The Garda lemon houses, an ancient and evocative beauty

A magical place where the scent of lemon leaves and the feeling of freshness and wellness welcome you.

The history of lemon cultivation on Lake Garda dates back to the 13th century, when, according to tradition, the friars of the Franciscan convent of Gargnano introduced it into the local culture. Thus it was that the farmers, boatmen and fishermen of Lake Garda became gardeners, giving rise to a real miracle: in fact, the harsh climate made it almost impossible to grow lemons from pots above the latitude of Naples. Yet the microclimate of the lake made possible the creation of the lemon houses, which were skilfully constructed taking advantage of the natural shelter of rocks and cypresses. The lemons were in fact cultivated on several levels with the help of pillars and terraces, protected on three sides and constantly exposed to the sun coming from the south-east. During the winter, sheets of wood and glass were used to protect them from frost. Many lemon houses were abandoned during the 1800s, after the unification of Italy and the abolition of customs duties, but some are still active and can be visited. There are three in Limone del Garda, the locality mentioned by Goethe, three in Gargnano and one in Tignale, the 'Pra de la Fam' lemon house, restored by the Comunità Montana dell'Alto Garda in the mid-1980s.