The first trip after the lockdown had to be in Italy, there was no doubt! We decided to organize a long weekend at the end of June to discover the beauties of Lake Garda and Lake Caldaro.

‌‌In this first post we will tell you about the first part of our weekend spent in Limone sul Garda. The origin of the name of this village is not linked to the lemons that have marked its history, but to the evolution of the word Limon, which appears in many historical documents and which has often been transformed into Limonum, Limono and then Limone. According to other opinions, the name derives from Limen, which means border.

Civico

The village of Limone sul Garda is not very large and can be easily visited in a couple of hours. We walked aimlessly through its streets, where lemons are the undisputed protagonists, among the souvenirs of the shops and the characteristic street numbers. We started the walk from Lungolago Marconi, where restaurants and small shops are placed side by side. Continuing we arrived at the beautiful Old Port, one of the most characteristic views of the country, where you can observe the boats in motion with the beautiful colored houses in the background.

We continued our walk to the end of via Garbera, where we stopped in the shade to take some shots from above on this beautiful village.

From here we traveled a stretch of the road that connects the town center to the new cycle and pedestrian path. This path from 2021 should be completed to reach Riva sul Garda. The first part of the route is certainly very characteristic for us, through small pedestrian streets surrounded by the gardens of the villas, it offers splendid views of the lake. This stretch is about 2km long and takes us directly to the beginning of the new cycle and pedestrian path. Its initial part is not particularly attractive as it is located alongside the road traveled by cars. Keep in mind that the best part starts about 1km later. The entire route now has a length of 4km (one way), which you can also travel with one of the bikes that can be rented in the village.

Indicazioni Limonaia al Castel

After a break for lunch, we visited the characteristic Limonaia al Castel, located in the historic center, between the mountain and the Orti and Castello streets. The visit is absolutely unmissable to get to know the country and what its past economy was based on. Built in stone in 1700, it extends over three terraces and the different levels are connected by stairs. Depending on the season, the structure was closed with wooden or glass plates to protect the crops and in the coldest period fires were lit to heat the environment. In the central structure you will find information panels that tell the story of the lemon groves and explain the different types of citrus fruits grown: lemons, cedars, grapefruits, mandarins, mandarins, chinotti, clementines and kumquats. The view over the roofs and the lake from here deserves a few shots, especially from the top of the last terrace.

The Limonaia al Castel is open from March to October, every day from 10:00 am in the morning. Admission costs only € 2 and the visit takes less than an hour. Among the attractions of the town, we also remind you of the Church of San Rocco and the Parish Church, which we have not had the opportunity to visit. In fact, in the late afternoon we left for the next stage of our journey.

The charm of Lake Garda is undisputed and surely there will still be the opportunity to visit other characteristic villages along its banks

Before your trip

  • How long to visit? The village can be visited in about 2 hours, to which you must add more time if you also want to visit the unmissable Limonaia al Castel or take the new pedestrian path
  • Where to park? If you arrive by car, you can park at the Lungolago parking, in via Lungolago Guglielmo Marconi and start your walk from here
  • Where to eat? We booked a table at Casa Bistrot L'Andrunel, a nice little place with a balcony overlooking the pedestrian street. The menu is simple and refined, with a few dishes, excellent wine list. We enjoyed the ravioli stuffed with potatoes, octopus, buffalo mozzarella and black garlic. The place is dog-friendly and Maya had a great time

  • Where to buy souvenirs? There are several small shops that sell lemon-based products, from the classic limoncello, to oil with cold-pressed lemons, to cosmetic products. We had a good time at El Botegher, where we bought local oil and limoncello. In every shop, always pay attention that the lemons used come from Garda, the label does not lie!