Guide to Lake Iseo, Lombardy, Italy

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Guide to Lake Iseo, Lombardy, Italy

Introduction				case andfrescoes. The lakeside Palazzo Tadini
				contains the Schoolof Fine Arts, a gallery
Lake Iseo, also called Lake Sebina, is the				with paintings, sculptures andceramics. Count
fourth largestlake in the Lombardy region of				Luigi Tadini began this collection in histown
Italy. The lake was formed bythe Valcamonica				house in Crema. The Tadini familys only son
Glacier, and is 24 kilometres long and upto 5				died in
kilometres wide. This width is not always
obvious asthe largest lake island in Europe,				Lovere in 1799 where they often took
Monte Isola, sits in thecentre of the lake.				holidays. Count Tadiniprovided the funds to
The lake is situated just north of Bresciaand				built the Palazzo, in memory of hisson.
Bergamo, this being reflected in the fact
that it isadministered on the western bank by				The English writer and poet Lady Mary Wortley
the Bergamo districtcouncil, and on the east				Montagulived in a villa on the outskirts of
bank by the Brescia district council.				Lovere in the 1740s. Lady

The River Oglio, flowing down from the Val				Mary is said to have written many letters to
Camonica andentering between Lovere and				her daughter inthe villa garden, and been
Pisogne, mainly feeds the				inspired to write poetry by thebeauty of her
				surroundings. In fact she declined an
Lake from the north. The Val Camonica has				invitationto the Venice carnival saying,
thermal spasand prehistoric rock carvings. At				there are plenty things to do inthis village
the southern end of thelake lies the				which, by the way, is one of the most
Torbiere, a peat bog and now a nature				beautifulthat exists. Lady Mary came to live
reserve.				in Italy in 1741,supposedly for health
				reasons, although it is thought thatshe no
South of this lies the Franciacorta valley,				longer wanted to live with her husband. Lady
producing the bestsparkling wine in Italy.				Maryhad travelled to Turkey as wife of the
				British Ambassadorand there she came across
On the eastern bank, a few kilometres up from				the practice of inoculationagainst smallpox.
the lake, isthe Natural Reserve of the				She had her own children inoculated butwas
Pyramids of Zone, a uniqueformation of				never given proper credit for introducing the
pillars created by uneven glacial erosion.				practice in
Thesixty-kilometre perimeter lakeside is
dotted with villagesand towns, the main ones				Britain. Lady Marys daughter married Lord
being Iseo, Sarnico, Lovere,				Bute, whobecame prime minister of Britain in
				1762, a year after Lady
Pisogne and Marone. These towns are full of
historical andcultural interest, yet it is				Marys death.
pleasant to stroll along thepromenade or
linger over a drink in a cafÃ©. There are				Lovere has another literary connection in
avariety of water sports available on the				Georges Sand, the
Lake and fishing ispopular with the locals,
tench being the prized catch. Thereis a good				French novelist, who wrote of Lake Iseo to a
selection of walking and cycling trails, and				friend in
in
				London, Come, I have found a lovely place to
Winter there is skiing north of Lake Iseo in				live. Georges
the Presolanoarea.
				Sands real name was Aurore Dupin, but she had
Unique points				taken amans name as it was not deemed
				suitable for ladies to benovelists in the
The fact that Lake Iseo is not well known				19th century, and she often dressed as aman.
outside Italy andtherefore less touristy				She had a long-standing affair with Chopin.
makes it more appealing. One of itsbiggest				After theirbreak up in 1847 she wrote the
attractions is Monte Isola, the largest				novel Lucrezia Floriana. Theromance between a
inland lakeisland in Europe, which is easily				young Italian noble and an older lady isset
reached by ferry and withno cars on the				on Monte Isola. It is said that this novel
island it is very peaceful, making it ideal				inspired manyvisits by ladies seeking romance
forwalking or cycling. There are also the				to the area!
Pyramids of Zone,where the erosion of glacial
deposits has left pinnacles ofearth up to ten				In 1854 Lovere joined the industrial
metres high. On the western lakeshore arethe				revolution, with thedevelopment of the first
bogns of Castro and Zorzino, sheets of				large steel complex in the region.
limestone thatplunge into the lake. North of
the lake in Val Camino youcan see hundreds of				Lovere prospered as an industrial centre
prehistoric rock carvings at the				until the 1980s,but this has left a scar on
				the landscape.
National Park of Rock Engravings and to the
south of thelake is the Torbiere peat bog and				Valle Camonica
Franciacorta, the areawhere the renowned
sparkling wine is produced.				As you head round the north of the lake, you
				may wish tohave a slight detour to visit the
Getting there				Valle Camonica. This valleyis 90km long and
				contains 41 towns and villages, making itthe
Nearest airports				longest valley in Italy. The healing powers
				of the watersof the spa town of Boario Terme
Bergamo (Orio Serio)				were written about as earlyas 1497 by the
				naturalist Paracelsus. The Italian writer
Brescia
				Manzoni was a regular visitor, living to the
Verona				age of 88. Nearbyat the Capo di Ponte is the
				National Rock Engraving Park,with prehistoric
Milan (Malpensa)				rock carvings, dating from Neolithic
				timesthrough to the Iron Age. The carvings
Milan (Linate)				relate to the history ofthe Camuni tribe
				throughout this period. It is an
All of these airports are within reasonable				amazingsite, containing thousands of figures:
travellingdistance to Lake Iseo. Most				an enormous stonehistory book. One of the
international flights come into				most common carvings is that ofthe Camonic
				rose, which is now the emblem of the
Milan Malpensa, although the low cost carrier
Ryanair uses				Lombardy region. On this site is the
				Archeopark, an open-air interactive park
Bergamo and Brescia.				where you can try out various
				dailyprehistoric activities e.g. lighting a
Car: travelling on the Milan Venice motorway				fire, shooting with a bowand arrow and
(A4) to go tothe West bank Of Lake Iseo you				grinding corn and baking bread. The
would come off at Sarnicojunction and on to
the SS649. To reach Iseo town,				Archeodromo is a realistic construction of a
travellingeast on the A4, you would also come				Neolithic villagewith six huts perched on a
off at Sarnico exit, andtravelling west on				rocky hill. Some school groupsstay in the
the A4 you would turn off at Brescia up the				village for a few days to get an authentic
				taste ofprehistoric life. Personally speaking
SS510.				I think Id rather go backto my hotel bed and
				shower. The traditional art ofwoodcarving
Public transport: There are regular				continues in this area. The Cammunian Wood
connections by bus andtrain to Brescia from
all the nearby airports, thenconnections from				Handicraft Workshops in Boaria Terme, where
Brescia by bus and train to Iseo. The				all types ofobjects from religious ornaments
traincontinues up the east bank to Pisogne.				to babies cribs areproduced, can be found in
				the area. A fusion of modern and
Once you have reached Iseo the most relaxing
andpicturesque option for getting around the				16th century techniques are used to craft the
lake is the ferry.				goods.

Guide to Lake Iseo, clockwise from Iseo town				PISOGNE
on thesouthern shores.
				Pisogne was an important centre in medieval
ISEO TOWN				times forcommerce - a large weekly market was
				held there. Thetown had a ring of walls and a
I am really fond of Iseo town; it has a				system of gates but not muchis left standing
relaxed ambience,wide squares and a lovely				now. In the Market Square you would behung in
promenade with a fantastic viewof the lake				a cage suspended from the tower for
and Monte Isola. It is quite lively, mainly				non-paymentof taxes due to the bishop. Tax
with				was due on almosteverything - fishing,
				hunting, milling, salt and iron. Thebishops
Italian families and couples.				were forbidden to inflict any punishment that
				wouldcause loss of blood, so humiliation was
Iseo was a business centre in Roman times,				the next best optionto extract their dues. In
and it was animportant port until the end of				1518 eight women accused ofwitchcraft were
the 19th century. The hero of				imprisoned in the Widow Tower beforebeing
				burned.
Italian unification, Garibaldi, is celebrated
with a statue andfountain in the main square.				Just off Market Square is Santa Maria Assunta
Also on this square is the				church,which contains a 150-year-old pipe
				organ. The facade of the
Palazzo Vantini, built in the 1833s and now
used as thetown hall. The Pieve di S. Andrea				Palazzo Fanzango is adorned with medallions
dates back to the 12thcentury, and is				depicting thecharacters from the book I
distinctive because of its cusped				Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed)written by
				Manzoni. This is an important piece of
Romanesque bell tower. The 11th century				Italianliterature, telling the tale of how
Castello				love triumphed for twopeasants despite the
				efforts of a local tyrant. The book alsohas
Oldofredi was recently restored and now				a vivid description of the spread of the
houses the publiclibrary.				Plague in 17thcentury Milan.

Just south of the town are the peat bogs;				At the end of the 17th century, Pisogne was
Torbiere del				home to thenotorious bandit Giorgi Vicario.
				There was not muchbrotherly loyalty between
Sebino is now a nature reserve. Lake Iseo was				the bandits as Vicario trackeddown and killed
around 10metres deeper in the past, but				Giuseppe Techi for a reward. Techis headwas
erosion of the bed of the				delivered on a tray decorated with bay leaves
				to theauthorities. A double whammy, a reward
River Oglio at the southern outflow meant				and lesscompetition locally!
that the lake levelbegan to drop, cutting off
a shallow basin, which graduallybecame a				Pisogne hosts the local festival of mushrooms
large marsh with peaty deposits. During				andchestnuts on the last Sunday in September.
theindustrialisation of the 19th century
local factories beganusing the peat as a				MARONE
source of energy, eventually excavatingmost
of the peat deposits. Imagine digging up the				Marone is situated in a beautiful spot in a
peatusing a caged spade with a five-metre				green valley atthe foot of Monte Guglielmo.
handle!				There are ruins of a firstcentury Roman
				villa, Co del Hela as you enter the town.
Evidence of prehistoric settlement was found				Onthe lakeside is the Parrocchiale di tours,
during peatcutting: stone arrowheads, blades				an 18th Century
and daggers dating from
				Baroque style church with a marble altar.
5000 BC. Now the area is of great scientific				Marone was wellknown for production of
interest andhome to many species of bird and				woollen cloth and felt and thequarrying of
fish.				dolomite. Nowadays tourism is the
				mainindustry.
The Franciacorta region, south of Iseo, has
become wellknown for its sparkling wine. In				A few kilometres uphill from Marone on the
the mid 1950s a youngentrepreneur started to				road to Zone liethe Earth Pyramids. They are
make sparkling wine emulating themethod using				an amazing sight: thin spiresof earth up to
in the Champagne region of France. Thismeans				30 metres high, with large granite
that the secondary fermentation of the wine				massesperched on top almost like hats. The
occursin the bottle, a process which takes				Pyramids are notstatic as they can erode,
around two years. Nowthis valley produces the				causing the boulder to fall andgradually new
legally protected Franciacorta wine,assuring				pyramids are created.
it has been hand made using the
traditionalchampagne methods in one of the				On the way to the Pyramids is the church of
thirty wineries in thearea. Visits to the				San Giorgio andon the outer sidewall are
wineries and tasting sessions can bearranged.				frescoes painted in the 15thcentury,
Wine lovers may wish to visit for the three				including one of San Giorgio slaying the
days in				dragon.

September for the Wine Festival, with				Further up the hill is the village of Zone.
tasting, special mealsand visits to cellars.				As you ascend youcan see what I initially
				thought was a ski lift, above the road.
Villa Lechi, a Palladian style villa built in
the 16th century,can be visited by				It is in fact suspended containers, which
appointment (phone 392 706 30087 toarrange)				carry the dolomitedown from the Calarusso
Just west of Erbusco is the Oglio North Park,				quarry. In some respects itreminded me of a
onthe eastern banks of the river.				Swiss alpine village; the air was so freshand
				crisp. There are two interesting churches on
SARNICO				the Piazza

Sarnico is the first resort heading west from				Almici: The octagonal 18th century Beata
Iseo. It wasoriginally a prehistoric stilt				Veringe di
village, as it stands where thelakes narrows
and once again becomes the River Oglio.				Lourdes and the 17th century Parrocchiale S
				Giovanii
There are frescoes dating from 1200 AD in the
church San				Ballista, containing wooden works of art by
				Andrea Falconi.
Nazario e Rocca di Castione. You can still
see ruinedmedieval ramparts.				The festival of honey is held in the town
				square at thebeginning of August. From Zone
For some Sarnico is best known as the home of				there are several walkingpaths and, if you're
thepremier speedboat company Riva. One of the				feeling energetic, one to the summit of
mostfascinating aspects of the companys story
to me is thejourney of Pietro Riva from his				Monte Guglielmo.
hometown of Lagio on the
				MONTE ISOLA
Lake Como to Sarnico in 1842. The young
Pietro wastravelling to start a new job				The largest lake island in Europe is 3km
repairing boats in Sarnico; his				long, rising to anelevation of 600m, and is
				sometimes referred to as thepearl of Iseo.
70-mile journey took him two days, travelling				Only public service four wheeled vehicles
by boat, trainand coach.				areallowed on the island. If you want to see
				more of the islandyou can rent a bicycle or
His repairs were so successful that he was				use the local bus. There is also theoption to
soon beingcommissioned to build boats. The				take the gentle level walk along the southern
boat building businessgrew under Pietros son,				coastfrom the village of Peschiera Maraglio
Ernesto, who began producedboats powered by				to Sensole and returnon the ferry from
piston engines.				Sensole. If you are feeling energetic youcan
				visit the 13th century Il Santuario della
In 1912 Ernestos son Serafino achieved a				Madonna della
speed of 24kilometres an hour in a speedboat.
Riva became aprestigious brand, sought by				Cerinole, which is situated at the highest
the rich and famous as astatus symbol.				point of the island.
However you no longer see speedboats on
				The 14th Century Fortress Martinango is the
Lake Iseo because they were banned for				ancestralhome of the Olofredi family. It is
environmentalreasons in 1976!				one of the best-preservedforts in the region.
				It is unusual in that its highest tower is
Sarnico is home to the Bellini Gallery, a				inthe centre.
picture galleryexhibiting around 150 pieces,
mainly from the periodbetween the 16th and				The population of the island is around 1700,
18th centuries. The Gallery is in theold part				with those notemployed in tourism working as
of the city and was formerly a nunnery. Also				fishermen, in boatyards ormaking nets. In
ondisplay are some sculptures and furniture.				fact, the nets for the goal posts of the 1982

The Palazzo to Sarnico rail line winds along				Football World Cup were made locally. Guess
Oglio River.				what - Italywon the Cup that year! There are
				still numerous naets, thetypical wooden local
Volunteers reopened this line recently.				fishing boats, to be seen. Some of thecatch
TrenoBlu as it isknown is often steam hauled.				is left outside to dry in the sun in the
The trains run during the				traditionalmanner.

Summer. There are rail connections from				You can visit a traditional boatyard,
Bergamo and				Cantiere Nautico in

Milan.				Peschiere Maraglio, and see the construction
				of thehandmade wooden boats.
Just outside Sarnico, heading east, stands
the Faccononivilla, designed by one of Italys				I think that Monte Isola is a charming,
best Art Nouveau architects,				tranquil place to visit,still relatively
				peaceful and relaxing. It is very thickly
Sommaruga, for the wealthy Faccanoni family.				wooded,when you observe it from the shore its
The villa onthe lakeshore exemplifies				hard to imaginebeing able to reach the
Sommarugas trademark Florealestyle.				summit.

RIVA DI SOLTO				One of the big events on the island is the
				festival of
The stretch from Tavernola north constitutes
the mostdramatic stretch of the west bank.				Corzano, a hamlet that dates back to the
Just try to blot out thequarry at Tavernola!				1600s. This onlytakes place every five
Riva is a pretty fishing hamlet, full				years.
ofarches and alleys. The old centre is up the
hill at Zorzino.				There are regular ferries from several towns
				on thelakeshore to the coastal villages in
The Zorzino Bong, with its vertical slabs of				Monte Isola.
limestoneplunging Mount Clemo, creates its
own enclosed bay.				Suggested Itineraries

Further north is the Castro Bogn.				Day Trip:

LOVERE				Driving: it is possible to drive round the
				lake with a fewstops in one day from Milan,
The Lovere area was occupied by the Gauls in				Brescia or Bergamo and seeunique sights.
the Iron Age,and by the second century BC the
Roman settlement beganto take form.				Public transport: bus/train to Iseo, ferry
				trip from there.
Lovere still has ramparts remaining from its
period as amedieval fortified town. The				Trains from Brescia operate every hour, and
oldest church is the 12thcentury Capell di				it is a half-hourjourney to Iseo, and they
San Martino. The town was famous in the				also go up to Pisogne, stopping at

15th century as Venetian textile town. Most				Sulzano and Sale Marsino.
of the output ofwoollen cloth was sold in
Germany and Austria. At thebeginning of the				Weekend/Short stay (2-3 nights) you could
16th century there was a period of				either be basedin Iseo, spending a day
turmoil,with periods of rule by the French,				visiting Monte Isola, one day visitingthe
the Holy Roman Empireand the Spanish, which				west bank of the lake and one day on the east
greatly disrupted the production				bank. Analternative would be to tour the lake
anddistribution of the cloth. There was more				in a day and spend aday either in Bergamo or
strife later thatcentury with plagues and				Verona.
famines. By the 17th century theauthorities
had tackled the security problem of bandits				Iseo town would be a good base for day trips
andsome Lombardy noblemen began to travel to				to the cities of
Lovere fortheir holidays. The Basilica of
Santa Maria dates from the				Bergamo, Verona, Venice, Brescia, Vicenzia
				and Padova.
15th century and houses a 16th century organ

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Guide to Lake Iseo, Lombardy, Italy

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