Big Benches on Lake Garda
Stunning views and unique tours: at the discovery of Lake Garda's Big Benches
Are you looking for a real but different attraction with a view of Italy's largest lake? Let’s find out together where Garda’s most beautiful panoramic benches are hidden.
Among these there are some that are even more special: have you ever heard of the Giant Benches or Big Benches? Colourful and out-of-scale, these benches provide a moment of fun and entertainment for those who visit them, bringing out the Peter Pan that is hidden in all of us.
After all, as he said: “To live will be an awfully big adventure”. So, ready to go on this one?
Big Benches: what are they exactly?
Created by Chris Bangle, an American designer who moved to the municipality of Clavesana, in Piedmont, in 2009, these installations are part of the nonprofit BBCP (Big Bench Community Project), which aims to support the area and tourism in local communities. The initiative started in Bangle's home region and later spread first to Italy and then throughout Europe.
To be considered Big Benches, these out-of-scale installations must meet specific requirements set by the BBCP. Firstly, they must be constructed in a panoramic location. Secondly, there can’t be any orientation signs to help reach them, allowing visitors to discover the most hidden sides of the area – like treasure in a hunt.
In the immediate vicinity of these gigantic pieces of furniture there must be specific businesses where all the tourists or visitors looking for the Big Benches can purchase a special passport, in which they can have a unique stamp applied for each installation visited.
To date, there are nearly 300 Big Benches to visit throughout Europe, a number that is steadily growing.
The Big Bench in San Felice
The first Big Bench on Lake Garda was installed in 2020 in San Felice del Benaco, a small town on the Brescia shore. This Big Bench is number 101. Sitting on such gigantic construction surrounded by nature will allow you to almost feel like a child again – which is, in fact, the main purpose of this great and fascinating project.
The Bench in San Felice del Benaco is housed in the park of Palazzo Cominelli. It has a personalised stamp that can be issued by Hotel San Filis in San Felice or Cantina Marsadri in Puegnago.
How can I reach the Big Bench in San Felice?
You can get to the yellow Big Bench by reaching Cisano, a very small town that is part of the municipality San Felice del Benaco. In Cisano you will find a small church – that is also open to the public – and, right next to it, a beautiful free parking area surrounded by olive trees.
Just behind the parking area is Palazzo Cominelli. And this is where the search gets a little more complicated. The Big Bench number 101 is, in fact, in a free space within the unfenced park of the palace. To find it you will have to walk through the olive groves and follow a path until you see some yellow ribbons hanging from the trees, a sign that you are getting closer. Walk a few hundred metres into the forest and you will finally be able to admire the bench in all its magnificence!
The view from the giant bench is breathtaking, while the Gulf of Salò and the colours of the surrounding nature evoke tranquillity and peacefulness.
The Big Bench in Muscoline
The Big Bench in the municipality of Muscoline, identified by number 118, is located among the vineyards of agritourism La Guarda, in an enviable position overlooking Valtenesi area and Lake Garda. An enchanted place, surrounded by cypress forests, olive trees and vineyards, where life seems to proceed at a slower pace.
The colour of this bench is nothing but random: pink was, in fact, chosen to remind of Chiaretto, the famous wine produced in the Valtenesi region. Climbing to the top of the bench is facilitated by an original ladder in the same colour.
The bench is freely accessible and is located about 100 metres from the agritourism, where passports and stamps can be found. Alternatively, you can also go to the grocery shop Lauro Osvaldo e Cesare, located near the neighbouring church.
How can I reach the Big Bench in Muscoline?
The Bench in Muscoline is easy to reach: take Desenzano exit on the A4 motorway, then go to "Via Belvedere 27, Muscoline" or, using your navigator, look for "Panchina Gigante 118". You will then arrive at a large field used as a parking area, where you can leave your car and reach the Big Bench in less than five minutes by foot, slightly uphill. The whole setting is suggestive: from the giant heart to the small tree for dedications, to the crayons that give a touch of originality to the vines.
Keep exploring the area
The Giant Bench in Muscoline is certainly worth the trip, but the visit time is very short (about 20 minutes, including time for photos).
What to do to spend the rest of the day? The solution is simple. The Big Bench in Muscoline is, in fact, very close to one of the most beautiful places in Italy, the magnificent Lake Garda. Finding something interesting nearby is therefore not that difficult.
One option could be, for example, a suggestive hike to the magnificent castle Rocca di Manerba, followed by the visit of the Bench and, at the end of the day, an aperitif on the lakeside.
The Rocca, in fact, being only a ten-minute drive from the bench, is certainly the best way to crown a day full of emotions.
The Big Bench in Tignale
Our journey goes on with Bench number 238, located in the municipality of Tignale, more precisely in the square right in front of the Sanctuary of Montecastello. It goes without saying that the view from there is stunning and that Lake Garda reveals itself in all its nuances.
This panoramic bench combines the green of the olive trees with the grey of the rocks used to carve the dry-stone walls that make up the surrounding landscape. At the same time, the grey represents the rocks that drop steeply down to the lake and the various caves that were built during the war to defend the area. In short, it is a place that has a lot to tell, as history merges with nature and emotions.
Passports and stamps can be acquired at Bar Panorama, Fil Bar Negozio Lilly 2.0 and Bar Ricordi Montecastello Eremo.
How can I reach the Big Bench in Tignale?
To reach the bench you will need to follow the signs to the Sanctuary of Montecastello, a peaceful place surrounded by brilliant-green olive trees. The Big Bench is located right next to the car park in front of the sanctuary. Here is also the starting point of a beautiful panoramic path over Lake Garda, an ideal stage to keep the adventure going after visiting the bench.
The Big Bench in Sona
Built in 2023, Big Bench number 286 is located in the municipality of Sona, in the province of Verona. The bench is yellow and blue and has been placed on the morainic hill adjacent to agritourism Antica Dimora del Turco in the hamlet of San Giorgio in Salici. The panoramic view is spectacular: you can see Monte Baldo to the east, Custoza and its Ossuary to the south and Lake Garda to the north.
The passport and stamp for Big Bench number 286 can be found at the agritourism Antica Dimora del Turco.
Where to find more giant benches around Verona? There used to be a red one on top of the Piccolo Stelvio, which could be reached via a path from the church in the hamlet of Santa Maria in Stelle. Unfortunately, this bench is no longer accessible to the public.
To date, there are therefore four Giant Benches in the Lake Garda area. Who knows if more will be installed in the future... we hope so and, in case of news, we will update this story!
Before we leave you, one last tip: to get your stamp on the special passport, always check the official website of the Big Bench Community Project for the list of participating businesses and their locations. They can be shops, restaurants, tourist offices and the like, but beware: they are subject to change and the BBCP's is the only site that is always up to date.
Would you like to discover other attractions and beautiful sites on Lake Garda? Take a look here: What to see in 3 days on Lake Garda