In addition to its scenic and cultural attractions, Lake Garda combines eno-gastronomic ones, the fruit of fertile land, a mild climate and ancient local traditions.

Bardolino, in particular, offers interesting itineraries in search of authentic flavours.

It is also an ideal starting point to visit the Valpolicella, a hilly area to the east of the lake, renowned for the gentleness of its territory dotted with vineyards (from which the famous Amarone wine is made), ancient villas and charming little churches, bearing witness to a rich past.

The Bardolino vines, favoured by a pre-alpine environment with a mild climate and good sun exposure, produce a pleasant wine, appreciated internationally, in the Bardolino Classico or Superiore and Chiaretto variety.

The main indigenous vines of the Bardolino area are Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara, spread over an area of 16 municipalities.

An excellent way to appreciate it is to follow the Strada del Vino, which runs along an itinerary of about 80 km, passing many wineries dedicated to wine production and catering.

Olive cultivation on the shores of Lake Garda has a thousand-year-old tradition: it was the great monasteries of northern Italy that favoured the development of olive growing in the Middle Ages.

The delicate and balanced Garda extra virgin olive oil is rich in natural antioxidants (vitamins E and polyphenols).

It is distinguished by fresh fragrances of freshly mown grass, apple and almond.

The extra virgin olive oil, of course, goes perfectly with Garda cuisine, an ideal ingredient to enhance fish from the lake, as well as meat and polenta dishes from the peasant tradition.

Bardolino is an ideal point for getting to know this fragrant product; in fact, there are numerous local oil shops in the area.

Ideal for matching tourism and culinary delights are visits with tastings, which allow you to get to know the flavours before purchasing, as well as the advantage of deeply understanding their value thanks to the illustration of the cultivation method and tradition from which the product itself draws.

We recommend a visit to the Guerrieri Rizzardi winery, born at the beginning of the 20th century from the merger of two ancient cellars: that of the Counts Guerrieri, owners of a centuries-old estate with vineyards and cellar in Bardolino, and that of the Counts Rizzardi, with vineyards in Valpolicella since 1678.

The company’s headquarters are in Bardolino, in the historic complex that has belonged to the Guerrieri family since 1450. All grapes come exclusively from the company’s vineyards with vinification taking place directly in the winery located in its own appellation area.

Equally evocative is a visit to the Giardino di Pojega, now a hamlet comprising not only the villa and the prestigious Italian-style garden – famous for its architectural and scenic beauty and priceless floral heritage – but also the cellar and cottages where the wines and extra-virgin olive oil produced on the estate can be tasted and purchased.

Guided tours of the eighteenth-century greenhouses (approx. 2 hours’ duration) for groups of a minimum of 15 people are available upon reservation. The garden is located at Pojega, in Negrar in Valpolicella (about 30 km from Bardolino) www.pojega.it.