The 10 Best Things to do Good for Kids in Riva Del Garda, Trentino-Alto Adige

The Bastione, a tower of grey stone, located at the foot of Mount Rocchetta, is one the symbols of Riva del Garda, overlooking the city and Lake Garda. It was built in the early XVI century, just after the end of Venetian domination over Riva. It was destroyed in 1703 by the French troops under leadership of general Vendôme, who mined the main body thus rendering it unusable. It’s a few minutes walk from the port of Riva, along a road that winds through the black pinewood of the lower Rocchetta. The path then rises further to the chapel of St. Barbara on the mountainside (610m) and the Rocchetta itself (1520m). The Bastione has recently been restored. Visitors may see the imposing external bodywork and what is left of the inside from a winding staircase. The locations enjoys an excellent view.

Dates back to the 1124 agreement with bishop Altemanno, when the citizens of Riva were granted the right to build a new fortress on the lake shore. The course of history has left its mark on the Rocca which has been altered multiple times. In the early 16 century, it was refurbished to make it a fitting temporary residence of the bishop princes. It underwent a radical transformation in the mid-19th century, when it was turned into an Austro-Hungarian barracks and lost all its medieval and renaissance features. Recent restoration work has revealed some of the original structures and made it a suitable home for the museum. The view from the keep is truly magnificent.

The name refers to the large chain which in the past centuries was stretched across the water in defence of the harbour. Until 1929, the piazza was home to the Imperial Customs House: a sign of the borderline which for centuries separated the northern stretch of the lake from the regions just a little further to the south. On this square the baroque statue of San Giovanni Nepomuceno, patron saint of the waters, can be found, which until the Great War stood in Piazza Benacense.

One follows via Gargnano (Gardesana Occidentale National Road SS 45bis) from the centre of Riva heading towards Limone. On the right before the tunnel, take the old road which once linked Riva del Garda with the Ledro Valley. From there one can enjoy breathtaking panoramas for once in a lifetime photo opportunities.

Formerly called Piazza Granda and then Piazza Benacense, this piazza is the heart of both the old and modern town. It is the location for the Office of the Podestà and the Town Hall, the Torre Apponale a several houses of the nobility. The arcades dating back to the period of Scaligera rule, which close off the piazza towards the harbour and the lake, used to house the markets and shops.

This imposing structure was built in the 1920s to generate power from Lake Ledro which is channelled through a pressurized tunnel in the rock. The architect behind the project was Giancarlo Maroni. The numen aquarum on the facade was the work of the sculptor Silvio Zaniboni.