Itineraries on lake Garda: Valeggio and Borghetto

Together with a tourist guide discover the inland south of lake Garda along the river Mincio, the lake emissary, one of the cleanest river in Italy. The area around the Mincio has been declared natural park.

Borghetto
Along the river Mincio you will find Borghetto, a lovely and ancient water mills village. The village retains a medieval atmosphere, with its walls and battlements, the bell tower of the small church of St. Marco, and the ancient water mills.
The background is dominated by the sight of the famous Visconti Bridge, a fortified dam build in 1393 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the Duke of Milan, in order to protect the Eastern borders of his possessions. The bridge was linked to the overlooking Scala Castle through a series of walls so it became fundamental part of the Serraglio, an extraordinary defensive system which ran along 16 kilometers on the plains between Lake Garda, Verona and Mantova. The bridge is 650 meters long and 25 meters wide.

Valeggio
The village of Valeggio is dominated by the Scala Castle, still intact with all its formidable towers. The castle built in the fourteenth century can be visited. From the high keep you will enjoy a breathtaking view over the southern lake Garda.
People of Valeggio say that in the castle there is the ghost of Andriolo da Parma, lord of the castle of Valeggio. Andriolo da Parma was unfairly accused of treason by Giacomo da Carrara, in the turmoil which characterized the end of the rule of the Scala Family over Verona territories. Many people swear that in nights of full moon they saw the evanescent figure wondering among the walls and battlements of the castle.

Salionze
Not far from here, in Salionze, in 452 B.C., Pope Leo I met Attila the hun and miraculously obtained from him the promise that he would withdraw from Italy and negotiate peace with the emperor. Still today, every year in July, there is a commemoration of this historical event.

I Tortellini
Valeggio and Borghetto are also famous for tortellini. Tortellini is a ring-shaped pasta dumpling stuffed with a filling typically made of meat, cheese and ham. It is a dish typical of Italy Northern regions like Emilia (Bologna and Modena in particular), but those made in Valeggio and Borghetto are particularly famous for their extra thin sheet of pastry. Traditional tortellini of Valeggio and Borghetto are usually served in broth and can be tasted in typical local restaurants.

Together with a tourist guide you can follow these fascinating historical itineraries. For details or further information on sightseeing tour in Valeggio, and Borghetto:

info@veronissima.com