Lake Garda Borghetto – A dream Vespa Tour

After exploring Borghetto, we headed to Ristorante Villa dei Mulini for a delicious lunch. The restaurant is located in a renovated mill building and offers a wide selection of regional specialties. It was the perfect place to relax and recharge your batteries after the exhausting scooter ride.

Our next destination was the Ossario di Custoza, a memorial to the fallen of the Battle of Custoza in 1866. It was a moving moment to stand in this historic place and remember the victims of the war.

Finally, we visited the Venciu – Azienda Agricola, where we had a wine tasting. There we could taste some of the best wines of the region.

Borghetto sul Mincio

The first stop of our scooter tour with Motoragazzi was the town of Borghetto sul Mincio, a district of Valeggio sul Mincio. Borghetto is a small, picturesque village located directly on the Mincio River. It was a special experience to stroll through the narrow streets and feel the atmosphere of the Middle Ages.

History

Borghetto sul Mincio has a long history. The first settlements were founded between the 4th millennium BC and the 1st millennium AD. Chr. founded. The area was from the end of the 10. until beginning of 11th century part of the Holy Roman Empire and in 1405 became part of the Republic of Venice. In the medieval period, dozens of mills and water wheels, some of which are still in operation today, contributed to the prosperity of the community.

The Visconti Bridge is a historical structure of fortress character, built in the 14th century to divert the waters of the Mincio River and make it difficult for the city of Mantua to access the water. However, due to technical difficulties and historical events, the plan could not be implemented. During the conflict with Venice in 1438, the bridge was used to block a Venetian access to Lake Garda (Galeas per montes). After this event, however, the bridge lost its strategic importance and deteriorated over time.

Sights

One of the most famous sights of Borghetto sul Mincio are the old mills that stand along the Mincio River. These mills were used in the past to grind grain and press oil. Today they are restored and serve as restaurants and stores.

Another highlight is the Knot of Love, a romantic bridge decorated with love locks. Couples from all over the world come here to seal their love.

In Borghetto sul Mincio there are also many craft stores where you can buy local products such as handmade soaps, ceramics and jewelry.

Highlights Borghetto sul Minico

An annual highlight in Borghetto is the tortellini festival “Festa del nodo d’amore”, which takes place on the 3rd Tuesday in June on the Visconti Bridge and gathers up to 4,000 guests at two 600 m long tables. The village is known for its excellent cuisine and restaurants that attract visitors from all over the world.

We only had a small snack (and an Aperol Spritz, of course) in Borghetto, as our next stop on the self-guided tour included a stop for lunch.

Lake Garda- Borghetto: Lunch at Ristorante Villa dei Mulini

After our first stop in Borghetto sul Mincio, the tour continued to Ristorante Villa dei Mulini for our lunch. The restaurant is located in a beautiful 16th century villa and offers a cozy atmosphere. One is in an oasis of tranquility, overlooking the Munico River.

We were greeted by a friendly waiter who handed us the menu. We opted for the menu of the day consisting of tortellini with pumpkin stuffing and beef with polenta. For dessert we had a special cake and the “obligatory” espresso. The portions were generous and the food was fresh and deliciously prepared.

We can definitely recommend Ristorante Villa dei Mulini if you are looking for good food and a cozy atmosphere. Villa dei Mullini also offers rooms, although we have not tested the accommodation ourselves, we can well imagine staying there.

Ossuary Ossario di Custoza

The next stage of our scooter tour took us to Ossario di Custoza. The Ossario is a historical building located on the Belvedere hill near Custoza and costs 3,- Euro entrance fee per person.

The monument offers a 360-degree view of the Po Valley, the Berici Hills, the Carega Group, the Lessini Mountains, Monte Baldo, Lake Garda, the Brescian Prealps and the Alps of Lombardy and Trentino Alto Adige. The view from the top of Belvedere Hill is breathtaking and offers a great view of the surrounding countryside.

The Ossuary was built to house the remains of the fallen soldiers of the Italian and Austrian armies from the two battles of Custoza (1848 and 1866), which were part of the First and Third War of Independence of the Italian Risorgimento.

It feels a bit strange to know that the ossuary is virtually an “open” grave, containing thousands of skeletons of fallen soldiers.

Overall, the visit to the Ossario di Custoza on our scooter tour was an important and moving moment. We recommend anyone who is in the area to visit this historic site and remember the sacrifices of the past.

Wine tasting at Azienda Agricola Venciu

The last stop on our tour from Lake Garda to Borghetto took us to the Venciu Winery. The Venturelli family has been producing high quality wines for many generations in an area that lies on the soft profile of the moraine hills of Lake Garda. We had booked a wine tasting in the course of the Vespa tour, we always wanted to do.

We were greeted by the boss of the house, a nice Italian woman who knew neither English nor German. But: The lady was super nice and cordial. We communicated with hands and feet and fortunately I also speak a few words of Italian. The various wines were accompanied by homemade sausage with crackers. Unfortunately, we were still full from lunch, not much fit in.

We tasted different wines and each wine had its own taste and character.

The wines were all very tasty and as the tasting went on, the communication with the owner got better and better. I wonder if it was the alcohol.

Overall, the wine tasting at Venciu – Azienda Agricola was a great stop on our scooter tour Borghetto Lake Garda. We can only recommend the winery to every wine lover.

After about 1 hour, a few glasses of wine and with Vesa scooter fully packed (we bought wine and olive oil) we headed back to Peschiera del Garda. There we filled up the tank and returned the scooter without any problems.

Lake Garda Borghetto – Conclusion

The scooter tour from Peschiera del Garda to Borghetto sul Mincio along the Mincio River is an unforgettable experience not to be missed. The tour can be started at Motoragazzi Vespa Tours, the rental station is located in the area of the ENI gas station in Peschiera. The tour can also be made with your own scooter / motorcycle and booked through DGtalguide.

The first stop of the tour is Borghetto sul Mincio, a small picturesque village on the Mincio River, known for its narrow streets, historic buildings and restored mills. There are also many craft stores here where you can buy local products such as handmade soaps, ceramics and jewelry. One of the most famous sights are the old mills along the river, which today serve as restaurants and stores. An annual highlight in Borghetto is the tortellini festival “Festa del nodo d’amore”, which takes place on the 3rd Tuesday in June and attracts up to 4,000 guests.

After Borghetto, continue to the Ristorante Villa dei Mulini, housed in a beautiful 16th century villa, offering regional specialties.

The next stage leads to the Ossario di Custoza, a memorial to the fallen of the Battle of Custoza in 1866. The Ossario offers 360-degree views of the Po Valley and the surrounding countryside. An important and moving moment on the tour.

The last stop is the Venciu Winery, where you can do a wine tasting and taste high quality wines. Overall, the tour was an unforgettable experience full of adventure and discovery.

It was our second Vespa tour with Motoragazzi and we can absolutely recommend this experience as well. You can also do the self-guided tour with your own vehicle, but we definitely recommend a two-wheeled vehicle. With a Vespa you can enjoy the Italian flair especially. The tour can be found on the DGtalguide portal under “Selfie Tour”.

FAQ – Lake Garda Borghetto Vespa Tour