Description of the attraction
Malcesine is a small town on the shores of Lake Garda, 120 km northwest of Venice and about 40 km from Verona.
The first inhabitants of the territory of modern Malcesine were the Etruscans. Then, around 15 BC. in their place came the Romans. The majestic Rocca fortress was probably built by the Lombards in the first half of the first millennium AD. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times. It was in this fortress that King Pepin stayed, who arrived in Malcesine to meet two hermits, Saints Benigno and Caro. Between 1277 and 1378, power in the city was in the hands of the powerful Della Scala family, who, having restored the castle and erected fortifications around it, gave it a new name - Castello Scaligero. In 1786, the great German poet Goethe was mistaken for a spy when he was sketching the castle. He would later write about this in his Italian Journey.
From 1405 to 1797, Malcesine was part of the Venetian Republic - then the city was known as Gardesana del Aqua, and its municipality was located in Palazzo dei Capitani. From the end of the 18th to the end of the 19th centuries, this entire territory was under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Castello Scaligero was its main stronghold.
Throughout its history, the picturesque Malcesine has attracted famous artists and poets like Goethe, Kafka and Klimt, who made the town famous and immortalized. Today, this resort attracts crowds of tourists who want to enjoy the local views and get acquainted with the sights. From Castello Scaligero, dominating the city, there are wonderful panoramas of Lake Garda and the medieval center of Malcesine, which houses the Pariani Museum with valuable historical documents. Palazzo dei Capitani, with its wonderful frescoes and painted ceilings, was declared a national monument in 1902. Also worth noticing are the 8th century church of San Stefano and the 11th century church of Santa Maria di Navene.
Behind Malcesine is Mount Baldo (2218 meters), on which the world's only cable car with revolving cabins operates - it lifts passengers to a height of 1750 meters. From there you can climb a few hundred meters on foot. In the vicinity of Monte Boldo, there is the Natural History Museum with a rich collection of exhibits of local flora and fauna and the monastery of Saints Benigno and Caro.
In summer, Malcesine offers a variety of water sports - windsurfing, sailing, kitesurfing and even diving. Fishing enthusiasts will also find something to do - the waters of Lake Garda are home to a wide variety of fish species. Monte Baldo attracts fans of hiking, climbing and mountain biking. The so-called "Nordic walking" has become especially popular in recent years. In winter, the slopes of Monte Baldo are open to skiers. From Malcesine it is also easy to get to the Polsa-San Valentino ski resort.
