Limonaia del Castel, When Life gives You Lemons

Ahh Italy is really so different in many ways, and Gardasee is something else.It is one of my best family destination in summer and although its scorching hot in the summer–it still offers lots of wow-factor!

It´s our first time in this lake paradise and we are really loving it.One of the things that we´ve enjoyed during our stay here was taking many boat trips to beautiful coastal villages.they are super cozy, relaxing and budget-friendly.One of the places we´ve seen was Limone sur Garda.

We were excited to be on the boat to start our village -hopping so an early start is always the best. So right after breakfast, we made a walk through the lake´s promenade of Riva del Garda to the Centro where the boat station is located.Admiring the views and having the mountains as our backdrop,we reached the center on time and got our tickets.We ´ve decided to take a sit outside of the boat to enjoy the magnificent views of the lake but it turns out that our plan was spoiled. The family that sits behind us was talking so loudly, non-stop and really bothersome.Normally I am very patient with stuff like that but it is just too much.

I wonder actually what they are saying since its a foreign language that I don´t recognize.Anyway, i pushed myself to focus on the lake views and taking photos while my daughter counts the boats that passes by.When we reached Limone, we were greeted with idyllic surroundings–with crowds of tourists already waiting on the dock to hop on as well to the boat.

I´ve read that Limone is quite famous destination.It´s time for me to find out.We started walking through the narrow streets and began to explore.Of course, the main attraction here is Lemons.There are sure plenty of lemons here, and oranges and other citrus fruits as well as really fine virgin olive oil.Well, that´s exactly this region known for.

This place lies on the western side of the lake, for me personally,Limone is really stuning. It has mediterranean feels,lots of beautiful plants and flowers, blooming endlessly, breathtaking landscapes and the ambiance is just so relaxing. Sitting on the promenade while watching the waves while eating Gelato is already a bliss.

We made our way following the lemon tiles on the ground and began walking uphill to see Lemonaia del Castel which lies directly facing the lake with its unique location.It is an example of a very illustrious past–growing citrus since 1700!This is this village heritage since this is something unique in this region of Limone and Gargnano.

I myself have a lemon plant at home. Yearly it rewards me with 6-10 pcs of lemons and for me that is already amazing.In this Lemon grove and Orangery,they had different kinds of lemon varieties and citrus, including grapefruits, oranges and olives.I didn´t know that there are so many other varieties! I only know our local Kalamansi that we grow in the Philippines.The scent and dedicated labour in this place is such an inviting way to propagate something stable like lemons.

There´s lemons everywhere! In 1995, the loal council bought the Limonaia del Castel with the view to promote this heretage.The lemon grove haus was renovated and put back to use by planting over 100 citrus plants, reconstructing the ledges and improving the irrigation system, as well as rebuilding the tool shed. It is a nice tour going up and seeing all these lamon plants plus having a great view of the Garda lake.A unique experience for a change.

A curious fact, the name Limone (lit. lemon) does not derive from the cultivation, but from the Latin limen, or border, this was in fact the city on the border with the territory of Trento. It is by pure coincidence that, centuries later, lemons have become one of the main businesses of the area. So actually, a city known for its major produce!I love the fact that it is lemons and not Gelato.

Lemons are quite staple at home. I always love a glass of warm lemonade with ginger and I just love its potent taste. Imagine the world without lemons….!

There has been so much going on in Limone during our visit and for sure, lemons are always in sight. The souvenir shops says it all and even in restaurants, the plates they are using are painted with lemons.This place is very relaxing and not overwhelming to explore. There are many small nooks where you can find a quiet place to enjoy some peace after being swamped with tourists and busy cars.

I love the fact that this place is very accessible. Exploring Lake Garda may take few days and you might not see all the pretty places because really–the size of the lake is enormous.Doing it by boat is more appealing since driving along coast is always tedious and lots of traffic especially in summer months.Seeing it in August is already nice but with less crowds then it would really be perfect!