Lake Garda, called Benacus by the Romans, is the largest lake in Europe (370 sq. km) and it fills a hollow created by glaciers between Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino. The main tributary is the river Sarca and its only emissary is the Mincio at Peschiera that joins the river Po on the south side of Mantua.

Inhabited from very ancient times (there are many finds from the Bronze Age), the Romans were the first people to exploit the agricultural potential of the surroundings and the splendid shores for their villas.

An important means of access between the Po plain and northern Europe, Lake Garda became a fiercely contested territory until the 15th c. when it was dominated entirely by the Republic of Venice. A strong boost to agriculture followed (the Franciscans introduced the cultivation of lemons which are still grown there).

The construction in 1931 of the Gardesana road and the Brescia-Venice railway with stations at Desenzano and Peschiera gave a strong boost to tourism which is now the main source of income in the zone.

The mild climate, luxuriant vegetation (olives, citrus fruit, oleanders, cypress trees and palms colour the shores), and the incredible historical remains (the Roman villa at Sirmione, the magnificent "Vittoriale" that belonged to Gabriele D'Annunzio, the medieval walls at Lazise, the panoramic point of San Vigilio, and the old port of Desenzano are the most famous of the dozens) are the principal attractions on the green shores of Lake Garda.