Description of the attraction
The Varone Waterfalls, located 3 km from the shores of Lake Garda in the vicinity of the town of Riva del Garda, is a unique natural formation. The height of the picturesque waterfall is 87 meters. Nearby there is a picnic area, where you can enjoy lunch in the fresh air, surrounded by amazing nature, there is a bar and a gift shop.
Today Varone is one of the main attractions of Riva del Garda. You can get here by car or on foot - the journey will not take long. Near the waterfall itself, there are two viewing platforms at different levels, from which you can admire the surroundings. A small staircase of 115 steps, immersed in greenery, leads to the top, and from there visitors enter a small tunnel with a viewing window, from which a breathtaking view of the gorge opens.
Thomas Mann was about 30 years old when he first saw Varona. The great German writer was struck by the atmosphere of this place and the very sight of the captivating gorge. He described his impressions as follows: "With a deafening sound, water cascades fell down into a deep and narrow cleft, consisting of bare and slippery boulders." I must say that the waterfalls are located in a rather gloomy place where there is never a lot of sun - in fact, it is a grotto inside the gorge, created for millions of years by water and winds. But when the sun's rays do penetrate inside, they create an unforgettable play of light in a myriad of drops.
In addition to Thomas Mann, many other celebrities visited the Varone waterfalls, including Prince Franz Joseph, Umberto II of Savoy, Franz Kafka, Gabriele d'Annunzio and others. To this day, pilgrimage to these places does not stop.
