Limone sul Garda
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2023
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The lakeside town of Limone sul Garda is situated in the Province of Brescia, on the shores of Lake Garda. It has a population of around 1,000 residents and is located a distance of 167 kilometres north-east of Milan, the regional capital of Lombardy.
The delightful name of the town which translates as Lemon on Garda, is fitting in many ways but something of a linguistic quirk. |
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Whilst there are indeed lemon groves around the town and it's also a fact that since the 13th century it was famous for the cultivation of lemons, the real origin of the name comes from way back, when the Romans called it limen, meaning frontier. At one point, in much more recent history, Limone Sul Garda was right on Italy's border with the Reich of Nazi Germany after they annexed the Trentino Alto Adige region to its north. That same frontier with Trentino, just a short drive north of Limone along the lake, still exists but is nowadays just a regional, rather than an international border.
Although Limone is really rather small with little more than a thousand inhabitants, it's one of the most popular destinations around the lake. With the dramatic backdrop of the mountains overlooking the town from the west, it creates quite a spectacle as you arrive from the water. From the imbarcadero, the jetty where the ferries arrive, the town sprawls out in every direction, characterised by tight, narrow streets with historic buildings. There are dozens of places to eat and drink along the shoreline while one of the prettiest areas of the town is the little harbour of Porto Vecchio.
South of the Porto Vecchio (Old Port), an expansive lakeside promenade stretches out, passing shops and restaurants on one side with the pleasure craft berthed at the lake's edge on the other. Around half a kilometre south of the Porto Vecchio you reach the edge of the town centre where there's a car park, but if you carry on beyond that, there's one of the most beautiful beaches around Lake Garda: the Spiaggia Cola or Cola Beach.
Transport options in Limone are limited to the lake and the road but to use the word "limited" is something of a misnomer in this instance as there are endless possibilities of places to visit. Using the Lake Garda ferry system the most popular destinations are Malcesine which is on the opposite side of the lake in the Veneto region or the next major town to the north of Limone, Riva del Garda which belongs to Trentino Alto-Adige. These are the three most popular towns at this, the northern end of the lake, but there are countless others to explore if you want to break from the crowds a little.
Aimlessly exploring the lake from the water is a wonderful way to spend your time in the area but it can also boast one of the prettiest driving routes in Italy. If you were to drive the whole way around the lake with stopping, you'd be back at your starting point within two and a half hours or so; this makes it ideal for a day-trip if you have your own car and allows you to enjoy the stunning lake views from another angle.
North of the lake, there are some lesser-known places that merit some exploration: taking the main road north of Limone, passing Riva along the way, you eventually come to the beautiful Lake Tenno with its impossibly bright blue water. Alternatively, heading north-east and inland from Riva you shortly reach the pretty town of Arco. Beyond Arco you enter more deeply into the Alps where there are dozens of smaller lakes and numerous historic towns including Rovereto and the larger Trento.
Although Limone is really rather small with little more than a thousand inhabitants, it's one of the most popular destinations around the lake. With the dramatic backdrop of the mountains overlooking the town from the west, it creates quite a spectacle as you arrive from the water. From the imbarcadero, the jetty where the ferries arrive, the town sprawls out in every direction, characterised by tight, narrow streets with historic buildings. There are dozens of places to eat and drink along the shoreline while one of the prettiest areas of the town is the little harbour of Porto Vecchio.
South of the Porto Vecchio (Old Port), an expansive lakeside promenade stretches out, passing shops and restaurants on one side with the pleasure craft berthed at the lake's edge on the other. Around half a kilometre south of the Porto Vecchio you reach the edge of the town centre where there's a car park, but if you carry on beyond that, there's one of the most beautiful beaches around Lake Garda: the Spiaggia Cola or Cola Beach.
Transport options in Limone are limited to the lake and the road but to use the word "limited" is something of a misnomer in this instance as there are endless possibilities of places to visit. Using the Lake Garda ferry system the most popular destinations are Malcesine which is on the opposite side of the lake in the Veneto region or the next major town to the north of Limone, Riva del Garda which belongs to Trentino Alto-Adige. These are the three most popular towns at this, the northern end of the lake, but there are countless others to explore if you want to break from the crowds a little.
Aimlessly exploring the lake from the water is a wonderful way to spend your time in the area but it can also boast one of the prettiest driving routes in Italy. If you were to drive the whole way around the lake with stopping, you'd be back at your starting point within two and a half hours or so; this makes it ideal for a day-trip if you have your own car and allows you to enjoy the stunning lake views from another angle.
North of the lake, there are some lesser-known places that merit some exploration: taking the main road north of Limone, passing Riva along the way, you eventually come to the beautiful Lake Tenno with its impossibly bright blue water. Alternatively, heading north-east and inland from Riva you shortly reach the pretty town of Arco. Beyond Arco you enter more deeply into the Alps where there are dozens of smaller lakes and numerous historic towns including Rovereto and the larger Trento.
Comune di Limone sul Garda
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Province: Brescia
Region: Lombardy Population: 1,141 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Size: 23 km² Elevation: 69 metres Highlights: Porto Vecchio, Spiaggia Cola, swimming in the lake Recommended hotel: Garni Gianmartin Close by: Riva del Garda, Arco, Lake Tenno, Lake Idro, Salò |
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