08:00
Gargnano
- On the lake
- Nearest train: Desenzano del Garda, 27 km
- Ferry stop
- 2,680 residents
Good for SailingPeace and quietHikingHistoryOlive oil
Gargnano is a lakeside village on the Brescian shore made up of a compact harbour centre and the lakefront hamlets of Bogliaco and Villa, with olive groves and old lemon houses on the slopes behind.
In the centre, the church of San Francesco was built by Franciscan friars in 1289; its fourteenth-century cloister, with Venetian-style arches, keeps Roman inscriptions found locally. At Bogliaco, the eighteenth-century Villa Bettoni faces the water with its formal gardens, and the Circolo Vela Gargnano starts the Centomiglia regatta from here each September, a race held since 1951.
The village also has a place in twentieth-century history: D.H. Lawrence stayed in Villa, and in 1943 Villa Feltrinelli became Mussolini's residence during the Italian Social Republic, while Palazzo Feltrinelli now hosts a university centre for Italian language and culture.
Gargnano suits sailors, walkers heading into the Parco Alto Garda Bresciano, and visitors who want a quieter base than Salò or Limone. The comune reaches far inland to Lago di Valvestino.
Events in Gargnano8
Filter →Today · Sunday 27 September1
Wednesday 30 September1
08:00
Saturday 3 October1
10:00
Wednesday 7 October1
08:00
Saturday 10 October1
11:30
Running all through3
14 Jun
3 Oct09:00
13 Oct17:30
What to see
Chiesa e chiostro di San Francesco
Franciscan church founded in 1289 on Via Roma, with a small fourteenth-century cloister holding a Roman dedication to Neptune and Gargnano's old coat of arms.
Villa Bettoni (Bogliaco)
Early-eighteenth-century lakeside villa with gardens laid out in 1764–1767, including an exedra and nymphaeum; visits by arrangement.
Palazzo Feltrinelli
Lakefront palazzo in the centre that now houses a university centre for Italian language and culture.
Villa Feltrinelli
Villa at San Giacomo where Mussolini lived from October 1943 as head of the Italian Social Republic.
Centomiglia (Bogliaco)
International sailing regatta organised by the Circolo Vela Gargnano since 1951, starting from Bogliaco on a weekend in early September.
Beaches
Spiaggia Lido di Villa
Free pebble beach on Via Colletta with loungers, canoe, pedalo and surf hire, showers and a kiosk.
Spiaggia Porto di Villa
Small beach by the harbour of the Villa hamlet.
Spiaggia Corno (Bogliaco)
Free pebble beach at Lido di Bogliaco with a kiosk bar and parking.
Getting there and around
- By car
- By car, leave the A4 at Desenzano del Garda and follow the Gardesana Occidentale north via Salò.
- Train and bus
- The nearest railway station is Desenzano del Garda, connected to Gargnano by Arriva bus LN027 (Desenzano – Salò – Gargnano – Limone – Riva del Garda); line RL202-1 runs Gargnano – Salò – Gavardo – Brescia. Local Arriva lines LN011, LN012 and LN015 start in Gargnano for Tignale, Limone/Tremosine and the Valvestino villages.
- By boat
- Navigazione Laghi boats call at both Gargnano and Bogliaco on the west-shore route between Desenzano and Riva.
Things to do in Gargnano3
Circolo Vela Gargnano
Sailing
Historic sailing club founded in 1950 that organises the Centomiglia, Lake Garda's best-known long-distance regatta.
Gargnano Boat
Boat rental
Boat rental from Gargnano harbour with licence-free boats, licensed boats and skippered trips.
Oleificio Gargnano
Wine tasting
Olive oil mill and shop in Gargnano selling Garda extra-virgin oil and local products, with tastings and mill visits.
Gargnano climate by month
| Month | Day | Night | Rain days (≥1 mm) | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8° | 3° | 7 | 55 mm |
| February | 11° | 5° | 7 | 75 mm |
| March | 14° | 6° | 9 | 75 mm |
| April | 17° | 10° | 11 | 87 mm |
| May | 21° | 14° | 17 | 160 mm |
| June | 27° | 19° | 11 | 97 mm |
| July | 28° | 22° | 12 | 85 mm |
| August | 28° | 22° | 11 | 92 mm |
| September | 24° | 18° | 11 | 113 mm |
| October | 19° | 14° | 11 | 114 mm |
| November | 13° | 8° | 11 | 115 mm |
| December | 10° | 5° | 7 | 69 mm |
Averages 2016–2025 from reanalysis data (Open-Meteo); a single year can differ a lot.
Questions visitors ask
When is the Centomiglia regatta?
It is held on a weekend in early September (6–7 September in 2026), organised by the Circolo Vela Gargnano with starts from Bogliaco.
Can you reach Gargnano without a car?
Yes: take the train to Desenzano del Garda, then Arriva bus LN027 along the west shore, or a Navigazione Laghi boat to Gargnano or Bogliaco.
Where can you swim in Gargnano?
The free pebble beaches are Lido di Villa (with hire and showers), Porto di Villa, and Spiaggia Corno at Bogliaco.
Nearby
Researched from: gardalombardia.com, gardalombardia.com, gardalombardia.com, gardalombardia.com, gardalombardia.com, centomiglia.it · checked 2026-09-26.