That extra reason for staying on Lake Garda, in among the olive, beech and chestnut trees - When Mother Nature resolved to create Lake Garda, she certainly did not skimp on her energy, and drew from her palette all the colours of the rainbow. And she spread them plentifully over the hills and mountains. She distributed them in the bright shades of blue of the water, in the thousand hues of the luxuriant vegetation.
Each and every season has its own fascinating colour chart to display before our eyes, filling us with ever new emotions and sensations. Autumn and winter reserve an amazing spectacle of lights and colours, smells and tastes; they are lavish with fruits, flowers and herbs, to the delight of excursionists and botanists, artists of the brush and the lens, gourmets and philosophers, hedonists, lovers of the good and the beautiful.
Mountainous rivieras on the Brescia, Trent and Verona sides of the lake, wild and secluded, oases of unspoilt nature where numerous animals have found their ideal habitat, in the woods of beech, hornbeam and fir, lying midway between uplands and meadows, and the deep valleys that form a backdrop for little hamlets, farmhouses and mountain huts. These are the woods of Valvestino and the plateau of Tignale and Tremosine on the Brescian Riviera, with their colours and reflections. The colours and lights of Verona's mountains, of Mt. Baldo, dubbed the garden of Europe, and often carpeted in snow in winter time. And on the lower slopes of the mountain, a panoramic balcony like no other, lies the little town of San Zeno di Montagna. Home to around 1,800 inhabitants, offers views up and down the lake, from the Sirmione peninsula right up to Riva del Garda at the far end. It is a privilege to be able to observe the views and sunsets, as well as a series of images from the morainic hills in the south to the olive groves and the peaks of the Lombardy and Trentino preAlps to the north.
Behind the village are the peaks of Mount Baldo, with their pastures, forests, chestnut woods and a rich variety of unique botanical species. The village itself lies on a plateau that extends for several kilometres at an average height of 600 metres above the lake garda, dotted with tiny ancient hamlets, each with an identity of its own. The point of reference is the district of San Zeno, with the parish church and the square of the same name where a local market is held every Monday. Just round the corner are Ca' Schena, Ca' Sartori and the quarter called Ca' Montagna, with its 15th century town hall, library and Forestry Service. Then come Castello and recentlyrebuilt Laguna, followed - on the road down to Brenzone - by Borno and Villanuova. If you take the road up right from the fork, you encounter Pora, Baitei and Corrubio, rural hamlets surrounded by farmed fields, pastures, and ageold chestnut woods which produce the renowned San Zeno nuts called marroni, which boast the protected designation of origin. At Corrubio the road divides: left to Prada, passing through Pra Bestemà, a lovely spot with the longest meadow terrace on Mt. Baldo and magnificent views; to the right the road flattens out and passes through Ca' Longa on its way to Lumini, where it turns back towards the centre of the village, via the pinewood.
It is a lovely route with lots to see and the opportunity to try some local specialities in one of the local restaurants or agriturismo farms - hams and cheese, of course, but also produce from the woods, including chestnuts, and from the underwood, such as mushrooms and truffles, not to mention honey, as well as aromatic and medicinal herbs used to make herbal teas and infusions. One of the best loved regional specialities is chestnut soup, made from an ancient traditional mountain recipe. San Zeno di Montagna is the ideal location for a variety of sports, especially mountain biking and trekking. The mild, relaxing climate encourages visitors to explore hidden corners of the various quarters, follow the easy, shady paths that crisscross the mountainside, and the more adventurous to climb to the summit of Monte Baldo. At Prada, skilifts whisk you up to an altitude of 1,850 metres, from where you can ascend to the highest peaks, Cima Val Dritta (2,218 m) and Cima Telegrafo (2,200 m), where an alpine refuge operates in summer. A keepfit trail and a Jungle Adventure park in Pineta Sperane offer an exciting alternative for adults and children alike.
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Text: Alvaro Joppi Publisher: Acherdo - Lago di Garda