Desenzano del Garda is a resort on Lake Garda known for its beautiful beach and charming old town. There are plenty of restaurants and bars in the streets and the city can also be a great base for exploring the Lake Garda surroundings.
The city has developed since the Roman times and was an important commercial center thanks to the access to the trade route and the port on the Garda. From the 19th century, tourists started to come here and soon Desenzano del Garda became a popular holiday destination. Today it is a nice and quite intimate resort, where you can combine a stay in a charming historic town with active recreation.
Among the most important monuments in Desenzano del Garda is the Castle of Desenzano, which in the past guarded the local port. The city also has the remains of the Roman Villa Desenzano with mosaics decorating the floors in the past. Desenzano del Garda's old town has a lot of charm. Narrow streets, shady squares, tenement houses with pastel facades and lots of flowers give this place a unique atmosphere. Among the attractions of Desenzano del Garda is the Old Port, where motorboats now dock and there are plenty of cafes and restaurants around.
An important event in the history of the city and its vicinity was the Battle of Solferino in 1859. The bloody clash of Austrian and French troops led to efforts to establish an organization that would take care of the wounded and to establish a Red Cross soon. The Monumental San Martino della Battaglia is located just outside Desenzano. It commemorates the fallen during one of the episodes of the Battle of Solferino, fought in the San Martino area. It includes the San Martino della Battaglia Tower, the Solferino Museum and the San Martino Ossuary.
