Lakeside and centre of Gargnano

Gargnano lies on the western shore of Lake Garda, protected from the cold northern winds by a crown of mountains and hills.

Its territory is made up byseveral hamlets; on the slopes surrounding the village the mild weather has created the ideal conditions for cedars, lemons, olives, cypresses.

The centre of Gargnano is assembled around the harbour,overlooked by elegant buildings, including the city hall built in the late 1500s. On the side facing the lakethere arewalled cannon balls that an Austrian ship fired into the town in 1866, during the Third War of Independence.

The oldest church in Gargnano, San Giacomo, dating from the 12th century, has recently been restored. Outside, on a side wall, three 14th-century frescoes stand out. Inside, on a fine terracotta altar, enclosed in a niche, you can admire the 16th-century wooden statue of St. James.

Among the numerous villas overlooking the lake, Villa Feltrinelli , built in the late 19th century, played a role in one of the darkest episodes of the last war: it housed the offices of Mussolini at the time of the Republic of Salò. Further north,in San Faustino, stands the villa that Mussolini chose as his personal residence.