Lake Garda town boast centuries of paper-production

Sitting on the edge of Italy’s largest lake, the town of Toscolano Maderno combines a charming atmosphere with a Mediterranean-like climate. However, inhabitants do more than just soak in the sun on the shores of Lake Garda. In fact, the city has been one of Italy’s top paper-producing towns for the past seven centuries!

Before the Etruscans and Romans built villages here, the area had been populated since prehistoric times, thanks to the extremely fertile soil and temperate climate. The towns of Toscolano and Maderno were originally separated, but eventually grew to become one big urban center.

The presence of a small creek flowing from the hills behind the town had a huge impact in the 14th and 15th centuries, when paper mills started sprouting up across Europe. Toscolano and Maderno became the most important paper-production centers for the Republic of Venice, and by the 16th century the towns’ high-quality paper was in high-demand throughout Europe’s capitals.

By 1608, at least 160 paper mills were churning out products on a daily basis. Shortly after, however, the spread of the plague decimated the industry, with large swaths of the labor force wiped out by the disease. The mills never fully recovered from the blow, although a few big companies keep the tradition alive to this day, employing almost five percent of the local population. A must-see visit to the local paper museum reveals the historical importance of this sector.

Nowadays, Toscolano Maderno is a small but growing town of 7,500 inhabitants, focusing most of its energy on tourism. Groves of lemon trees are spread throughout the territory, sharing the landscape with olive groves and vineyards. Visitors from all over the world come to enjoy the spectacular view of the lake and the surrounding mountains, sipping on a flute of sparkling Garda DOC wine and nibbling on a dish of juicy local olives.

The article above appears in the July 2025 issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture.

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