Lazise

LAZISE, towards the lower part of the lake, is a fortified village dating right back to the Middle Ages and dominated by the Castle, originally built in the 9th century, extended by the Della Scala family and subsequently restructured and restored.

The village, enclosed within the mediaeval walls with their six towers, boasts a refined, Venetian-like atmosphere, with the focal point remaining the spacious square looking onto the river port.

Just beyond the square is the Customs House; when the Republic of Venice held sway in the area, goods would arrive here to be sorted and then sent to the municipalities on the eastern coast.

 
Today, visitors can still see fishing boats moored in the port of the village, testifying to the predominant role fishing once played here.
 

The name derives from the Latin lacus (lake), and it is one of the oldest of the towns and villages in the area.

The distinctive character and ambitious nature of Lazise was evident as far back as 983 A.D., when the Holy Roman Emperor Otto II accorded it the title of first Free Municipality of Italy.

The original port and the Customs House already appeared on maps of the area as early as the 10th century, indicating that it was already a thriving village at the time. The most important building in Lazise, however, is the striking Castle, together with the walls that circle the historic centre and were built to protect it from enemy raids during the late Middle Ages.

Over the years, the village’s main activity has shifted from fishing to tourism, making Lazise a popular destination for painters such as Gustav Klimt, as well as tourists from all over Europe, especially Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

The two neighbourhoods of Colà and Pacengo offer visitors the opportunity to combine the attractions of the lake with those of the surrounding countryside and farmland.