NNear Toscolano Maderno, on the Brescia shore of Lake Garda, you can visit the splendid Valle delle Cartiere (Paper Mill Valley). It is one of the most unique environments in the Alto Garda Bresciano Park and one of the most interesting archaeological-industrial areas in Italy.
The landscape is highly evocative and characterized by lush vegetation, the remains of paper mills immersed in greenery, and ravines (narrow gorges between steep rock faces) carved by the Toscolano River. The combination of the remains of the paper mills and the vegetation offers visitors a fascinating landscape, an excellent blend of history and nature.
Geologically, the valley is distinguished by the presence of steep slopes and narrow ravines interspersed with ruins and spaces that once belonged to industry. Its undeniable charm also stems from the richness and variety of its vegetation, facilitated by a mild and favorable climate.
In the towns of Gatto, Maina Superiore, and Maina di Mezzo, it’s possible to visit the remains of several paper mills. They belong to three different paper mills that share common characteristics and are an example of industrial structures built from the 15th to the 19th century. You can see entire series of stone vats for beating rags with hammers, as well as other structures related to the artisanal papermaking cycle.
The Paper Museum is housed in the old Maina Inferiore paper factory, which fell into disuse in 1962.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors are fully immersed in the history and importance of paper in both contemporary and historical life.
The museum is divided into two sections: the first is dedicated to the history of paper production, with exhibits also described in English and German. The second focuses on paper today, from industrialization to the evolution of papermaking techniques.
The museum’s tour is structured with several explanatory panels, as well as videos and historic machinery that clearly illustrate the evolution of the papermaking industry.
During the summer months, the museum can be reached by a tourist train.
In the 16th century, in the locality of Luseti, where there were five paper mills, a small church dedicated to Saints Philip and James, patron saints of the workers responsible for operating the paper mills’ masts, was built. Inside, you can admire exquisite stucco decorations, recently restored.
The papermaking tradition in the Toscolano area began in the early 1300s: a notarial document dating back to 1381 established precise rules and regulations for the use of river water by the various paper mill owners along the river.
Among the first papermakers were the Dominican friars, who built two paper mills that operated until 1772. They also reclaimed part of the land that still exists today. The raw materials used were rags and waste cotton, and later linen was also used to give the paper a greater sheen.
From around 1470, the valley’s paper mills achieved unsurpassed production quality, reaching markets as far as the East. The paper produced here was also used to draft official documents for various governments in northern Italy and for decrees issued by Turkish sultans. In the 16th century, the entire course of the Toscolano River was occupied by dozens of factories stretching from the valley floor to Camerate.
This prosperous period came to an abrupt end in the mid-17th century due to the plague epidemic, which led to the collapse of almost all papermaking.
The paper mills were abandoned until the early 18th century, when the area experienced a repopulation. Paper production resumed, but many paper mills failed because many papermakers were too attached to outdated artisanal methods and were reluctant to introduce innovative machinery.
Some entrepreneurs, however, began modernizing their paper mills, and in the 19th century, they adapted them to use electricity instead of water power. They thus moved the production facilities closer to the lake, in a more strategic position for connections and transportation. This inevitably led to the depopulation of the valley and its subsequent decline.
In the 19th century, the valley was completely abandoned until the decision was made to excavate its ancient treasures.
Today, the valley is a site of considerable industrial archaeology: from 2002 to 2006, the University of Padua conducted annual excavation campaigns to uncover several paper-making buildings located in the towns of Gatto, Maina Superiore, and Maina di Mezzo.
Legend has it that a boat sank in Lake Garda, the wind snapped the mast and blew the sail into a cove near Toscolano. The force of the waves reduced the sail to mushy tatters, but exposure to the sun restored its strength. When the locals realized that the material was suitable for writing, they founded the first paper mill.
On the Brescia shore of Lake Garda lies the beautiful town of Sirmione.
Entering the town, visitors are immediately struck by the Scaliger Castle, which transports them to a bygone era with its massive walls, towers, and swallow-tailed battlements.
It is completely surrounded by the lake and its interior spaces are accessed through courtyards, walkways, and paths that offer breathtaking views and an excellent example of Scaliger architecture.
The Castle was built at the end of a long, narrow peninsula that extends from the hinterland into the middle of the lake. It defines the final stretch of a strip of land that leads visitors to the center of Lake Garda, offering the thrill of a unique view from an unusual location.
A visit to the area is a must-see; this fairytale setting welcomes visitors with poetic views.
The Castle was once accessible from both outside the town and from the village of Sirmione via drawbridges; today, it can only be entered from within the village.
Passing through the large castle gate, you enter a rectangular courtyard surrounded by high walls and corner towers. The massive walls offer a glimpse of the construction technique, which combined bricks with stones from the nearby Cortine hill.
You can visit the entrance to the underground chambers and the wall remains of the Lombard-era Monastery of San Salvatore.
Continuing the tour, a large arched portal leads to a ravelin (a fortification independent of the city walls) and a first drawbridge, both of which are connected by a corridor leading to a second drawbridge.
On either side of the corridor are entrances to the Darsena courtyard (ancient refuge for the Scaliger fleet) and the second courtyard, where a 146-step staircase leads to a long patrol walkway and a guard post.
An internal portico offers the opportunity to visit a Roman and medieval lapidary (a collection of stones, rocks, and stones). Furthermore, this part of the Castle hosts a short exhibition featuring panels providing key information about the site.
From here, you can reach the top of the keep, the Castle’s tallest tower.
The Castle features some simple decorative elements, such as stone pikes and pine cones placed on the walkways.
Continuing along the path, you reach the interior of the Corner Tower, which leads to several walkways decorated with typical Ghibelline swallowtail merlons. Additional walkways along the walls offer a full view of the Darsena.
The Darsena has been open to visitors since 2018. During the Middle Ages, it was built entirely of wood, so what we see today is a reconstruction by the Republic of Venice modeled after the Venetian Arsenal.
The area of the peninsula and the island of Sirmione began to be inhabited starting in the Early Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC), and between the 4th and 1st centuries BC, it was populated by the Cenomani Gauls.
The most recent archaeological traces date back to Roman times, when Sirmione’s importance is evidenced by the presence of a mansio, a post station (a sort of small inn) built along one of the main roads of the Roman Empire. It accommodated travelers traveling from Verona to Brescia or vice versa.
The Castle dates back to around 1278 and was built by Mastino I della Scala, lord of Verona, on the ruins of an ancient Roman fortification.
It was a key point in the Scaliger system of defense and control of Lake Garda thanks to its territorial border location, in the middle of the lake.
The Castle, with its dock, is a rare example of a fortification intended solely for port use. In fact, the castle was not used as a residential place.
The walls and three massive main towers feature swallow-tailed battlements, a distinctive feature of Scaliger buildings. Behind these towers stands the imposing keep, 47 meters high, beneath which were the prison cells. To increase the Castle’s defensive capacity, two courtyards and a separate fortification were added in the mid-14th century, connected to the existing one by a barbican (a defensive structure).
In 1405, Venice annexed Sirmione to its Republic and began work to modernize and improve the Castle’s defensive capacity. The walls were strengthened and the now obsolete Scaliger dock was expanded. An external moat was built on one side of the dock, leading directly to the lake.
The Castle as we admire it today was created during restoration work carried out between 1917 and 1935.
The place is highly evocative and can transport visitors to an ancient, fairytale world. A legend about the Castle is well-known: that of Ebengardo and Arice.
In a distant and unspecified time, young Ebengardo lived in the Castle with his sweetheart Arice. The two spent their time peacefully by the lake. One day, however, Elalberto arrived at the Castle, seeking shelter during a nighttime storm. The couple gladly welcomed him, but Elalberto was immediately struck by Arice’s beauty. In the middle of the night, he entered the girl’s room to rape her. Arice began screaming in fear, and Elalberto stabbed her. Ebengardo awoke to his beloved’s screams, ran to her room, and found her near death. Blinded by rage, he took the dagger and Elalberto and killed him. Legend has it that even today, on stormy nights, Ebengardo’s soul can be seen wandering around the Castle in search of his Arice.
With what joy and happiness I see you again,
Sirmione, jewel of peninsulas and islands,
among all those that dual Neptune welcomes in
the clear lakes and vast seas!Caio Valerio Catullo
On the southern shore of Lake Garda, at the tip of the Sirmione peninsula, lie the remains of the Roman villa known for centuries as the Grotte di Catullo.
You can reach the site by walking for about a kilometer through the picturesque center of Sirmione, or by taking the electric train that runs during the summer months.
Today, the Villa is a fundamental testimony to the Roman period in the Sirmione area and is the most impressive example of a Roman villa in northern Italy.
It is a small gem in the center of Lake Garda, offering exceptional views and immersing yourself in the history and culture of the area. A unique experience for a visit that takes us to one of the heart of Italy’s beauty spots.
The archaeological site of the Grotte di Catullo is surrounded by a magnificent olive grove with over 1,500 trees and the waters of Lake Garda. From here, you can enjoy a splendid view of the lake and the surrounding area.
The Grotte di Catullo contains the remains of one of the largest residential villas in northern Italy. The archaeological complex covers an area of approximately two hectares and has only been partially excavated to date.
The villa was built with a rectangular plan (167 x 105 meters) with two projections on the shorter north and south sides. To overcome the slope of the rock on which the building was built, large retaining structures were created on the northern section and massive cuts were made to shape the rocks. These are clearly visible on the west side and the eastern side of the northern projection.
The remains that can be visited today are therefore located on three different levels: parts of the grandiose construction remain in the northern sector, while nothing remains of the residential area, which collapsed in the 3rd century AD.
The piano nobile (the owner’s living quarters), the intermediate floor, and the lower floor are open to visitors. The first floor is the most damaged, as the Villa, after its abandonment, served as a quarry for centuries.
Along the western side, the cryptoporticus, a long, once-covered walkway, is now open to visitors. The residential areas of the building were located to the north and south, while the central section, now the Great Olive Grove, was occupied by a large garden.
Visitors can walk along long terraced corridors on the east and west sides, which were likely used as scenic walkways.
Since 1999, a small archaeological museum has been located within the Villa’s grounds. It is organized into several sections and houses numerous finds from excavations near the Grotte di Catullo and other Roman villas on Lake Garda. The museum displays, in addition to a general plan of the Villa, photographic evidence of the excavations and restorations, and particularly interesting finds such as floor mosaics, bronze and ceramic objects, stucco fragments, frescoes, and a sculpture depicting the head of one of the Dioscuri (characters from Greek mythology). The museum’s lighting cleverly uses sunlight, giving the place a unique atmosphere and a mysterious, golden hue to the exhibits.
The large villa, beneath which structures from the 1st century BC were discovered, was built between the end of the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD.
The villa had been abandoned since the 3rd century AD, when part of its architectural decoration was reused in Sirmione’s other Roman villa, the one on Via Antiche Mura. It likely ceased to be used following a fire that damaged its structures.
Between the 4th and 5th centuries AD, the imposing surviving structures of the villa were included in the fortifications that surrounded the Sirmione peninsula, and burials were created within the remains of the Roman building.
Over the centuries, many chroniclers and travelers visited the ruins, but the first concrete studies were conducted only in 1801 by General La Come St. Michel, artillery commander of Napoleon Bonaparte’s army. Subsequently, Count Giovanni Girolamo Orti Manara of Verona conducted excavations and surveys, which he published in 1856 and which contemporary historians still rely on today.
In 1939, the Superintendency of Archaeological Heritage began a program of excavations and restorations, acquiring the entire area in 1948.
During the 1990s, further studies confirmed that the construction was carried out according to a unified plan that defined the orientation and distribution of the interior spaces. The architectural qualities of the Villa and its location make it a small jewel of Garda.
The name Grotte di Catullo (Grotte of Catullus) in reference to the Villa dates back to the 15th century, a period in which the lyrics of the Latin poet Catullus were rediscovered. Among these, Carme 31 describes the poet’s return to his beloved home in Sirmione, which led to the ruins being associated with Catullus. At that time, the remains were visible, although almost all buried and covered by vegetation, which is why the Villa was called Grotte.
The first to attribute the Villa to Catullus was the scholar Marin Sanudo the Younger, in 1483. Today, it is considered highly unlikely that the Villa belonged to Catullus, as it must have been built after his death. The previous structure, dating from the 1st century BC, could, however, have belonged to the poet.
Since 2012, the olive harvest has resumed in the Villa’s historic olive grove, from which the Grotte di Catullo extra virgin olive oil is produced. This is possible thanks to the collaboration of UNAPROL and the Interprovincial Association of Lombardy Olive Producers (AIPOL), and funding from the European Union and Italy. The entire archaeological area currently boasts approximately 1,500 olive trees, some centuries old, belonging to three different Garda varieties: Casaliva, Leccino, and Gargnà.
