Lake Iseo or Sebino, as it was called in the Roman times, is one of the great alpine lakes and it lies at the mouth of the Camonica Valley. On its shores stands the small town of Lovere, which has recently been appointed by the National Association of Italian Communes "one among the most beautiful small towns in Italy". Situated between two valleys, the Cavallina and the Camonica Valley, it boasts very ancient origins as you can see from medieval remains such as Torre Soca (Soca Tower) Torre Alghisi (Alghisi Tower), the fifteenth-century Church of Santa Maria, the Church of San Giorgio, the Tadini Palace rooms housing an art gallery.
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A ferry-boat service (people only) links Lovere to Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Europe, with a perimeter of 9 km and a surface of about 5 sq. km . Its south-eastern side is a steep, rocky mountain while the western one is made up of degrading cultivated terraces. On its peak, at about 600 m above sea level, there is the Madonna della Ceriola Sanctuary, from which you can enjoy the breathtaking view of nearly all the lake. The first docking point is Peschiera Maraglio, an old hamlet still mainly inhabited by fishers and net manufacturers. Everybody has its "naet", the local fishing-boat, and they let fish dry in the sun on small arches. The picturesque lanes surrounded by houses with their narrow courtyards are the distinguishing feature of this old village.
Continuing from Lovere along the coast you come across Castro; here starts the wildest and glummest side of the lake: the road bored in the rock goes ahead through tunnels and risky bends. It is a really peculiar and charming place where overhanging, vertical rocks overlook the lake and mould a horrid cliff 200 meters high called "Bogn of Zorzino". The story tells that Leonardo da Vinci often used to spend his holidays on lake Iseo and he was so charmed by Riva di Solto's horrid cliff that it became the background of the famous Monna Lisa's painting. The stretch of coast between Lovere and Riva di Solto is particularly suitable for water sports such as sailing and windsurfing.
Moving towards Riva di Solto, an old medieval village, the landscape becomes quieter and more relaxing and the vegetation is unexpectedly Mediterranean: there are holm-oaks, olive trees and cypresses. Continuing along the coast you come across Tavernola with its elegant tree-lined promenade, the marina and Fenaroli Tower, facing the lake, which was once part of a defense made to protect the old village.
The southernmost town of lake Sebino is Sarnico: here the lake narrows and flows into the river Oglio. It is a great tourist attraction with large squares looking on to the lake, with many bars and lounges welcoming tourists in search of a pleasant break, caressed by the gentle lake breeze.
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The fish-based cousine
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Thanks to their peculiar features, our lakes preserve a wide variety of fish which enriches our dishes.
In lake Iseo there is, for instance, a large amount of lake shads (Alosa Lacustris) and bleaks (Alburnus Albidus) that come to spawn in the clean waters of the northern coast during the whole month of June, before going back in deep waters for the rest of the year. In this period, on Monte Isola and on other coastal towns, the lake shads are stretched out to dry in the sun on small arches to be later preserved in oil, thus repeating every year an old tradition. This kind of fish, together with the very refined chars, whitefish, perches, and many others (tenches, pikes, chubs, lake trout, eels) are served in various appetizing ways: preserved in oil and served with polenta, soused (cooked in vinegar and onions), baked, filleted and grilled, fried or cooked with butter and herbs, stuffed, marinated... In our cooking we give free rein to our imagination, but base ingredients are always the same as our grandparents': good, natural and simple. |
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