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On the southwestern shore of Lake Garda, a few kilometers north of Desenzano del Garda, lies the small town of Padenghe sul Garda in the fertile Valtenesi region. Over several centuries, numerous castles and fortifications were built in this area, reflecting the fierce power struggle already underway for the wines and olive oils produced in the Valtenesi. The castle ruins, perched on a hill above Padenghe, represent the remains of a fortress built of rubble and fieldstones as early as the 10th century. Originally lacking corner towers, the approximately 70 by 38 meter structure, situated on the gently sloping side of a moraine hill facing Lake Garda, was protected by a ditch. It was probably only in the first half of the 14th century that two square wall towers and two corner towers were added to the curtain wall. The wall on the steeper southeastern side, reaching a height of about 9 meters, remained without towers. After 1330, under the rule of the Scaliger family of Verona, a separate noble castle was built on the northeastern flank, reinforced in the northern section by a round tower 17 meters high and approximately 9 meters in diameter. https://www.gardasee-domizil.de/burg-padenghe-sul-garda.php

Piazza Martiri della Libertà is the city's main square, where you can see the monument to the dead of the First World War (a work by Luigi Contratti) and the Venetian column topped with the Lion of St. Mark. The Republic of Venice ruled Lonato from the mid-15th century until the end of the 18th century, for approximately 350 years without interruption. The council chamber houses an 18th-century map of the Lonato area, and the ceiling features 18th-century carvings dedicated to the Lonato agronomist Camillo Tarello (1517–1573). This large hall is called the "Celesti Hall" because it contains an unusual work of art created for this space in 1693 by the Venetian painter Andrea Celesti (1637–1712). The council chamber houses an 18th-century map of the Lonato area, and the ceiling features 18th-century carvings dedicated to the Lonato agronomist Camillo Tarello (1517–1573). The large canvas (measuring 262 x 735 cm) was commissioned by the city administration in 1692 (to commemorate the end of the plague epidemic). In the center, Christ is depicted with the Virgin Mary on the left and Saint John the Baptist—patron saint of Lonato—on the right. On the left is an allegory of Lonato alongside the Doge of Venice and the three theological virtues, while on the right, the painter depicted the consequences of the plague: a lazaretto and the flying devil.

The Provost Church of Sant'Erasmo is an important Renaissance-style religious building. Construction began in the second half of the 15th century and was expanded in the 16th century under the Marquisate of Aloisio Gonzaga. The church features an elegant façade on two levels with pilasters and a tympanum. Its interior, topped by a hemispherical dome, houses valuable works of art from various periods, including Baroque paintings by Giuseppe Bazzani and Giuseppe Fali, an ancient 15th-century wooden crucifix believed to be miraculous, and a polychrome marble high altar. The church is also known for its "Treasure of Sant'Erasmo," housed in the Old Sacristy.

As you cross the bridge you will find a wonderful shaded kiosk.

drank coffee

The great Cathedral of Lonato

Fantastic paths, occasionally a bit challenging going downhill as it often goes downhill in the stream 😉

Coffee break