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Bardolino

Video of Bardolino

Bardolino is a town located on the eastern shore of Lake Garda, in the province of Verona, in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is known for its wine production, beautiful lakeside promenade, and stunning views of Lake Garda and the surrounding hills. You can get from Garda to Bardolino in 5 minutes on the city bus or walk it in 45 minutes.

Bardolino is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors who come to enjoy its picturesque scenery, mild climate, and a range of recreational opportunities. The town has a historic center with narrow streets and beautiful architecture, and visitors can explore ancient ruins and other cultural attractions.

The lakeside promenade, called Lungolargo Roma, is a popular spot for walking, cycling, and enjoying views of the lake, and there are several beaches where visitors can swim or sunbathe.

Bardolino's Old Town is a charming maze of narrow streets, picturesque squares and colorful buildings. Visitors can wander the streets and explore the local shops, restaurants and cafes. Bardolino is also famous for its namesake wine, which is made from the local Corvina and Rondinella grape varieties. Another popular attraction are the town's many wineries and tasting the delicious wines produced in the region. We have just walked into town along Borgo Garibaldi, which leads into a series of little twisted lanes and intersections and small piazzas, heading towards the waterfront.

It's quite easy to get around because this is a pedestrian zone and it's small, just about 400 meters long and 400 wide. The quick route that we're taking in our brief visit to Bardolino is walking down through the town to the waterfront, strolling along the Lungolargo, and then back up into town, passing through a few more short blocks with shops and restaurants.

The main piazza of town is Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, slightly unusual in that it is very long. It's wide like a boulevard, but there are no cars. Of course, it's for pedestrians, and lined with shops and restaurants the whole way, leading right down to the waterfront, as seen in the outline.

The Old Town is quite small, with just about a half a dozen main lanes and little alleyways snaking through it. And you could easily spend a day here enjoying the town and the surrounding countryside. This fortified tower is all that's left of the castle and surrounding walls, partly built up by the Scala dynasty, who ruled this area from Verona back in the 13th and 14th centuries.

The town's origin is remote, certainly dating back to 1,000 B.C., with the pile-dwelling civilization building their homes in the lake up on stilts. Later, there was a Roman occupation, followed by the Longobards, the Goths and the Visigoths, then Scaligeri, followed by occupation from Venice, which made Bardolino the center of the Venetian navy on the lake, which lasted till the end of the 18th century. Then Napoleon took over briefly and was replaced by Austrian control until 1866, when Bardolino became part of Italy.

As we walk inland, we notice one of the major cross streets for shopping Corso Umberto. And then we head out through an archway into a little bit more modern part of Bardolino.

We have another important historic landmark to look at, one of the oldest churches in the region, San Severo. The church was built in the early 12th century in the Romanesque style and features a simple, elegant facade with a bell tower. It's open to the public for free, and you'll notice the rough stone facade much different than the later decorated Gothic facades and the Renaissance churches.

The interior is decorated with colorful frescoes that date back to the 12th through the 14th centuries. Back in the 9th century, an earlier church was built on the site of the ruins of a preexisting temple. That completes our Bardolino visit.

For more information about Bardolino visit the Official Tourist Information website.

Northern Italy

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