Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 0365 65 44 79;
www.agriturismovegher.it
;
Via Mascontina 6, Puegnago del Garda; meals €25-35; 7-10pm
Wed-Mon, noon-2.30pm Sun & public holidays; )
As you bump down the unsurfaced lanes
between vines and olive trees you may think you're lost, but don't give up. I Vegher is
worth the persistence and the long booking lead times (book at least a month in advance
for holiday weekends, otherwise about two weeks). Also, you'll want to come with a
hungry group who can do justice to the 12 to 15 delicious antipasti courses, the
homemade pasta course and the meat
secondi
. All of it is made with local produce, much
of it from the farm.
STEAKHOUSE
€€€
Ristorante Fior di Loto
( 0365 65 42 64;
www.ristorantefiordiloto.it
; Via Dei Laghi 8, Puegnago del Garda; meals €40-50; 7.30-10pm
Tue, 12.30-2pm & 7.30-10pm Wed-Sun; )
Describing Fior di Loto as a steakhouse is criminal
given the Rolls Royce selection of meat cuts aged between 25 and 40 months. Ten differ-
ent cuts of meat are displayed in the counter like finely veined pieces of marble. Take the
chef's advice when selecting and then sit back on the patio overlooking Lake Sovenigo
and wait for your succulent steak to appear.
Salò
POP 10,350
Wedged between the lake and the foothills of Monte San Bartolomeo, Salò exudes an air
of courtly grandeur, a legacy of its days as Garda's capital when the Venetian Republic
held sway over the lake. Devoid of any singular sights, Salò's lovely historic centre is
lined with fine Liberty-style buildings and small, ordinary shops and restaurants. In 1901
an earthquake levelled many of its older
palazzi
, although a few fine examples remain: the
Torre dell'Orologio (the ancient city gate), the late Gothic
duomo
with its Renaissance
facade and the grand porticoed Palazzo della Magnifica Patria.
In 1943 Salò was named the capital of the Social Republic of Italy as part of Mussolini
and Hitler's last efforts to organise Italian Fascism in the face of advancing American
forces. This episode, known as the Republic of Salò, saw more than 16 public and private
buildings in the town commandeered and turned into Mussolini's ministries and offices.
The tourist office has an English- language map and booklet featuring significant loca-
tions in town and you can also look out for multilingual plaques around town. The
Palazzo della Magnifica Patria (now the town hall) was the Interpreters' Office HQ, where
foreign dispatches were translated. Bar Italia was the Casa del Fascio, home to Mus-
