Padenghe Castle
Like many other Valtenesi towns, Padenghe is also dominated by a castle on a hill, from which you can enjoy and impressive view, with Sirmione in the foreground. The building (picture above) was built between the ninth and tenth centuries, at the time of the Hungarian invasions, on the ancient ruins from the Roman era; what we see today is a reconstruction carried out between the 13th and 14th centuries. Once the castle war surrounded by a moat and it was filled in 1959. On the inside are three rows of living quarters, believed to have been built together with the walls.
Distance from the farm: 850 m
Mille Miglia Museum
This interesting museum is within an old monastery, and it traces the history of car racing since it began to modern date. The Museum was not meant to be only an archive, but also a cultural and sporting event which portrayed the history of Italy as a whole. Thanks to the efforts of private collectors and the collaboration with other vintage car museums, the Mille Miglia Museum has gained a collection of jewels on four wheels which are displayed in the museum tour.
Distance from the farm: 28 Km
The Vittoriale
Il Vittoriale is the place where you can take a cultural break from the “life on the Lake”, characteristic of a holiday on Lake Garda. We have already provided tips and information in another article about the fantastic itineraries that are available around the sweet waters of the Lake. The Vittoriale and the city of Salo excel in cultural content with its historic monuments in memory of the military actions carried out by the Italian army during World War I.
Distance from the farm: 21 Km
San Martino Tower
The tower stands on the highest hill of St. Martin, just 5 minutes from Desenzano del Garda. The tower was conquered by the Sardinian army with mixed success, as it was conquered, lost and reconquered several times with bloody assaults and repeated charges against the Austrians. It was erected to honor the memory of King Vittorio Emanuele II and those who fought for indipendence and unification of Italy in the military campaigns from 1848 to 1870. The Tower, admired for its majestic exterior and for its artistic interiors, is surrounded by a large park. Built using national subscription funds, it represents the expression of the Italian patriotic sentiment.
Distance from the farm: 18 Km
The Catullo Caves
In the ancient world the village of Sirmione was known as a resting station (Sirmium Mansio) along the important road from Brescia to Verona. During the Renaissance the terms “caves” or “caverns” were used to refer to ancient structures in ruins, covered by vegetation, in which one entered via natural cavities. The tradition, dating back to 1500, identifies this complex, which is the greatest example of an elegant private building in the entire northern Italy, as the family villa of Catulls, Latin poet who died in 54 BC. Archaeological excavations carried out under the Roman Villa believed to belong to the family of Catullus, have uncovered structures from the 1st century BC.
Distance from the farm: 21 Km