Calvagese della Riviera

Located on a hilltop formed by moraines, to the left of the Chiese river, the area of Calvagese della Riviera consists of three little towns: Calvagese, Carzago and Mocasina.

The town is thought to have grown after the land was taken over as a fiefdom by the Benedictine abbey of Leno in 1196, and stands on what was originally a Roman and Celtic settlement.

When the village fell under Venetian control in 1428, it followed the fates of the Serenissima until the end of the 18th century.

Until the Second World War, the winegrowing industry was accompanied by the production of mulberries, which are needed to breed silkworms. But today, the local economy is supported by the plentiful production of vegetables and grains. Poultry farming, metalworking and clothing are the other mainstays of the local economy.

An area known for its production of Garda classico DOC, Calvagese della Riviera is also famous for cultivating the native grape varietal “Groppello di Mocasina”, as well as Riesling and Chiaretto.

Must-see sights include the remains of the 15th-century castle, the parish church of St Peter - a Baroque remodeling of a pre-existing church, as evidenced by the traces of 16th-century frescoes, and the 18th-century parish church of St Laurence.