Lake Garda

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is near the Dolomites and said to be scenic, but the weather when I was there, while sunny, was so hazy that the mountains were not visible, much to my disappointment.
There are numerous towns and villages around the lake. In my short visit, I had time to see only a few. These are pictures from the lake and in the villages.
Of particular interest to me are the last 2 pictures. These are in the Church of San Zeno in Bardolino. This is a Carolingian church, dating to the 8th or 9th century. There are only about 3 buildings of this era in all of Italy. The fragments of frescos are original. There is something special about such an old, small church that I don't usually sense in the large, monumental churches, even if they're older. I'm not sure how to describe it: maybe intimacy, warmth, even a sense of being embraced. Whatever it is or how it might be described, it is most assuredly holy.Read more