Riva
A ten minute ride from Torbole brings you to Riva del Garda which is closed in on the right by Mount Brione (376 meters) and in the distance by Mount Stivio (2059 meters). Blessed with a climate which is mild in winter and temperate in summer, Riva is an esteemed resort which was also popular center of European tourism during the 19th century. With many hotels and first rate service, it is a fashionable stop. The town is distinguished by its ancient center which faces the Lake, and its modern half which extends to the Sarca Plain. During the Roman Era it was the seat of a college for the helmsmen who ran the port; during the Middle Ages, Riva entered the Sacred Roman Empire and passed under the control of the Trento bishopric. During this period, two of its most well known monuments went up: La Rocca (The Rock - 12th century) and the Apponale Tower (13th century). The first, a massive structure originally adorned in Ghibellini-style merlons, is entirely surrounded by water and connected to land by a drawbridge. Eventually restructured, it was transformed into barracks by the Austrian in the 19th century. Today it houses the archeological and naturalistic collections of Lower Trentino in the Civic Museum. Apponale Tower symbol of the city and facing the port, was retouched by the Viscounts and then raised again by two thirds by Trentino Princes. Other worthy visits: the Palazzo Pretorio (Magisterial Palace - 14th century), the Palazzo Municipale (Municipal Palace - 15th century) and outside of the wall, the elegant, octagonal plan baroque church Inviolata. There are other sights to see around Riva: the "Bastrione", a 16th century cylindrical fort constructed by the Venetians on the rocky pike of Mount Rocchetta; and the Varrone Falls four kilometers from Riva) formed by an 85 meters drop along Magnone Stream.