Infotrentino

Riva del Garda

THE MOUNTAIN OASIS

Riva del Garda is located on the north-west corner of Lake Garda; on the west shore stands Monte Rocchetta, while on the east shore is Monte Baldo, both of which are reflected in the deep blue waters of the lake.

It is pretty certain that Riva del Garda was once an ancient Roman colony, a fact proved by the discovery of many archeological artefacts in the San Martino area, near the hamlet of Campi.  Through the ages it was dominated by the Scaligeri and Visconti families and by the Venetians.  Today the city's greatest economic resource is tourism, although it also hosts important paper factories and road haulage companies. Riva del Garda we offer you a wide range of accomodation: hotels, campings, apartments, farmhouses and bed & breakfast for your unforgettable Lake Garda holidays. It is a dynamic and lively town, set in a veritable corner of paradise where the blue shades of the lake are more intense and the air is cleaner and fresher. Riva del Garda, surrounded by the green flanks of majestic mountains that are mirrored in the blue waters of the lake, is also rich in olive groves, vineyards and lemon groves thanks to its unique mild Mediterranean climate, renowned since bygone times.

WORTH VISITING: Piazza III Novembre, site of the Apponale tower and its Lombard-Venetian style palazzos, opens to the lake underneath the sheer cliffs of Monte Rocchetta (m 1575 a.s.l.).  Connected by 15th century porticoes to Palazzo Pretorio, it is the seat of Town Hall, restructured between 1475 and 1482 and embellished with the various coats of arms, including that of Riva. Through the burned gate, the ancient archivolt that joins the two palazzos, one enters Piazza San Rocco that preserves the rustic/medieval appearance of ancient Riva.
Worthy a visit is the SS. Rocco e Vigilio church, completely destroyed except for the apse during the 1915-18 war. Via Fiume ends with the medieval gate called Porta San Marco, reconstructed by the Venetians in the second half of the 15th century and restored in 1536 by Bishop Bernardo Clesio. Along Via Gazzoletti, one reaches the Rocca (fort) built in 1124. Opposite, to the left, is the tree-lined square Piazza C. Battisti and to the side Piazza Garibaldi, from which starts the elegant Via Maffei with its various palazzos: Lutti, Armani, Clari and Martini, boasting halls rich in frescoes and paintings.
From Piazza C.Battisti one takes Viale San Francesco, at the beginning of which are visible the remains of the city's ancient walls; this is where the gate called Porta San Francesco used to be. Back to Piazza Garibaldi and up along Via Mazzini one reaches Piazza Cavour that hosts the S. M. Assunta church. At the end of the avenue stands the Inviolata church.
From the ring road, directly above the ancient medieval centre at the Castle, a path shaded by tall pine trees takes one in about 30 minutes to the Bastione, a Venetian fortress built in 1508; the Bastione existed before that (1450) but its shape was changed to round by the Venetians in order to make it impervious to cannon balls; blown up by mines in 1703 by the French general Vendôme it was then seized in 1796 by Napoleon's troops.
The grey-stoned Bastione stands tall above the city and the lake, and although offended by time and by events, it remains a symbol of Riva. The walk can be extended for about 1 hour all the way to the S. Barbara social centre and a little further on to the small church of S. Barbara (m 625 a.s.l.), built in 1935 by miners in a superb panoramic location. Proceeding at the feet of Monte Brione (m 376 a.s.l.) one arrives at the San Nicolò port built during the fascist era and today a leisure craft harbour and base camp for the FIPS scuba diving group.
From there, a lakeshore promenade with a wide and white pebble beach leads to Villino Campi. The Liberty style building is now headquarters of the Centro di Valorizzazione Scientifica del Garda (Scientific Enhancement of Lake Garda Centre), founded with the aim to create a hub of public information regarding the environmental aspects of the lake and its ecosystem. About 10 km from Riva is the hamlet of Campi, with the San Martino archeological area.
A short way inside from the road that leads from Campi to Malga Grassi, the excavations at Monte S.Martino have revealed an imposing building from ancient Roman times that was subjected to various restructuring works and transformations through the centuries, probably used as a place of worship. Texts property of APT del Garda Trentino - Riva del Garda

RECOMMENDED SPORTS: 
SAILING: FRAGLIA VELA the oldest and most famous sailing club of the Garda Trentino area 38066 RIVA DEL GARDA (TN) - Viale G. Maroni 2  Tel. 0464 552460 - Fax 0464 557120 
WINDSURFING: SURF SEGNANA: eight top level centres in Torbole, Riva del Garda and Lake Molveno. Tel. 0464 505963.  DIVING: Gruppo Sommozzatori Fips Viale Rovereto,140 Porto S. Nicolò - Riva del Garda  Tel. 0464 555120