"Gargnano: an ideal location on Lago di... " a Gargnano Travel Page by nvm25

Garda Lake is the largest in the Italian lake district and is also considered to be the most beautiful. Of all the places I've been to in Italy, the scenary here can only be compared to that in the villages of Cinque Terre, but Gargnano is much less crowded even in the high season. Garda is shaped as a baby aubergine and Gargnano is situated where the lake starts to narrow. Add to this the dramatic Dolomiti mountains pending on its banks, and you get a full equivalent of the best celebrated Norwegian fjords. Except for the fact that the water here is much warmer than in Norway (and in the poshy Lake Como as well), which makes it suitable for swimming

Winston Churchill painted it, D.H.Lawrence wrote about it - the beautiful village of Gargnano has seen many artists and statesmen. If that is not advertising enough, Mussolini chose to have his residence and office in this seemingly remote yet perfectly accesible village. Dictators have the powers to grab the best for themselves... In the picture you see Palazzo Feltrinelli (Via Castello, 3 -- Tel. 0365 72693). This splendid mansion with marble staircase and terrases opening to the lake was built in 1894 and served as Ufficio Mussolini from 1943 to 1945. Now it belongs to the University of Milan and is used for conferences, special receptions and summer language courses. So if you happen to be in Gargnano in July and August you'll probably find it open. Anyway, ring the doorbell, and the friendly caretaker may let you in and show you the place

In fact almost every house in an Italian village is called "palazzo", and in Gargnano a lot of them now house quite affordable hotels (see http://www.rivieradeilimoni.it/en/paesi/gargnano/gargnano.php)
My palazzo was an old charming block of flats also belonging to the University of Milan with some splendid views of the port, as well as pleasant noises and smells of a tiny fishing village: tickling of water in the fontain at the fish market, shouting of the fishermen as they load off the fish early in the morning, village people greeting each other as they go in the small deli shops and cafes, bells of the church up the serpentine road... A mile up north along the main road is a public park with the stony beach. And from the Gargnano port one can take the ferry boat to other villages and towns on Garda, like the famous Sirmione and Desenzano (for the routes and timetables see http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/italia/navigarda/indicegarda.htm)