Hello dear Pinmapple travel enthusiasts,
I've finally managed to find some time to write this post and share with you my recent visit. Those of you who may have read my posts in the past know well that a place I absolutely adore is Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake. I love it because of its beautiful romantic views and its rich history.
Last week, a dear friend of mine who was visiting from Venice wanted to see the Vittoriale degli Italiani. I'm not sure if you're already familiar with this place, although it seems to be famous worldwide from a tourist perspective. Essentially, it's the house museum of the renowned Italian writer Gabriele D'Annunzio, and this museum complex is located in the municipality of Gardone Riviera, in the Brescia part of Lake Garda.
It was the residence of the Italian poet and writer from 1922 until his death in 1938, and the poet's idea was to leave a monument to Italy and the Italians. I had visited this place several times before, and it's often included in school trips because it's truly a beautiful and marvelous place.
She hadn't visited it before, so I wanted to be her guide, even though we didn't actually tour the house inside. The price was quite high, and you had to book well in advance. I honestly didn't expect such a large crowd, especially on weekdays. As you can see in the photos, there were several students on a field trip. Gabriele D'Annunzio was a significant figure in Italian literature and music, although, to tell the truth, he was a rather eccentric character. In the photos I'm sharing, you can see that inside the theater, he hung his airplane from the ceiling, the one he used to fly over Vienna. This was during World War I, and there was a conflict between the Austro-Hungarian forces. He flew this almost paper-mache-like airplane on that daring mission.
In his garden, you can also visit the mausoleum he had built for himself and his friends, where they are all buried now. You can understand his love for dogs from the sculptures present in the garden; there's even a cemetery for his dogs inside.
He had a ship, one of his favorite ships, embedded in his garden. We must remember that Gabriele D'Annunzio was a military figure, and we can't exactly call him an Italian patriot.
It was a pleasure to return to these places because in this garden, you can truly appreciate the culture and sophistication of this great poet. Back in his time, he could be considered an influencer of his era—a person who wasn't necessarily attractive in appearance but who surrounded himself with many women because he could captivate with his intellect and charm, something that seems to have been lost in our times.
What also struck me was the large number of people visiting this significant museum complex on a weekday, which is heartening. My friend, who is studying architecture at the University of Venice, was quite impressed by this place, as she had long wished to visit, and I was pleased to fulfill her desire.
I bid you farewell and hope to see you in my next post! It's always a pleasure to share our experiences here and, most importantly, to read about the experiences of others in this community.
