Manerba
After passing Punta San Savino, you arrive at Porto Dusano. This mooring for the tourist center Manerba is comprised of a series of small hamlets (Balbiana, Solarolo, Gardoncino, Pieve Vecchia). The town is situated on a beautiful peninsula rich with cypress trees, olive trees, and vineyards; hare they produce the red wine, "Rosso del Garda". Manerba is well known for its ancient Rocca (rock) which was occupied in the 8th century by the Longobards, then sieged by Charlemagne before its destruction by the French in 1787. From the ruins of this construction, which rise to a peak on the lake, there is a splendid view. In the hamlet of Solarolo you can see the portal surmounted by a tower, the remains of the old mediaeval castle and the 18th century parish. Resuming the journey from Manerba, right after "Punta Belvedere", on the left you can observe the small island San Biagio: (or Conigli) and the Gulf of San Felice (or "Scovolo" - the rock). From here you may view the hamlet of Pieve Vecchia which takes its name from the 12th century Pieve romanica (romanesque parish). Restructured in the 16th century, the parish still preserved the remains of its 14th century frescos (now housed in the archeological Museum of Valtenesi). Still looking left is San Felice del Benaco, inlet and agricultural and resort center, it is home to the recently restructured Santuario della Madonna del Carmine (Sanctuary of the Madonna of Carmine). Erected in 1452 in late Gothic form, it contains interesting frescoes created by local artists. Facing the tip of the promontory of San Felice, stretching on to the lake with the narrow point of San Fermo, Isola di Garda (Garda Island) lies 220 meters from the shore. Rising from the island (Which is 110 meters long and 60 wide) is a beautiful villa; originally the seat of a Franciscan convent, it was later purchased by Count Teodoro Lechi who transformed it into a residence with a garden. Subsequently the villa was passed on to the Duke de Ferrari who restructured it in Neo Gothic style and enlarged its park.