Villa Bettoni, Gargnano, Neoclassical villa in Bogliaco, Gargnano, Italy

Villa Bettoni is a four-storey classical villa in Bogliaco, a frazione of Gargnano, on the western shore of Lake Garda. It has a show facade facing both the lake and the garden, and a balustrade topped with stone statues by Giovanni Battista Locatelli and Francesco Cignaroli. Two aerial bridges link the building to its large garden.

Count Giovanni Antonio Bettoni, an Austrian cavalry commander, had the villa built from 1749 by architect Adriano Cristofali, who was dismissed in 1753; Antonio Marchetti continued the works from 1756 for Count Carlo Bettoni. The family had received the hereditary title of Count from Empress Maria Theresa in 1752. From October 1943 to April 1945 it housed the Council of Ministers of the Italian Social Republic, which met there 15 times.

The interior walls display frescoes by Bernardino and Fabrizio Galliari showing mythological figures in allegorical scenes. These artistic works shape the character of the rooms and tell stories of ancient gods and human virtues.

Access to the interior requires advance booking to manage visitor flow and properly protect the art collections and grounds. Wear comfortable walking shoes as tours involve climbing multiple stories and exploring different areas of the property.

The garden's centrepiece is a multi-storey nymphaeum with an artificial grotto lined with wall pieces cut from natural caves; flanking limonaie survive only in part. The lake-facing balustrade carries a marble pantheon of Bacchus, Ceres, Jupiter, Venus, Pluto, Thetys, Juno and Mercury carved by Giovanni Battista Locatelli.