DEVELOPMENT OF GARDONE RIVIERA
Gardone is the most popular tourist destination and first in the chronological order amongst the spa resort towns of the Lake Garda area. The town was established at the end of the 19th century through the initiative of an Austrian engineer Luigi Wimmer, who, fascinated by the place and its extraordinary mild climate (including winter time), decided to make it home together with his wife Emily in 1874.
Image: Domenica del Corriere 1964, congedatifolgore.com
At the turn of the centuries Garda and Riviera Salodian took on a whole new meaning: through the initiative of renowned German and Austrian doctors, multiple large hotel resorts were erected including Grand Hotel Gardone, Grand Hotel Fasano, Savoy Palace and Case di Cura, all equipped with state of the art furnishings and appliances. At the same time, several high-end villas were build to cater for the exclusive tastes of the European clientele. Amongst many others, Villa del Sogno (currently Hotel Villa Alba) and Villa Simonini (currently Hotel Laurin) are certainly worth mentioning. The local climate proved to be perfect for those suffering from respiratory conditions and those seeking rest and relaxation. Thanks to all these favourable conditions, the area became one of the most popular spa destinations in Europe.