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Lake Garda Lago di Garda
Gustav Klimt's Malcesine (1913)
Location	Northern Italy
Coordinates	45°38′N 10°40′ECoordinates: 45°38′N 10°40′E
Primary sources	Sarca
Primary outflows	Mincio
Catchment area	2,350 km²
Max length	51.9 km
Max width	16.7 km
Surface area	369.98 km²
Average depth	136 m
Max depth	346 m
Water volume	50.35 km³
Residence time (of lake water)	26.8 years
Surface elevation	65 m
Islands	5 (Isola del Garda, Isola San Biagio)
Settlements	see article

Lake Garda (Italian Lago di Garda or Benaco) is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Venice and Milan. It is in an alpine region and was formed by glaciers at the end of the last ice age. The lake and its shoreline are divided between the provinces of Verona (to the south-east), Brescia (south-west), and Trentino region (north). The lake is a major tourist destination, with a number of hotels and resorts along its shore.

Lake Garda from space.

The northern part of the lake is narrower, surrounded by mountains, the major of which belong to the Gruppo del Baldo. The shape is typical of a moraine valley, probably having been formed under the action of a Paleolithic glacier. Although traces of the glacier's actions are evident today, in more recent years it has been hypothesized that the glacier occupied an already existing depression, created by stream erosion 5 to 6 million years ago.

The lake has five islands, the largest being Isola del Garda. Nearby is Isola San Biagio, also known as the Isola dei Conigli ("Island of the Rabbits"). Both face San Felice del Benaco, on the Brescian side. The three smaller islands are Isola dell'Olivo, Isola di Sogno and Isola di Trimelone.

The main tributary is the Sarca river, while the only emissary is the Mincio River.

Wildlife include Salmo carpio, a species of salmon living exclusively in the Garda and in some Swiss alpine lakes, usually caught in fine nets since it's a plankton eater. Others species present are:

• Bleak
• Brown trout
• Chub
• Common carp
• Common whitefish
• Eel
• Burbot, Lota lota, a species of Gadid fish
• Northern Pike
• Perch
• Tench

The ancient fortified town of Sirmione, located on the south of the lake, is one particularly popular destination, home to the Virgilio & Catullo Spa Complexes, as well as numerous restaurants, bars, hotels, fashion stores and a market. The picturesque Scaliger castle dates from the 13th century. The Roman villa was home to the poet Catullus. The sulphur springs at the tip of the peninsula have a reputation for the healing of catarrhal conditions, particularly those involving the ear.

Nearby, there is Gardaland, one of the most famous parks in Italy.

View from Torbole over the water.

• Battle of Lake Benacus, in which Roman forces defeated the Alamanni on the shores of Lake Garda, in 268.
• Battle of Solferino and San Martino in 1859, during the Italian Risorgimento. The terrible aftermath of this battle led to the Geneva Convention and the formation of the Red Cross.
• Benito Musolini established the capital of his rump Italian Social Republic in 1943 in a villa in the town of Salò on its shores. It served as a nexus for military operations and communications for German troops during World War Two.

Tremosine sul Garda

Riva del Garda

Punta San Vigilio

View from Gargnano

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Lago di Garda

• Lake Garda travel guide
• A complete guide to Lake Garda With over 300 photos from all round the lake
• Lake Garda Travel Guide
• The magazine of Lake Garda
• Lake Garda webcams Webcams, weather forecasts and Weekly markets at Lake Garda
• Ferry Services on Italian Lakes - Lake Garda
• Mondophoto.net 250+ photos from Sirmione and Lake Garda
• Tremosine sul Garda (Italian)
• Tutto quello che vuoi sapere sul Lago di Garda (Italian)

• The virgin olive oil of Lake Garda The origin area determinates the quality of the olive oil...

v • d • e Lake Garda (Lago di Garda, Benaco)
Italy   Lombardy (Province of Brescia) · Veneto (Province of Verona) · Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (Autonomous Province of Trento)
Settlements	Bardolino · Brenzone · Castelnuovo del Garda · Desenzano del Garda · Garda · Gardone Riviera · Gargnano · Lazise · Limone sul Garda · Lonato · Malcesine · Manerba del Garda · Moniga del Garda · Nago-Torbole · Padenghe sul Garda · Peschiera del Garda · Riva del Garda · Salò · San Felice del Benaco · Sirmione · Tignale · Torri del Benaco · Toscolano-Maderno · Tremosine
Islands	Isola del Garda · Isola dell'Olivo · Isola San Biagio · Isola di Sogno · Isola di Trimelone
Rivers	Mincio · Sarca
Wines	Bardolino
People	Catullus · Gabriele D'Annunzio