.6 km
Our Lady of Graces sanctuary
3.4 km
Cima Parì
7 km
Crinale Pichea - Rocchetta
7.2 km
Punta Larici
6 km
Cima d'Oro
4.7 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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