High above the shimmering waters of Lake Garda lies a remarkable protected mountain wilderness and rural community. The Comunità Montana Alto Garda Bresciano owes its dramatic position to the massive glacier that carved out the region some 15,000 years ago. Peaks of over 2,000 m rise spectacularly from the lake surface, protecting the great body of water from the brunt of winter storms and lending it a mild, semi-Mediterranean climate. Palm trees and olive groves are in evidence along the shore, as are lemon trees, which were first cultivated here in the 15th century. Above the coastal zone lies a steeply sloped forest, dominated by chestnut and beech trees except where cleared to make way for a farm or terraced village. Higher than 1,300 m the climate takes a turn toward the alpine, with tundra-like crests covered with snow or carpeted with flowers depending on the season. The rugged, limestone mountains have been strikingly carved over the centuries, much like the neighboring Dolomites, and there are many natural caves and tunnels cut through the rock.

The Alto Garda Bresciano bears a few scars underneath its seemingly ideal natural atmosphere. The lakeside town of Salò was the center of Mussolini's last-stand republic, while the rough, eerie terrain above Limone sul Garda was a theater of action during the First World War. Those exploring the region will see reminders of this troubled past, whether passing by a ruined fort, blast holes on the side of the road, or a war cemetery. The Lake Garda region witnessed uprisings and battles during the years leading up to the unification of the Italian State (1861), after which by treaty Austria held on to the Trentino and the South Tyrol regions, much to the chagrin of many Italian patriots. Great popular appeal to unite these lands with Italy plunged the new state into the fray of WWI in 1915. Fierce fighting ensued over ridiculously treacherous terrain from the mountains above Lake Garda to the Dolomites and Carnian Alps; blows were exchanged over dangerous mountain crests and even glaciers. In the end a generation was destroyed fighting for a land that should have been enjoyed peacefully.

The past continues to haunt, but thankfully the past fifty odd years have been peaceful. Wind-surfers flock to take advantage of the lake's renowned wind, as do sun seekers from northern Europe looking to relax in one of the several charming lakeside towns. Not nearly as many visitors venture into the mountain villages, however, where rustic life continues much as it has over the centuries. Visitors have boosted the economy of the Alto Garda Bresciano, as biking, hiking and fishing have become popular activities, though as in other remote regions the local youth must look elsewhere for higher education and to the cities for employment outside of agriculture or tourism.

For mountain bikers and hikers the Alto Garda Bresciano is a marvelous playground, in the heart of high mountain terrain yet rarely out of sight of vast Lake Garda. A magnificent itinerary through the Tremosine Valley is described below.