Tremosine sul Garda is a municipality located on the Brescia side of Lake Garda which is made up of 18 hamlets, each with its own identity and characteristics: Pieve, Campione, Vesio, Arias, Bassanega, Cadignano, Castone, Mezzema, Musio, Pregasio, Priezzo, Secastello, Sermerio, Sompriezzo, Ustecchio, Villa, Voiandes, Voltino.
We are located on the slopes of Monte Tremalzo, with a breathtaking panoramic view of the lake.
Tremosine sul Garda is surrounded by luxuriant nature, offering absolute peace, relaxation and tranquillity, as well as outdoor and adrenaline-pumping activities such as trekking, mountain biking, climbing, windsurfing and kite surfing.
Let’s get to know Tremosine better by reaching it from one of the most beautiful roads in the world:
Go up to the Tremosine plateau from the Strada della Forra.
The Strada della Forra is a road, about 6 km long, which allows you to enter the bowels of the mountain between tunnels, hairpin bends and winding curves, crossing the gorge of the Brasa stream to reach the beautiful village of Pieve di Tremosine (423 m asl) from the lakefront state road.
You will immerse yourself in a fairytale-like scenario; and it is no coincidence that Winston Churchill called it “the eighth wonder of the world” during its inauguration in 1913.
It was also the scene of a great chase in the James Bond saga film “007 – Quantum of Solace”, in which Daniel Craig drove his Aston Martin at full speed.
Find all the info by clicking here.
What to see in a day trip of Tremosine.
Pieve di Tremosine.
Pieve (413 m) is the capital of the municipality of Tremosine sul Garda, which with its maze of alleys and internal streets has become part of the club “The most beautiful villages in Italy”. Perched on top of a cliff carved out by the glacier, it directly overlooks Lake Garda, offering unique and exciting panoramas.
Here we can visit the Church of San Giovanni Battista (from the seventeenth century) and the very photographed Scala Tonda, dating back to the 1800s. This is the entrance to the house of the famous Arturo Cozzaglio, the only one in the whole municipality to have such a particular shape. Nearby you can also admire the old town hall.
Terrazza del Brivido.
The Terrazza del Brivido (thrill terrace) is located inside the Hotel Paradiso (Viale Europa 19 – Pieve di Tremosine – BS – tel.+39.0365.95.30.12) and looks like a platform suspended over 350 meters in height.
Surrounded by an iron railing, it soars beyond the promontory on which it was built and allows you to admire Lake Garda and the Strada della Forra almost suspended in the air.
Don’t worry, if you are not a hotel guest you are always welcome! All you need to do is make a simple drink at the bar or restaurant.
Eremo di San Michele.
The Hermitage of San Michele is an ancient building of religious origin dating back to the year 1000, but its current form dates back to around 1300. The church, dedicated to the Archangel Michael, is so ancient that it seems to have been built by the Lombards, the who converted to Christianity and found their protector in St. Michael. In fact, San Michele is the patron saint of those who work with fire, such as the forge workers and charcoal burners who abounded in these areas, in particular in the Val di Brasa.
Getting there is very simple: leave the car at the Alpe del Garda Dairy in Polzone di Tremosine sul Garda and continue north until you reach the dirt road. This enters the valley, first in the direction of Malga Lorina and at the next crossroads in the direction of Tremalzo. Continuing for about ten minutes you will reach the slopes of the hermitage.
Chiesa di San Marco.
Pregasio (478 m) is the historic village, on the road that leads from Pieve to Sermerio, which houses this ancient church. It was built in 1564 during the Venetian rule and completed within a century, with the construction of the bell tower and a wall. The church is dedicated to San Marco the Evangelist, as can be understood from the 1600 altarpiece on the high altar, depicting the Saint with an Angel. The side altar, on the other hand, is dedicated to the Madonna della Salute.
Campione del Garda, capital of water sports.
Campione del Garda is the only fraction of the municipality of Tremosine that directly overlooks the lake.
The name of the village, derived from the Latin and also found in documents of the XII century in the form “Campillione”, means “small field” or “arable plain”; in fact it is placed in a particular position on the delta of the San Michele stream, in a canyon wedged into the rocky fault.
Campione has been inhabited since ancient times, and until 1981 lived thanks to a large cotton mill which included a workers’ village with a church, a theatre, a boarding school and a shop.
Today this little jewel is experiencing a new phase of recovery and tourist redevelopment.
Thanks to the presence of constant winds, Campione sul Garda hosts national and international sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing competitions, a sport for which it is particularly famous. It is home to schools dedicated to water sports and has a swimming beach. Campione, due to its resemblance to a fjord, was chosen as the location for some film sets, including The International.
Are you curious to try kitesurfing or wingfoiling in the capital of water sports? Reunion Kite & Wing Academy will make you discover this wonderful sport! Click here for info and contacts.
Campione del Garda waterfall.
Once you arrive in the square of Campione, cross a small bridge and from there the path starts to see this spectacular waterfall (with a short walk).
There is also a staircase to go down and swim or simply to see and photograph it up close. Truly scenic! (click here to doiscover the other waterfalls of Lake Garda)
Vesio.
Vesio (626 m) is the most inhabited fraction of Tremosine and the one located further north. Excellent starting point for excursions in the high mountains, including cycling, trekking and horse riding. A slow tourism immersed in the quiet.
To visit here we have the church of San Bartolomeo, dating back to the second half of the 18th century.
The most beautiful altarpieces are those of the high altar, depicting the Madonna with Angels and Saints Bartolomeo and Rocco, and of the second altar on the left with the Immaculate Conception by Giandomenico Cignaroli from Verona who painted it in 1761. The ceiling is covered with valuable you decorate. Also noteworthy is the organ by the Venetian Gaetano Callido.
The week after Easter, during the Sante Quarantore, a painted wooden scenography set up with candles is mounted on the high altar. A unique scenario that attracts religious and curious.
Walks, trekking and biking in Tremosine.
Porto – Pieve path.
Venturing along path no. 201, you cover about 350 meters in altitude between mountain mule tracks and natural stairways. The route is of medium difficulty, downhill on the outward journey and uphill on the way back (if you start from Tremosine) for a total duration of about 3 hours.
The starting point is located in the village of Pieve, next to Piazza Cozzaglio, and comes out at Cimaporto, from the dialect “n sìma pórt”, that is, at the top of the port.
Thanks to an important safety project completed in 2018, it is now accessible to all (the use of suitable boots is recommended).
Along the way you will find various urban works including reservoirs, bridges and numerous rocky stairways. All immersed in a luxuriant nature where you can admire olive groves, scented brooms and rare species of plants such as the Judas Tree and the Orniello (otherwise called Manna Tree).
Tremalzo pass.
The Tremalzo Pass (1,694m) is an alpine pass located between Monte Tremalzo (1974m) to the east and Cima del Dil (1807m) to the west. It is frequented by many bikers and hikers from all over Europe for the panoramic views that can be admired from the two peaks on the lakes of Garda and Ledro.
During the First World War, the Tremalzo Pass was an important junction for war activities on the front towards the Val di Ledro. The Italian army built a road that connected the pass to Tremosine sul Garda, passing through the Valle di Bondo and Passo Nota; this road is still today the main path for penetrating this uncontaminated territory with an intact charm.
Among the various itineraries to do by bike, one of the best known is the one that starts from Vesio di Tremosine, climbs to the Garda refuge on the Tremalzo pass, and then descends from the Val Marsa towards the town of Prè, concluding a circular tour with beautiful views on Lake Garda.
Among the treks to be done on foot, however, the most popular path is the one that leads to the top of Monte Tremalzo: you climb along a clearly visible track in the woods for about 45 minutes. Once at the top, you will be able to admire a complete panorama of all the surrounding mountains.
Local gastronomy and what to eat in Tremosine.
Tremosine cheese.
Obtained from the milk of the cows that graze the Tremosine plateau – and the taste benefits from grass-rich meadows – this traditional cheese provides, after the pasteurization of freshly milked milk, the addition of live lactic ferments and calf rennet.
A “living” cheese without additives or preservatives, which is best appreciated fresh (in any case, the maturing is not less than 40 days). The maturation in rooms with selected molds contributes decisively to making it tasty. For more info click here.
But Tremosine is also cured meats, polenta cùsa (flavored with various cheeses), capù (a delicious roll made with ribs), tortelli alla formaggella, spiedo bresciano (different types of meat skewered on large rotating skewers and cooked slowly with embers, spraying it continuously with melted butter and cooking sauce), lake fish, spongadì (a delicious Easter donut), Garda Dop extra virgin olive oil, mushrooms and truffles, honey.
Events in Tremosine.
Tremosine always hosts events, festivals, music festivals, sports competitions, immersed in landscapes that look like paintings. They are concentrated in the period between May and October.
If you are looking for a tourist destination that combines spectacular landscapes, outdoor activities, good food and a relaxing atmosphere, then Tremosine sul Garda is the perfect choice for you!
Pack your suitcase and go dear Outdoors!
Silvia Turazza – Garda Outdoors editorial staff
