Lake Iseo, a place where nature and culture blend
Bike Hotels1
Routes5
SeasonMar-OctLake Iseo is a little paradise located between the province of Bergamo and Brescia. Surrounded by an indisputable charm, you will be spellbound by the old villages and splendid piazzas. A place where nature and culture blend harmoniously.
A small interesting fact, do you know which is the…
Lake Iseo is a little paradise located between the province of Bergamo and Brescia. Surrounded by an indisputable charm, you will be spellbound by the old villages and splendid piazzas. A place where nature and culture blend harmoniously.
A small interesting fact, do you know which is the largest natural lake island in Italy and also the highest in Europe? Monte Isola.
There are so many routes which will allow you to admire this wonderful territory: cycling around the lake to the challenging Presolana pass on a racing bike; as well as the Bossico Plateau and the Conca della Presolana on fat bikes.
Food
Fish
The pride and joy of this area is fish, you can find many different species in the lake including “Tinca” (Tench), which is also celebrated at the summer festival. The most famous dish is baked tench with polenta stuffed with breadcrumbs, cheese and spices.
Casoncelli
The Casoncelli or Cazonei as they are called in Brescia are very popular in the whole of Lombardy, but every area has its own ingredients. As always they are eaten on special occasions, they are a type of ravioli with a meat-based filling, breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic, cooked and served hot, seasoned with parmesan cheese, melted butter and sage.
From cured meats to cheeses
One of the most prestigious salami meats is Monte Isola. Rustic cooking still exists here allowing us to savour this delicious delicacy. Instead during the winter period, cotechino and spiedo Bresciano (spit) must be on the table. There are many mountain dairy huts and farms in the mountains where they produce cheese including Silter PDO, Salva, Casolet, Formaggella just to mention a few.
Wine
The whole meal can be accompanied by the excellent Franciacorta D.O.C.G., the most popular sparkling wine. But not only is this wine produced, in fact, there are also excellent red wines such as Rosso Bronzone and Valcalepio Rosso DOC.
History & Culture
It is said that the inventor and artist Leonardo Da Vinci stayed on Lake Iseo in the sixteenth century, and some art critics believe that the background of the Mona Lisa resembles the lake’s mountains, precisely, the three crests of the Corna dei Trentapassi.
For those who love art there is the Tadini Academy in Lovere, where the undisputed protagonists are the works of Canova.
