Location

Valtenesi

Valtenesi /

Valtenesi is that part of the territory

of the south-western coast of Lake Garda which marks the transition from the mountains of “Riviera dei Limoni” and the Po Valley,

composed of morainic hills that span the lower Garda until then reunited with those of Rivoli, just before the Monte Baldo area particularly pleasant place to visit for its alternation of hills covered with vineyards and olive trees, rural villages with baroque and Romanesque churches and castles, with cooler weather in the summer and beautiful colors in the fall. Valtenesi is an area rich in vegetation and particularly suitable for the cultivation of grapes and olives, historically it is of great importance, although rich in castles and churches, its fame is mainly due to the production of Valtenesi wine claret and groppello and extra virgin olive oil over the past decades has had a steady increase and improvement, is also accompanied by a general revival of local flavors, made from produce of the land and freshwater fish.

Valtenesi

TERRITORY OF VALTENESI

Province: Brescia
Municipalities: Manerba del Garda, Moniga del Garda, Padenghe del Garda, Polpenazze, Puegnago, San Felice del Benaco, Soiano del Lago.

Valtenesi is located on the western side of Lake Garda, is composed of two types of territory, one coastal and one hilly in the inland, here begins the morainic hills that surround the lower part of the lake, created by a glacier in retreat leaving piles of debris, stones and gravel area particularly rich in vegetation and climate, slightly cooler during the summer, particularly suitable for cultivation, especially of grapes and olives. The territory is a succession of hills with a maximum height of three hundred meters, a time between them formed swamps which were then drained.

HISTORY OF VALTENESI

Valtenesi was inhabited in prehistoric times in the Lake Lucone area (Polpenazze) which was drained in 1458 and near which is found in a pirogue (Museum of Gavardo), this indicates the presence of a community, given the proximity to the best known “Polada civilization.”

It seems that the name Valtenesi resulting from a settlement of pre-Christian Greeks, “valley of the Athenians,” which would be endorsed by other place names, Manerba “Minerva” and Portese “portus atheniensis.” In the history of Valtenesi area municipalities of the coast are those who have gained more importance, given the position of the lake and then control, even if each municipality has or has had its castle, perhaps the most important was to Manerba, on top of the rock and built on a variety of pre-existing. Some castles were destroyed in the course of history in the various steps of hand between Scala and Visconti, the Venetian Republic and the wars of independence.

LOCAL PRODUCTS AND LOCAL CUISINE OF VALTENESI

Olive Oil of Garda dop, Garda Classico wine of Valtenesi, chiaretto, lake fish of Garda lake