Salò Beaches Improvement Projects and Lake Shore Revitalization

Sand is spread on the beaches of Salò, and new spaces are being considered to host swimmers. Garda has been declared once again this year as the cleanest lake in Europe, but after optimally resolving the “bacteriological situation” of the water, it cannot be said that the town of Salò is renowned for the beauty of its beaches, which, unfortunately, are few due to space constraints and terrain conformation, and are often neglected and poorly maintained.

Interventions and Projects for Salò’s Beaches

Following the lake-level rise last November, which further worsened the condition of the Garda shoreline, the Salò administration has initiated a series of interventions along the gulf, some already planned, others still to be specifically designed. “The lines of intervention,” explains the Public Works Councillor, Bernardo Berardinelli, “are twofold: on one hand, we have tried to review and restore what exists, making improvements and repairing damage caused by bad weather, and on the other hand, to envision new spaces, for which we are awaiting permits both for creation and for their maintenance and safeguarding.” Indeed, there are not many locations suitable for creating new beaches in Salò.

Therefore, it’s considered to create connections or enlarge intermediate spaces between existing beaches, preparing some cliffs and expanding currently limited shores (see those near piazza Carmine or at Barbarano). All of this, of course, requires detailed plans and authorization from the Magistrate of the Po, the State Property Office (Demanio), and the Civil Engineering Department, given the delicacy of the lake ecosystem.

Regarding the existing beaches, the repair interventions already had the necessary permits and were started recently, with completion expected by early June. Work began at the Tavine beach, opposite the cemetery (the “Mulino” beach, to be clear), covering the gravelly bottom with a layer of sand that reaches just over a meter from the water, and preparing the land for a possible future expansion. The same applies to the “Rivette” beaches in Barbarano, where the gravel bottom will be restored and topped with sand.

The same sand leveling intervention (hoping that the lake does not wash it away once work is completed) will also affect the beaches at Rive: the “Battani” beach, near the Nautical Club, behind the Sirena restaurant, and the shoreline of the post office square. All of these, with an estimated expense of around one hundred million euros, will be ready by the start of the high season for Garda’s bathing season.

Silvia Musesti