Page 213 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

VERONA AND LAKE GARD A  211

La Gardesana
This is the name given to the
143-km (89-mile) perimeter
road that hugs the lakeshore.
For much of its route the road
is cut through solid rock,
sometimes following a narrow
ledge in the cliff face,
sometimes passing through
tunnels (around 80 in total).
The switchback route offers
spectacular views at every turn,
particularly at Gargnano, and
there are numerous viewing Lake Garda steamer at dusk near Peschiera
points. Places of interest along
La Gardesana include the 0 Garda w Solferino
splendid 18th-century gardens * 3,400. @ n Mar–Oct. Piazzetta * 2,118. @ ( Sat pm. Shops
of Palazzo Bettoni at Bogliaco Donatori di Sangue 1 (045 725 58 24). closed Mon pm.
and the castle at Riva del Garda. ( Fri am. Shops: closed Wed pm
(food). ∑ tourism.verona.it The allied armies of France and
Sardinia under Napoleon III
Numerous pavement cafés met the Austrian army at the
brighten the streets around the small village of Solferino in 1859,
central Palazzo dei Capitani, built as part of what was the wider
in the 15th century for the use of battle for the unification of the
the Venetian militia. Prehistoric Italian peninsula. The Battle of
rock engravings feature along Solferino left more than 6,000
the Strada dei Castei, an old dead and 40,000 wounded,
route above the town. abandoned without medical
care or burial. Shocked by such
neglect, a Swiss man named
q Peschiera Henri Dunant began a
The scenic tunnel on the road to Limone campaign for better treatment.
* 8,900. @ V n Piazzale
Bettelone 15. (045 755 16 73). ( Mon The result was the first Geneva
Lake Trips am. Shops: closed Wed in winter. Convention, signed in 1863, and
∑ tourism.verona.it the establishment of the
Lake Garda’s ferries are still International Red Cross. In the
called steamers, even though At Peschiera the Mincio river town of Solferino there is a war
they are diesel-powered today. flows out of Lake Garda to join museum and an ossuary chapel,
The major towns around the the Po river. The main site of lined with bones from the
southern rim of the lake all interest is a fortress built in the battlefield. There is also a
have jetties where visitors can 19th century. Named Fortezza memorial to Dunant built by the
buy a ticket and board the del Quadrilatero because of its Red Cross with donations from
boat for a leisurely cruise.
Gardens and villas that are square shape, it replaced a member nations.
otherwise hidden from view 15th-century stronghold.
can be seen from the water.
A trip from one end of the Environs
lake to the other takes Just outside town are Parco
approximately 2 hours 20 Natura Viva, a zoo with a safari
minutes by hydrofoil, and 4 park and model dinosaurs, and
hours by steamer. Catamarans Gardaland® Resort, a theme park
also operate around the with a superb SEA LIFE aquarium
southern end of the lake. (free bus from Peschiera station) .
O Parco Natura Viva
Nr. Bussolengo. Tel 045 717 01 13.
Open mid-Mar–Nov: 9am–4pm.
Closed early Jan–Feb. & 7
∑ parconaturaviva.it
 Gardaland® Resort
Loc. Ronchi, 37014 Castelnuovo del
The hydrofoil operating out of Garda. Tel 045 644 97 77. Open end
Desenzano harbour Apr–Sep: daily; Oct & Christmas period: The ossuary chapel at Solferino, lined
Sat & Sun. & 7 ∑ gardaland.it with skulls

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