Peschiera del Garda ☀️ Lake Garda
Peschiera del Garda is one of the symbol cities of the entire Lake Garda, located to the south is historically called the "Pentagon" and has been awarded since 2017 as one of the UNESCO World Heritage cities given its historical importance dictated by the grandeur and importance of its fortress. Peschiera is also the border between the Veronese and Brescia shores, and there is also a railway stop that makes it attractive for trips out of town (Verona is only 25km away) or as a starting point to circumnavigate the lake by ferry.
The history of Peschiera
As already mentioned Peschiera> is located in an extremely strategic position and thanks to it has always been at the center of attention since ancient times. The first settlements in the area even arrive from the Bronze Age, then becoming a Roman fortress, a Scaliger fortress, an important pole for the Serenissima of Venice and then passing from 1815 to the Lombard-Venetian kingdom and becoming one of the fortresses that made up Quadrilateral, or the defensive system designed by the Austrians which also had Mantua, Legnago and Verona as its hinges.
A real fortress, therefore, with walls that surround the town and that made it impregnable. After being in the hands of the Austrians, Peschiera passed to Italy starting in 1866 with the Treaty of Prague, maintaining the beauty that, to this day, is still reflected in the aforementioned high fortified walls built and raised throughout its history.
Old Town
What to see in Peschiera del Garda? One cannot fail to start from what made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site: its fortress. The historic center is located right inside it which can be accessed by passing through the Verona gate which is in fact the ancient gate of the fortress city. As you can see on this door there is the great coat of arms of the Lion of the Serenissima with a Latin wording that reads as follows:
"Disce haec moneat praecelsa leonis imago ne stimvles cev leo in hoste vigent"
All clear isn't it? The literal translation is "That you know this sublime image of the lion dissuades you from provoking the Venetians, since against the enemy they have the vigor of the lion".
The second entrance, located south-west from that of Verona, is represented by Porta Brescia (dated 1770) from which you will immediately enter the fortress to explore the alleys and the whole medieval village.
Proceeding towards the center of Peschiera and fully exploring the fortress, you can then observe various monuments and historic buildings full of history, as well as explore the bridges. Below is the list of what is absolutely not to be missed.
