From Via Capitanato winding lanes lead to the chalky-white Castello Scaligero. This late-6th-century fortress was built by the Franks and consolidated by the Della Scala family, who ruled Malcesine between 1277 and 1387. The poet Goethe thought the castle so beautiful he sketched it, was mistaken for a spy and temporarily thrown into its cells. The view of the castle from the lake is vastly superior to the views of the lake from the castle.
Castello Scaligero
Lake Garda
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.33 MILES
Built of pink-tinged marble in the 1st century AD, Verona's Roman amphitheatre survived a 12th-century earthquake to become the city’s legendary open-air…
-
15.39 MILES
Poet, soldier, hypochondriac and proto-Fascist, Gabriele d'Annunzio (1863–1938) defies easy definition, and so does his estate. Bombastic, extravagant and…
Galleria d'Arte Moderna Achille Forti
24.15 MILES
In the shadow of the Torre dei Lamberti, the Romanesque Palazzo della Ragione is home to Verona's jewel-box Gallery of Modern Art. Reached via the Gothic…
24.29 MILES
Across the river from the historic centre, these sculpted gardens are considered a masterpiece of Renaissance landscaping, and are named after the noble…
15.97 MILES
The jewel in the Allegrini crown, this historic villa dates to the mid-16th century and was built by intellectual and humanist Giulio della Torre…
-
Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Rovereto
14.43 MILES
This four-storey, 12,000-sq-metre steel, glass and marble behemoth, designed by Ticinese architect Mario Botta, is both imposing and human in scale, with…
-
28.04 MILES
Northwest of Pinzolo is the entrance to the Val di Genova, renowned as one of the Alps' most beautiful valleys. It's great walking country, lined with a…
-
26.08 MILES
Guarded by hulking fortifications, this massive edifice was home to Trento's bishop-princes until Napoleon's arrival in 1801. Enclosed within is the…
Nearby Lake Garda attractions
0.15 MILES
This palace was home to Malcesine's governor when it was ruled by the Republic of Venice, largely between 1405 and 1797. A single, large hall leads onto a…
2.74 MILES
The long mountain ridge that towers above the northeast shores of Lake Garda is known as Monte Baldo. Ironically, the name doesn’t refer to its baldness …
3.51 MILES
Limone's top attraction is this renovated Lemon orchard where you can learn a bit about the region's lemon-growing traditions, sample lemon-infused…
8.16 MILES
This area of pebble beaches, parkland, picnic spots, paddling toddlers and strolling Italian holidaymakers is also the launchpad for many a waterborne…
8.26 MILES
From the centre of Riva, the Bastione is the chalk-white castle clinging to sheer cliffs high above the west edge of town. The 3.5km hike to this…
8.33 MILES
Housed in Riva's compact medieval castle, the civic museum features local archaeology, frescoes from Roman Riva, documents and paintings. In light of Riva…
8.49 MILES
A 300m stroll north from the ferry landing brings you to a beach where gleaming white pebbles fringe shallow crystalline waters. The shore, bar and…
8.95 MILES
The Franciscans were Gargnano’s first inhabitants, and their modest 13th-century Romanesque church is the village's main monument. They were also some of…