TUESDAY MARKET

Every Tuesday, in Desenzano del Garda’s Piazza Malvezzi, there is a local market. This tradition has remained in place for a great many years – only the products on sale have changed!

At one time, the market would have been buzzing with boatmen trying to sell their catches, porters laden with boxes, Swiss merchants – sporting their cylindrical hats and stiffeliuses (the long, fitted coats that were very much in vogue in the late 19th and early 20th centuries) – and peasants with their just-harvested produce wrapped under their black cloaks, all weaving their way between the many stalls.

These days, though such characters are no longer to be found there, the market remains as interesting and charming as ever. Often visited by tourists, it is also frequented by most of the locals, since the Tuesday market is a true temple of shopping – a multicoloured, highly perfumed bazaar where you can immerse yourself in the search for something in particular or for just the right souvenir to take home. With stall full of the latest designer clothes from Versace and Armani, as well as an array of local products and homewares, the market in Desenzano del Garda is an unmissable – and highly entertaining – part of the life of the town.

ANTIQUES MARKET 

The antiques market is held on the first Sunday of each month (excluding August) in Piazza Malvezzi. This renowned market turns Desenzano del Garda into an open-air furniture store. The wide range of pieces on offer, dating from the 15th to the 20th centuries and including lots of precious jewellery and silverware, attracts not only interested amateurs but also numerous professional collectors on the lookout for unique pieces to add to their collections.