On the Brescia side of Lake Garda, in Toscolano Maderno discover the things to see and do among historic buildings, lakefront, beaches and excursions in the surrounding area towards the Valle delle Cartiere.
TO not far from Salò, there is a place to be discovered, a village of Roman origin that welcomes visitors with various suggestions, things to see and do, ranging from ancient ruins to inland valleys, up to contemporary events on the Garda for those who love beaches and relaxation.
There are many reasons to go to Toscolano Maderno, so …
The history and ancient buildings to see in Toscolano
The ancient-Roman origins of this territory certainly did not take into account what is the present union between two villages, Toscolano and Maderno. At the time they were divided, and of different cultures. Toscolano boasts Etruscan origins, while Maderno was born with the Romans. The first settlement seems to be the Etruscan one in the port of Toscolano, which was called just like the lake, Benaco.
In the first century AD, the territory began to be mentioned as Tusculanum and a noble Roman family, the Nonii Arrii, built a splendid villa in the first century AD that today we find in the form of ruins and ancient mosaics (some tombstones are also walled in the church bell tower). It is an important residential complex among the Roman villas on Lake Garda, similar to the famous Grotte di Catullo in Sirmione or the domus of Desenzano del Garda.
Previous
Following
The Paper Mills Valley and the Paper Museum
From Toscolano comes a famous tradition of paper production, which today can be learned through a visit to the nearby Valle delle Cartiere. Since the Middle Ages, paper was manufactured thanks to the force of the water that flowed down towards the Garda from the mountains, to the intuition of the Dominican friars and the inhabitants of the place. Uncultivated lands were reclaimed, channels were built to bring water to the paper mills, and a marina to send it out of the territory.
In the Valley, the Paper Museum today it explains the whole history of these activities, including factories, workshops, ironworks, and important printing works of the Renaissance. On display in the Museum you will also find the finds of the archaeological excavations of the valley, the Renaissance watermarks, the books printed by illustrious publishers of the time.
Find out more about the Paper Museum
To date, the “surviving” paper mill is only one, given the crisis in the sector for centuries, while various activities in the area are dedicated to the cultivation of olive trees and lemons.
Nearby you can also see the Mulino di Camerate , one of the most interesting places in the Valle delle Camerate which has kept the original equipment of the eighteenth century, and also some tools with which you can understand how the flours were created between millstones, hoppers, wheels.
Il Mulino is always part of the Valle delle Cartiere, which in the present era has become a complex to visit easily, through a direct connection from the center of Toscolano.
Stroll along the lakefront or play sports
You can really relax walking on the Garda, or reactivate the body by jogging and water sports near the historic center, including canoes and diving, rowing, sailing and the recent paddle surfing, to be discovered.
And not just water sports: the territory of Toscolano and Maderno offers various routes for mountain biking, trekking, horseback riding; but also golf courses and paragliding.
Among the most popular beaches is the Bau Beach , designed for those who want to bring their domestic friends with them.
Certainly there is no shortage of bars and restaurants for aperitifs, lunches and dinners, or to have an ice cream; they are widespread mainly in the marina, the landing in the village which in the past represented the natural link to reach the Republic of Venice.
