Surroundings

The old town of Garda, directly on the lake, still has its medieval urban layout intact, with its two gates, clock tower and Fregoso palace.
The name of this town of 3,700 inhabitants derives from the Germanic warda - guard, lookout - a function performed by the Rocca, erected on the rocky spur overlooking Garda.
Dating back to Roman times, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times, and now only a few ruins remain.
The presence of man has been witnessed since ancient times, and there are many signs of the Roman period: stones, epigraphs, tombstones, coins and tombs.

With the barbarian invasions Garda became the property of the Goths, Lombards and Franks.

Gradually, the name Garda spread to the territory, and around the 11th century it included the lake, which changed its Latin name from Benàco to Lake Garda.
Then came the Scaligeris of Verona, the Viscontis of Milan and from 1405 Venice with the Captain of the Lake representing the Serenissima.
In 1848 in Villa Alberini Charles Albert, King of Sardinia, accepted the request for annexation of Lombardy to Piedmont, followed by Austria and the definitive annexation to Italy.