According to legend, the god Benaco fell in love with the nymph Fillide, who later bore him twin sons Grineo and Limone. The father wanted his first son to become a fisher and the second a farmer. Since adolescence, however, both youths loved to go hunting on Mount Baldo. One day Limone was attacked and killed by a wild boar. Fillide desperately pleaded with her husband to bring her son back to life. Benaco therefore prepared an infusion with mysterious blue flowers and gave it to his son, who miraculously came to life. Promptly obeying his father, Limone went to live on the banks opposite Mount Baldo. He found a lovely inlet sheltered from the winds, and there he made his home and grew lemons, the fruit that was named after him.
There are many opportunities for relaxing walks or invigorating hikes that will let you become more familiar with one of the most interesting areas of the Upper lake garda region. In any season you can take a leisurely stroll along the beach from Piazza A. de Gasperi heading south to Nanzèl, walk along the lanes zigzagging through the olive groves, or enjoy the sweeping views of the lake garda from the "Sentiero del Sole" path that heads out from the square and leads to the World War I shelters in Reamol. Along this last itinerary, the Italian Alpine Club organizes hikes with a guide every Thursday in July and August. For more expert hikers, the surrounding area of Limone sul Garda offers many possibilities. The routes are well marked and, above all, accessible all year round. A map of the trails, which is available at the tourist bureaus, provides information about the routes, difficulties, and the estimated time. Every Sunday from June until September, the Alpine Club organizes a hike from Limone sul Garda to the "Bonaventura Segala" chalet (1215 m). The guided hike starts out at 7:30 a.m. from the bus stop on the state road and ends around 5:00 p.m. The guided tour is free of charge. For information and reservations, please contact the local tourist bureaus.
The origin of the name "Limone sul Garda" is still uncertain, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the citrus fruit. Scholars believe the name of the town derives from the Latin word for boundary ("Limen"). For centuries a boundary actually ran north towards Riva del Garda. It certainly existed since the end of the 10th century and during the days of the Republic of Venice, the Lombard-Veneto Kingdom and the Kingdom of Italy, fueling disputes and smuggling until 1918. Nevertheless, lemons were actually grown for many years in Limone sul Garda, starting in the 17th century. In the 18th century, lemons were grown on an almost industrial scale, and at that time countless greenhouses were built to protect the plants during the winter. The entire gulf was lined with walls, stairways, arches and wooden beams upon which wood planks and other materials were attached to protect these particularly delicate citrus fruits from November to March. Innumerable prints, paintings and writings have immortalized this enchanting scenery which has left its mark on the town. For almost three hundred years, Limone on lake garda has been known as the land of lemons.
Sailing from Torbole sul Garda to Malcesine on September 13, 1786, Johann Wolfgang Goethecitrus fruit greenhouses: "This morning at three o'clock I set sail from Torbole at lake Garda with two oarsmen. The wind was favorable at first, so we made good use of our sails. The morning was stupendous yet overcast, and it was tranquil at dawn. We sailed before Limone sul Garda with beautiful, lush terraced gardens of lemon trees. The garden had rows of square white pillars evenly spaced and arranged in tiers up along the hillside. Large wooden beams sat on top of these pillars and were used to cover the plants in winter. Our slow progress made it possible to observe and contemplate such delightful things. Once we passed Malcesine at lake garda, the wind completely changed direction and blew northward as usual." The words uttered by Johann Wolfgang Goethe's Mignon seem written for the landscape of Limone sul Garda:
Knowest thou where the lemon blossom grows, In foliage dark the orange golden glows, A gentle breeze blows from the azure sky, Still stands the myrtle, and the laurel, high? Dost know it well? 'Tis there! 'Tis there Would I with thee, oh my beloved, fare. Knowest the house, its roof on columns fine? Its hall glows brightly and its chambers shine, And marble figures stand and gaze at me: What have they done, oh wretched child, to thee? Dost know it well? 'Tis there! 'Tis there Would I with thee, oh my protector, fare. Knowest the mountain with the misty shrouds? The mule is seeking passage through the clouds; In caverns dwells the dragons' ancient brood; The cliff rocks plunge under the rushing flood! Dost know it well? 'Tis there! 'Tis there Leads our path! Oh father, let us fare.