Lake Garda

Lago di Garda Lake Garda
Riva del Garda
Location	Northern Italy
Coordinates	45°38′N 10°40′E / 45.633°N 10.667°E / 45.633; 10.667Coordinates: 45°38′N 10°40′E / 45.633°N 10.667°E / 45.633; 10.667
Primary  inflows	Sarca
Primary  outflows	Mincio
Catchment  area	2,350 km²
Basin  countries	Italy
Max. length	51.9 km
Max. width	16.7 km
Surface area	369.98 km²
Average depth	136 m
Max. depth	346 m
Water volume	50.35 km³
Residence time	26.8 years
Surface  elevation	65 m
Islands	5 (Isola del Garda, Isola San Biagio)
Settlements	see article

Lake Garda (Italian: Lago di Garda or Benaco) is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age. The lake and its shoreline are divided between the provinces of Verona (to the southeast), Brescia (southwest), and Trento (north). Being easily accessible from the north via the Brenner pass, the lake is a major tourist destination, including a number of exclusive hotels and resorts along its shore.

Formation and overview

Lake Garda from space.

The northern part of the lake is narrower, surrounded by mountains, the majority of which belong to the Gruppo del Baldo. The shape is typical of a moraine valley, probably having been formed under the action of a Paleolithic glacier. Although traces of the glacier's actions are evident today, in more recent years it has been hypothesized that the glacier occupied a previously existing depression, created by stream erosion 5 to 6 million years ago.

The lake has numerous small islands and five main ones, the largest being Isola del Garda. Nearby to the south is Isola San Biagio, also known as the Isola dei Conigli ("Island of the Rabbits"). Both are offshore of San Felice del Benaco, on the west side. The three other main islands are Isola dell'Olivo, Isola di Sogno, and Isola di Trimelone, all further north near the east side.

The main tributary is the Sarca River, while the only emissary is the Mincio River.

Wildlife include the "Carpione del Garda" or "Carpiù" (Salmo carpio), a species of salmonid living exclusively in the Garda and in some Swiss alpine lakes^{[citation needed]}, usually caught in fine nets since it is a deep-water zooplankton eater (now classified as Critically Endangered). Others species present are:

• Bleak
• Brown trout
• Chub
• Common carp
• Common whitefish
• Eel
• Burbot, Lota lota, a species of Gadid fish
• Northern Pike
• Perch
• Tench

Localities and sights

The ancient fortified town of Sirmione, located on the south of the lake, is one particularly popular destination, home to the Virgilio & Catullo Spa Complexes, as well as numerous restaurants, bars, hotels, fashion stores and a market. The picturesque Scaliger castle dates from the 13th century. The Roman poet Catullus had a villa here, and visitors can see a ruined Roman spa named the Grotte di Catullo (Grotto of Catullus) although there is no evidence linking him to this particular building. The sulfur springs at the tip of the peninsula have a reputation for the healing of catarrhal conditions, particularly those involving the ear.

Nearby, there is Gardaland, one of the most famous theme parks in Italy.

View from Torbole over the water.

See also

• Battle of Lake Benacus, in which Roman forces defeated the Alamanni on the shores of Lake Garda, in the year 268.
• Battle of Solferino and San Martino in 1859, during the Italian Risorgimento. The terrible aftermath of this battle led to the Geneva Convention and the formation of the Red Cross.
• Benito Musolini established the capital of his rump Italian Social Republic in 1943 in a villa in the town of Salò on its shores. It served as a nexus for military operations and communications for German troops during World War II .

Image gallery

Tremosine sul Garda	Val di Sogno	Punta San Vigilio	View from Gargnano
View from Malcesine	Gustav Klimt's Malcesine (1913)	Nago-Torbole and the northern part of the lake	Sunset from Torri del Benaco

External links

• Media related to Lago di Garda at Wikimedia Commons
• Official Garda Lake site
• Lake Garda Tourist Information
• Lake Garda Tourism Guide informations of the region, map, events.
• Ferry Services on Italian Lakes - Lake Garda, together with general information on the lake and its settlements.
• A complete guide to Lake Garda, with over 300 pictures from all around the lake.
• Lake Garda Photo-Gallery
• Lake Garda with a lot of informations ( weatherforcast, live webcam, weatherstation )
• Interactive Panorama: Lake Garda

v • d • e Lake Garda (Lago di Garda, Benaco) Italy   Lombardy (Province of Brescia) · Veneto (Province of Verona) · Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (Autonomous Province of Trento) Settlements Bardolino · Brenzone · Castelnuovo del Garda · Desenzano del Garda · Garda · Gardone Riviera · Gargnano · Lazise · Limone sul Garda · Lonato · Malcesine · Manerba del Garda · Moniga del Garda · Nago-Torbole · Padenghe sul Garda · Peschiera del Garda · Riva del Garda · Salò · San Felice del Benaco · Sirmione · Tignale · Torri del Benaco · Toscolano-Maderno · Tremosine Islands Isola del Garda · Isola dell'Olivo · Isola San Biagio · Isola di Sogno · Isola di Trimelone Rivers Mincio · Sarca Wines Bardolino People Catullus · Gabriele D'Annunzio