Borghetto sul Mincio: What to See and How to Combine It with a Lake Garda Boat Trip
July 30, 2026
A table more than one kilometre long
The Festa del Nodo d’Amore is one of Valeggio sul Mincio’s best-known food events. In its traditional format, thousands of guests dine on the Visconti Bridge with Borghetto as a backdrop. The long communal table, tortellini served as the symbolic dish and the medieval setting create a scene that could never be mistaken for an ordinary village festival.
The event is traditionally held in June, often on the third Tuesday, but dates and arrangements can change. Before planning your trip, it is therefore essential to check the event’s official channels and confirm that the relevant edition is taking place.
Why is it called the Love Knot?
Valeggio tortellini are linked to the legend of Captain Malco and the nymph Silvia. According to the story, the two lovers left behind a knotted silk handkerchief as a symbol. The thin pasta, closed like a tiny knot, recalls that promise.
The event’s power comes from the union of food and story. You are not simply attending a dinner: you are entering a collective ritual that makes the identity of the area visible. This meaning turns a dish into a memory and the long table into an occasion that people look forward to for months.
How to attend and where to buy tickets
Admission to the dinner normally requires a paid ticket and advance booking. Tickets are distributed through participating restaurants and the channels specified by the organisers. Demand is high, so waiting until the final days may mean finding no availability.
Avoid unverified intermediaries and always check the conditions, menu, admission time and parking information. In the event of bad weather or organisational issues, changes or cancellation may be announced: keep the official contacts and check for updates before travelling.
What to see before dinner
Arriving early gives you time to walk through Borghetto, see the old mills and the river, climb towards Valeggio or visit Parco Giardino Sigurtà. The area can, however, become extremely crowded on the day of the festival. It is better not to pack too many activities into the hours immediately before admission.
A more relaxing solution is to devote the event day to the Mincio area and visit Lake Garda on the previous or following day. This allows each experience to retain its own pace.
DISCOVER LAKE GARDA FROM THE WATER Browse the available Navicharters tours and book online.
From the Love Knot to a Lake Garda sunset
Valeggio and Peschiera del Garda are close enough to include in the same stay. A sunset boat tour adds a second emotionally powerful moment: first the communal dinner on the bridge, then the changing light over the lake. Both experiences are linked by water and conviviality, but express them in very different ways.
For a couple, this can become a complete romantic itinerary. For a group of friends, it is a way to alternate food and scenery. For a family, it offers the chance to tell children a legend and then show them Lake Garda from a boat.
The most important rule: book early
The Festa del Nodo d’Amore is not an event to improvise. Tickets, restaurants and accommodation may sell out well in advance. The same is true of the most popular boat-tour times during the high season.
Securing the main experiences early reduces uncertainty and leaves room for the pleasure of anticipation. When you arrive in Valeggio, you will no longer need to wonder what is still available: you can simply live the story you chose.
