Tourist attractions on Lake Garda

Strada Santa Lucia where Aktivhotel Santalucia is found, is one of the most beautiful walks in the Garda Trentino area. It goes up from Torbole towards Nago at the foot of the steep cliff of Penede. In a small wild valley, surrounded by silence, full of incredible views over Lake Garda. It takes its name from the ancient chapel dedicated to the saint from Siracusa.

The road is extremely old; it was once the only way to reach the mountain pass, the "roughest walk", according to Montaigne. The Venetian galleys came down this track on their famous quest taken on by the “Serenissima” (Venetian Republic). It is commemorated by an inscription, which reads:

"Road of Medieval traffic
between the lake and the north
taken by the Venetian galleys in1439
to combat the Duke of Milan’s forces".

The olive grove which it passes through is certainly one of the oldest and most venerable settlements in the Garda area. The site is a miracle of nature, which has remained in one piece through the centuries right up to the present day. It is interesting to observe the art of terracing, of the thicket and the wall made by our ancestors to gain small strips of land where it was possible to grow modest amounts of agricultural produce.

Eminent guests who have stayed in Torbole

Hans Lietzmann.
Among the people who brought fame to our village the German painter H. Lietzmann should not be forgotten (Berlin 1872-Riva del Garda 1955), who towards the end of last century chose Torbole as his second home and made a significant contribution, with his art, to make it well-known among his compatriots. His most famous piece of work is a series of paintings which illustrates the Bible, painted on commission to the Prussian Bible Society (Preussichen Haupt – Bibelgesellschaft).

Michel Eyquem Montaigne.
The first guest of global fame to visit Torbole and who left some notes about his visit in his diary, was M. E. Montaigne (1533-1592) in October 1580. French philosopher of great importance, and famous for his critical essays, a deep report into the human condition and masterpiece of all literature. His trip to Italy, and to Torbole, are described in his diary which carries the title Journal.

Wolfgang Goethe.
The great German poet (Frankfurt am Main 1749-Weimar 1832) stayed in Torbole on 12 September1786, in the house of Martino Alberti, commemorated with a plaque, in the central square. He speaks in his Tagebuchern, with kind words about his hosts, the details of his stay in Torbole, where he found inspiration to restart the drafting of ifigenia, which he had abandoned for some time.

Josef II of Hapsburg.
He was the Emperor of Austria (from 1780 to 1790), son of Maria Teresa. On 24 July 1765, 21 years before Goethe, he visited Torbole, where he stayed in an old noble palazzo, in the central square. A plaque in red marble, with a frame of marble decoration, commemorates the event. Josef II was a famous and well-liked figure due to some of the reforms he introduced.