Lake Iseo and the Islands

Lake Iseo – Panorama

Lake Iseo (Sebino), the seventh largest lake in Italy by surface area, is a lake too big to be just a mountain lake and too small to break into the big tourist business. But for those who know how to look beyond postcards, there are many reasons to fall in love with it. “A comma of blue in the green, nestled between plains and hills,” as a poet might say…

The perimeter is sixty kilometers in total, with the opposite shore always in sight because the average width is about two and a half kilometers. It lies at 185 meters above sea level and reaches a maximum depth of 251 meters. Surrounding it is the countryside of the lower lake area, and moving northward, the measured shapes of hills and then the first Pre-Alps complete the splendid landscape between the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia, with tributaries such as the Oglio and Borlezza rivers, and its outlet, the Oglio.

It is clear from numerous remains of stilt houses in Sarnico, a wonderful location on the southern shore of Lake Iseo, that the area was inhabited since prehistoric times. Later came the Etruscans, who moved northward settling near the valleys, such as the Camonica Valley, home of the Camuni people whose activity is documented from the Bronze Age to the Roman era through rock engravings on smoothed slabs carved by glaciers, with Capo di Ponte as the main witness site. The Roman Empire, its decline and fall, the barbarian invasions, and the successive dominations followed. Even Frederick Barbarossa reached the Camonica Valley in 1161, plundering and setting fire to Iseo.

Today, Lake Iseo has a solid economy based on tourism, with the best season being summer, stretching from May to September. During this period, the lake and its people come alive with numerous activities and events that accompany their magnificent hospitality, including sailing regattas, scuba diving, concerts, dance evenings, and all kinds of welcoming events you can imagine. Various sports activities like swimming, windsurfing, fishing, scuba diving, and sailing—favored by regular winds—enliven the days along the shores of Lake Iseo.

MONTE ISOLA (or Montisola) is, as its name suggests, a mountain on an island that divides Lake Iseo in two: on one side the Brescia shore, on the other the Bergamo side. It covers a total area of 4.5 square kilometers, has a circumference of 9 km, and reaches an altitude of 600 meters. Numerous small villages define its typical character. Everywhere you find stone houses, ancient portals, arcades, courtyards, and gardens. Narrow streets open paths towards the lake or climb towards the summit. A still very lively bond between land and lake characterizes the daily life, social relations, and economy of the island. From these elements originated boatbuilding in wood, the artisanal craft of fishing nets, and fish drying techniques. Activities that, born out of primary needs, today constitute Monte Isola’s uniqueness. These precious elements, along with the beauty of the landscape, environmental protection, and still alive traditions, have earned the island a place among the “Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.” We definitely recommend a pleasant hike to the Sanctuary of Madonna della Ceriola, located at the island’s summit. The sanctuary houses precious paintings inside and offers a splendid view over the entire Lake Iseo.

LORETO ISLAND is located north of Monte Isola. Now privately owned, at the end of the 15th century it belonged to the Sisters of St. Clare, who built a convent there. By 1910, a castle with a small harbor and two neo-Gothic towers was constructed by Cavalier Vincenzo Richieri, who also developed a magnificent park around it.

SAN PAOLO ISLAND is dedicated to the Apostle Paul, a navigator who many times faced and overcame storms in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1091, the Mozzi family donated it to the Cluny monastery, which established a priory there, dependent on the Bergamo monastery of St. Paul of Aragon in Val Cavallina. The Cluniac priory took over hospitality duties at this station. The island is now reportedly owned by the Beretta family (famous firearms manufacturers from the Val Trompia).