| Introduction
| |
| | Palazzo Tadini contains the Schoolof Fine
|
| Lake Iseo, also called Lake Sebina, is
| |
| | Arts, a gallery with paintings,
|
| the fourth largestlake in the Lombardy
| |
| | sculptures andceramics. Count Luigi
|
| region of Italy. The lake was formed
| |
| | Tadini began this collection in histown
|
| bythe Valcamonica Glacier, and is 24
| |
| | house in Crema. The Tadini familys only
|
| kilometres long and upto 5 kilometres
| |
| | son died in
|
| wide. This width is not always obvious
| |
| | Lovere in 1799 where they often took
|
| asthe largest lake island in Europe,
| |
| | holidays. Count Tadiniprovided the funds
|
| Monte Isola, sits in thecentre of the
| |
| | to built the Palazzo, in memory of
|
| lake. The lake is situated just north of
| |
| | hisson.
|
| Bresciaand Bergamo, this being reflected
| |
| | The English writer and poet Lady Mary
|
| in the fact that it isadministered on the
| |
| | Wortley Montagulived in a villa on the
|
| western bank by the Bergamo
| |
| | outskirts of Lovere in the 1740s. Lady
|
| districtcouncil, and on the east bank by
| |
| | Mary is said to have written many letters
|
| the Brescia district council.
| |
| | to her daughter inthe villa garden, and
|
| The River Oglio, flowing down from the
| |
| | been inspired to write poetry by
|
| Val Camonica andentering between Lovere
| |
| | thebeauty of her surroundings. In fact
|
| and Pisogne, mainly feeds the
| |
| | she declined an invitationto the Venice
|
| Lake from the north. The Val Camonica has
| |
| | carnival saying, there are plenty things
|
| thermal spasand prehistoric rock
| |
| | to do inthis village which, by the way,
|
| carvings. At the southern end of thelake
| |
| | is one of the most beautifulthat exists.
|
| lies the Torbiere, a peat bog and now a
| |
| | Lady Mary came to live in Italy in
|
| nature reserve.
| |
| | 1741,supposedly for health reasons,
|
| South of this lies the Franciacorta
| |
| | although it is thought thatshe no longer
|
| valley, producing the bestsparkling wine
| |
| | wanted to live with her husband. Lady
|
| in Italy.
| |
| | Maryhad travelled to Turkey as wife of
|
| On the eastern bank, a few kilometres up
| |
| | the British Ambassadorand there she came
|
| from the lake, isthe Natural Reserve of
| |
| | across the practice of inoculationagainst
|
| the Pyramids of Zone, a uniqueformation
| |
| | smallpox. She had her own children
|
| of pillars created by uneven glacial
| |
| | inoculated butwas never given proper
|
| erosion. Thesixty-kilometre perimeter
| |
| | credit for introducing the practice in
|
| lakeside is dotted with villagesand
| |
| | Britain. Lady Marys daughter married Lord
|
| towns, the main ones being Iseo, Sarnico,
| |
| | Bute, whobecame prime minister of Britain
|
| Lovere,
| |
| | in 1762, a year after Lady
|
| Pisogne and Marone. These towns are full
| |
| | Marys death.
|
| of historical andcultural interest, yet
| |
| | Lovere has another literary connection in
|
| it is pleasant to stroll along
| |
| | Georges Sand, the
|
| thepromenade or linger over a drink in a
| |
| | French novelist, who wrote of Lake Iseo
|
| café. There are avariety of water
| |
| | to a friend in
|
| sports available on the Lake and fishing
| |
| | London, Come, I have found a lovely place
|
| ispopular with the locals, tench being
| |
| | to live. Georges
|
| the prized catch. Thereis a good
| |
| | Sands real name was Aurore Dupin, but she
|
| selection of walking and cycling trails,
| |
| | had taken amans name as it was not deemed
|
| and in
| |
| | suitable for ladies to benovelists in the
|
| Winter there is skiing north of Lake Iseo
| |
| | 19th century, and she often dressed as
|
| in the Presolanoarea.
| |
| | aman. She had a long-standing affair
|
| Unique points
| |
| | with Chopin. After theirbreak up in 1847
|
| The fact that Lake Iseo is not well known
| |
| | she wrote the novel Lucrezia Floriana.
|
| outside Italy andtherefore less touristy
| |
| | Theromance between a young Italian noble
|
| makes it more appealing. One of
| |
| | and an older lady isset on Monte Isola.
|
| itsbiggest attractions is Monte Isola,
| |
| | It is said that this novel inspired
|
| the largest inland lakeisland in Europe,
| |
| | manyvisits by ladies seeking romance to
|
| which is easily reached by ferry and
| |
| | the area!
|
| withno cars on the island it is very
| |
| | In 1854 Lovere joined the industrial
|
| peaceful, making it ideal forwalking or
| |
| | revolution, with thedevelopment of the
|
| cycling. There are also the Pyramids of
| |
| | first large steel complex in the region.
|
| Zone,where the erosion of glacial
| |
| | Lovere prospered as an industrial centre
|
| deposits has left pinnacles ofearth up to
| |
| | until the 1980s,but this has left a scar
|
| ten metres high. On the western lakeshore
| |
| | on the landscape.
|
| arethe bogns of Castro and Zorzino,
| |
| | Valle Camonica
|
| sheets of limestone thatplunge into the
| |
| | As you head round the north of the lake,
|
| lake. North of the lake in Val Camino
| |
| | you may wish tohave a slight detour to
|
| youcan see hundreds of prehistoric rock
| |
| | visit the Valle Camonica. This valleyis
|
| carvings at the
| |
| | 90km long and contains 41 towns and
|
| National Park of Rock Engravings and to
| |
| | villages, making itthe longest valley in
|
| the south of thelake is the Torbiere peat
| |
| | Italy. The healing powers of the watersof
|
| bog and Franciacorta, the areawhere the
| |
| | the spa town of Boario Terme were written
|
| renowned sparkling wine is produced.
| |
| | about as earlyas 1497 by the naturalist
|
| Getting there
| |
| | Paracelsus. The Italian writer
|
| Nearest airports
| |
| | Manzoni was a regular visitor, living to
|
| Bergamo (Orio Serio)
| |
| | the age of 88. Nearbyat the Capo di Ponte
|
| Brescia
| |
| | is the National Rock Engraving Park,with
|
| Verona
| |
| | prehistoric rock carvings, dating from
|
| Milan (Malpensa)
| |
| | Neolithic timesthrough to the Iron Age.
|
| Milan (Linate)
| |
| | The carvings relate to the history ofthe
|
| All of these airports are within
| |
| | Camuni tribe throughout this period. It
|
| reasonable travellingdistance to Lake
| |
| | is an amazingsite, containing thousands
|
| Iseo. Most international flights come
| |
| | of figures: an enormous stonehistory
|
| into
| |
| | book. One of the most common carvings is
|
| Milan Malpensa, although the low cost
| |
| | that ofthe Camonic rose, which is now the
|
| carrier Ryanair uses
| |
| | emblem of the
|
| Bergamo and Brescia.
| |
| | Lombardy region. On this site is the
|
| Car: travelling on the Milan Venice
| |
| | Archeopark, an open-air interactive park
|
| motorway (A4) to go tothe West bank Of
| |
| | where you can try out various
|
| Lake Iseo you would come off at
| |
| | dailyprehistoric activities e.g. lighting
|
| Sarnicojunction and on to the SS649. To
| |
| | a fire, shooting with a bowand arrow and
|
| reach Iseo town, travellingeast on the
| |
| | grinding corn and baking bread. The
|
| A4, you would also come off at Sarnico
| |
| | Archeodromo is a realistic construction
|
| exit, andtravelling west on the A4 you
| |
| | of a Neolithic villagewith six huts
|
| would turn off at Brescia up the
| |
| | perched on a rocky hill. Some school
|
| SS510.
| |
| | groupsstay in the village for a few days
|
| Public transport: There are regular
| |
| | to get an authentic taste ofprehistoric
|
| connections by bus andtrain to Brescia
| |
| | life. Personally speaking I think Id
|
| from all the nearby airports,
| |
| | rather go backto my hotel bed and shower.
|
| thenconnections from Brescia by bus and
| |
| | The traditional art ofwoodcarving
|
| train to Iseo. The traincontinues up the
| |
| | continues in this area. The Cammunian
|
| east bank to Pisogne.
| |
| | Wood
|
| Once you have reached Iseo the most
| |
| | Handicraft Workshops in Boaria Terme,
|
| relaxing andpicturesque option for
| |
| | where all types ofobjects from religious
|
| getting around the lake is the ferry.
| |
| | ornaments to babies cribs areproduced,
|
| Guide to Lake Iseo, clockwise from Iseo
| |
| | can be found in the area. A fusion of
|
| town on thesouthern shores.
| |
| | modern and
|
| ISEO TOWN
| |
| | 16th century techniques are used to craft
|
| I am really fond of Iseo town; it has a
| |
| | the goods.
|
| relaxed ambience,wide squares and a
| |
| | PISOGNE
|
| lovely promenade with a fantastic viewof
| |
| | Pisogne was an important centre in
|
| the lake and Monte Isola. It is quite
| |
| | medieval times forcommerce - a large
|
| lively, mainly with
| |
| | weekly market was held there. Thetown had
|
| Italian families and couples.
| |
| | a ring of walls and a system of gates but
|
| Iseo was a business centre in Roman
| |
| | not muchis left standing now. In the
|
| times, and it was animportant port until
| |
| | Market Square you would behung in a cage
|
| the end of the 19th century. The hero of
| |
| | suspended from the tower for
|
| Italian unification, Garibaldi, is
| |
| | non-paymentof taxes due to the bishop.
|
| celebrated with a statue andfountain in
| |
| | Tax was due on almosteverything -
|
| the main square. Also on this square is
| |
| | fishing, hunting, milling, salt and iron.
|
| the
| |
| | Thebishops were forbidden to inflict any
|
| Palazzo Vantini, built in the 1833s and
| |
| | punishment that wouldcause loss of blood,
|
| now used as thetown hall. The Pieve di S.
| |
| | so humiliation was the next best optionto
|
| Andrea dates back to the 12thcentury, and
| |
| | extract their dues. In 1518 eight women
|
| is distinctive because of its cusped
| |
| | accused ofwitchcraft were imprisoned in
|
| Romanesque bell tower. The 11th century
| |
| | the Widow Tower beforebeing burned.
|
| Castello
| |
| | Just off Market Square is Santa Maria
|
| Oldofredi was recently restored and now
| |
| | Assunta church,which contains a
|
| houses the publiclibrary.
| |
| | 150-year-old pipe organ. The facade of
|
| Just south of the town are the peat bogs;
| |
| | the
|
| Torbiere del
| |
| | Palazzo Fanzango is adorned with
|
| Sebino is now a nature reserve. Lake Iseo
| |
| | medallions depicting thecharacters from
|
| was around 10metres deeper in the past,
| |
| | the book I Promessi Sposi (The
|
| but erosion of the bed of the
| |
| | Betrothed)written by Manzoni. This is an
|
| River Oglio at the southern outflow meant
| |
| | important piece of Italianliterature,
|
| that the lake levelbegan to drop, cutting
| |
| | telling the tale of how love triumphed
|
| off a shallow basin, which
| |
| | for twopeasants despite the efforts of a
|
| graduallybecame a large marsh with peaty
| |
| | local tyrant. The book alsohas a vivid
|
| deposits. During theindustrialisation of
| |
| | description of the spread of the Plague
|
| the 19th century local factories
| |
| | in 17thcentury Milan.
|
| beganusing the peat as a source of
| |
| | At the end of the 17th century, Pisogne
|
| energy, eventually excavatingmost of the
| |
| | was home to thenotorious bandit Giorgi
|
| peat deposits. Imagine digging up the
| |
| | Vicario. There was not muchbrotherly
|
| peatusing a caged spade with a five-metre
| |
| | loyalty between the bandits as Vicario
|
| handle!
| |
| | trackeddown and killed Giuseppe Techi for
|
| Evidence of prehistoric settlement was
| |
| | a reward. Techis headwas delivered on a
|
| found during peatcutting: stone
| |
| | tray decorated with bay leaves to
|
| arrowheads, blades and daggers dating
| |
| | theauthorities. A double whammy, a
|
| from
| |
| | reward and lesscompetition locally!
|
| 5000 BC. Now the area is of great
| |
| | Pisogne hosts the local festival of
|
| scientific interest andhome to many
| |
| | mushrooms andchestnuts on the last Sunday
|
| species of bird and fish.
| |
| | in September.
|
| The Franciacorta region, south of Iseo,
| |
| | MARONE
|
| has become wellknown for its sparkling
| |
| | Marone is situated in a beautiful spot in
|
| wine. In the mid 1950s a
| |
| | a green valley atthe foot of Monte
|
| youngentrepreneur started to make
| |
| | Guglielmo. There are ruins of a
|
| sparkling wine emulating themethod using
| |
| | firstcentury Roman villa, Co del Hela as
|
| in the Champagne region of France.
| |
| | you enter the town. Onthe lakeside is the
|
| Thismeans that the secondary fermentation
| |
| | Parrocchiale di tours, an 18th Century
|
| of the wine occursin the bottle, a
| |
| | Baroque style church with a marble altar.
|
| process which takes around two years.
| |
| | Marone was wellknown for production of
|
| Nowthis valley produces the legally
| |
| | woollen cloth and felt and thequarrying
|
| protected Franciacorta wine,assuring it
| |
| | of dolomite. Nowadays tourism is the
|
| has been hand made using the
| |
| | mainindustry.
|
| traditionalchampagne methods in one of
| |
| | A few kilometres uphill from Marone on
|
| the thirty wineries in thearea. Visits to
| |
| | the road to Zone liethe Earth Pyramids.
|
| the wineries and tasting sessions can
| |
| | They are an amazing sight: thin spiresof
|
| bearranged. Wine lovers may wish to visit
| |
| | earth up to 30 metres high, with large
|
| for the three days in
| |
| | granite massesperched on top almost like
|
| September for the Wine Festival, with
| |
| | hats. The Pyramids are notstatic as they
|
| tasting, special mealsand visits to
| |
| | can erode, causing the boulder to fall
|
| cellars.
| |
| | andgradually new pyramids are created.
|
| Villa Lechi, a Palladian style villa
| |
| | On the way to the Pyramids is the church
|
| built in the 16th century,can be visited
| |
| | of San Giorgio andon the outer sidewall
|
| by appointment (phone 392 706 30087
| |
| | are frescoes painted in the 15thcentury,
|
| toarrange) Just west of Erbusco is the
| |
| | including one of San Giorgio slaying the
|
| Oglio North Park, onthe eastern banks of
| |
| | dragon.
|
| the river.
| |
| | Further up the hill is the village of
|
| SARNICO
| |
| | Zone. As you ascend youcan see what I
|
| Sarnico is the first resort heading west
| |
| | initially thought was a ski lift, above
|
| from Iseo. It wasoriginally a prehistoric
| |
| | the road.
|
| stilt village, as it stands where
| |
| | It is in fact suspended containers, which
|
| thelakes narrows and once again becomes
| |
| | carry the dolomitedown from the Calarusso
|
| the River Oglio.
| |
| | quarry. In some respects itreminded me of
|
| There are frescoes dating from 1200 AD in
| |
| | a Swiss alpine village; the air was so
|
| the church San
| |
| | freshand crisp. There are two
|
| Nazario e Rocca di Castione. You can
| |
| | interesting churches on the Piazza
|
| still see ruinedmedieval ramparts.
| |
| | Almici: The octagonal 18th century Beata
|
| For some Sarnico is best known as the
| |
| | Veringe di
|
| home of thepremier speedboat company
| |
| | Lourdes and the 17th century Parrocchiale
|
| Riva. One of the mostfascinating aspects
| |
| | S Giovanii
|
| of the companys story to me is thejourney
| |
| | Ballista, containing wooden works of art
|
| of Pietro Riva from his hometown of Lagio
| |
| | by Andrea Falconi.
|
| on the
| |
| | The festival of honey is held in the town
|
| Lake Como to Sarnico in 1842. The young
| |
| | square at thebeginning of August. From
|
| Pietro wastravelling to start a new job
| |
| | Zone there are several walkingpaths and,
|
| repairing boats in Sarnico; his
| |
| | if you're feeling energetic, one to the
|
| 70-mile journey took him two days,
| |
| | summit of
|
| travelling by boat, trainand coach.
| |
| | Monte Guglielmo.
|
| His repairs were so successful that he
| |
| | MONTE ISOLA
|
| was soon beingcommissioned to build
| |
| | The largest lake island in Europe is 3km
|
| boats. The boat building businessgrew
| |
| | long, rising to anelevation of 600m, and
|
| under Pietros son, Ernesto, who began
| |
| | is sometimes referred to as thepearl of
|
| producedboats powered by piston engines.
| |
| | Iseo. Only public service four wheeled
|
| In 1912 Ernestos son Serafino achieved a
| |
| | vehicles areallowed on the island. If
|
| speed of 24kilometres an hour in a
| |
| | you want to see more of the islandyou can
|
| speedboat. Riva became aprestigious
| |
| | rent a bicycle or use the local bus.
|
| brand, sought by the rich and famous as
| |
| | There is also theoption to take the
|
| astatus symbol. However you no longer see
| |
| | gentle level walk along the southern
|
| speedboats on
| |
| | coastfrom the village of Peschiera
|
| Lake Iseo because they were banned for
| |
| | Maraglio to Sensole and returnon the
|
| environmentalreasons in 1976!
| |
| | ferry from Sensole. If you are feeling
|
| Sarnico is home to the Bellini Gallery, a
| |
| | energetic youcan visit the 13th century
|
| picture galleryexhibiting around 150
| |
| | Il Santuario della Madonna della
|
| pieces, mainly from the periodbetween the
| |
| | Cerinole, which is situated at the
|
| 16th and 18th centuries. The Gallery is
| |
| | highest point of the island.
|
| in theold part of the city and was
| |
| | The 14th Century Fortress Martinango is
|
| formerly a nunnery. Also ondisplay are
| |
| | the ancestralhome of the Olofredi family.
|
| some sculptures and furniture.
| |
| | It is one of the best-preservedforts in
|
| The Palazzo to Sarnico rail line winds
| |
| | the region. It is unusual in that its
|
| along Oglio River.
| |
| | highest tower is inthe centre.
|
| Volunteers reopened this line recently.
| |
| | The population of the island is around
|
| TrenoBlu as it isknown is often steam
| |
| | 1700, with those notemployed in tourism
|
| hauled. The trains run during the
| |
| | working as fishermen, in boatyards
|
| Summer. There are rail connections from
| |
| | ormaking nets. In fact, the nets for the
|
| Bergamo and
| |
| | goal posts of the 1982
|
| Milan.
| |
| | Football World Cup were made locally.
|
| Just outside Sarnico, heading east,
| |
| | Guess what - Italywon the Cup that year!
|
| stands the Faccononivilla, designed by
| |
| | There are still numerous naets,
|
| one of Italys best Art Nouveau
| |
| | thetypical wooden local fishing boats, to
|
| architects,
| |
| | be seen. Some of thecatch is left
|
| Sommaruga, for the wealthy Faccanoni
| |
| | outside to dry in the sun in the
|
| family. The villa onthe lakeshore
| |
| | traditionalmanner.
|
| exemplifies Sommarugas trademark
| |
| | You can visit a traditional boatyard,
|
| Florealestyle.
| |
| | Cantiere Nautico in
|
| RIVA DI SOLTO
| |
| | Peschiere Maraglio, and see the
|
| The stretch from Tavernola north
| |
| | construction of thehandmade wooden boats.
|
| constitutes the mostdramatic stretch of
| |
| | I think that Monte Isola is a charming,
|
| the west bank. Just try to blot out
| |
| | tranquil place to visit,still relatively
|
| thequarry at Tavernola! Riva is a pretty
| |
| | peaceful and relaxing. It is very
|
| fishing hamlet, full ofarches and alleys.
| |
| | thickly wooded,when you observe it from
|
| The old centre is up the hill at Zorzino.
| |
| | the shore its hard to imaginebeing able
|
| The Zorzino Bong, with its vertical slabs
| |
| | to reach the summit.
|
| of limestoneplunging Mount Clemo, creates
| |
| | One of the big events on the island is
|
| its own enclosed bay.
| |
| | the festival of
|
| Further north is the Castro Bogn.
| |
| | Corzano, a hamlet that dates back to the
|
| LOVERE
| |
| | 1600s. This onlytakes place every five
|
| The Lovere area was occupied by the Gauls
| |
| | years.
|
| in the Iron Age,and by the second century
| |
| | There are regular ferries from several
|
| BC the Roman settlement beganto take
| |
| | towns on thelakeshore to the coastal
|
| form.
| |
| | villages in Monte Isola.
|
| Lovere still has ramparts remaining from
| |
| | Suggested Itineraries
|
| its period as amedieval fortified town.
| |
| | Day Trip:
|
| The oldest church is the 12thcentury
| |
| | Driving: it is possible to drive round
|
| Capell di San Martino. The town was
| |
| | the lake with a fewstops in one day from
|
| famous in the
| |
| | Milan, Brescia or Bergamo and seeunique
|
| 15th century as Venetian textile town.
| |
| | sights.
|
| Most of the output ofwoollen cloth was
| |
| | Public transport: bus/train to Iseo,
|
| sold in Germany and Austria. At
| |
| | ferry trip from there.
|
| thebeginning of the 16th century there
| |
| | Trains from Brescia operate every hour,
|
| was a period of turmoil,with periods of
| |
| | and it is a half-hourjourney to Iseo, and
|
| rule by the French, the Holy Roman
| |
| | they also go up to Pisogne, stopping at
|
| Empireand the Spanish, which greatly
| |
| | Sulzano and Sale Marsino.
|
| disrupted the production anddistribution
| |
| | Weekend/Short stay (2-3 nights) you could
|
| of the cloth. There was more strife
| |
| | either be basedin Iseo, spending a day
|
| later thatcentury with plagues and
| |
| | visiting Monte Isola, one day visitingthe
|
| famines. By the 17th century
| |
| | west bank of the lake and one day on the
|
| theauthorities had tackled the security
| |
| | east bank. Analternative would be to tour
|
| problem of bandits andsome Lombardy
| |
| | the lake in a day and spend aday either
|
| noblemen began to travel to Lovere
| |
| | in Bergamo or Verona.
|
| fortheir holidays. The Basilica of
| |
| | Iseo town would be a good base for day
|
| Santa Maria dates from the
| |
| | trips to the cities of
|
| 15th century and houses a 16th century
| |
| | Bergamo, Verona, Venice, Brescia,
|
| organ case andfrescoes. The lakeside
| |
| | Vicenzia and Padova.
|
