From Chanel to James Bond, from Ducati to Hyundai: Campione del Garda and the Brescian shore of Lake Garda have long been the preferred location for major international film productions and advertising campaigns. While the lake as a whole captivates directors and art directors from around the world, it is the Brescian shoreline that professionals seek out most: wild landscapes, sheer cliffs plunging into the water, timeless villages and a unique light have turned this coast into an unrivalled natural set.

Campione del Garda: the most exclusive set on the lake

Campione del Garda is the most sought-after gem of this coastline. Its vertical rock faces dropping straight into the lake, the constant wind and the quality of the Mediterranean light make it irresistible to anyone who works with images. It is no coincidence that spots and campaigns for brands such as Ducati and Hyundai have been filmed here, drawn by the location's ability to convey power, speed and elegance within a spectacular natural setting.

Among the most prestigious productions is that of Chanel Fine Jewellery, which used the village and the facilities of Univela as its operational base to shoot the international spot for its new Haute Joaillerie collection. The choice is no accident: Campione, with its exclusive atmosphere and the contrast between rock and turquoise water, offers a luxury backdrop that is virtually impossible to replicate elsewhere.

➡ Read the full story of the Chanel Alta Gioielleria spot filmed in Campione del Garda

Campione also gained international cinematic recognition through The International, the thriller directed by Tom Tykwer: a tunnel carved into the rock serves as the setting for one of the film's most intense scenes, proving that these cliffs can be as dramatically powerful as they are visually stunning.

Tremosine and the Strada della Forra: adrenaline between the rocks

A few kilometres north of Campione, Tremosine sul Garda offers another ace in the hand of the Brescian shore. The Strada della Forra, which winds between sheer rock faces through tight hairpin bends and hand-carved tunnels, has attracted productions of global reach. The car chase sequences from 007 – Quantum of Solace, filmed along the Gardesana Occidentale, made these roads instantly recognisable worldwide. Limone sul Garda, with its historic centre sitting directly on the water, also features in some of these productions.

Gardone Riviera and the magic of the Vittoriale

Further south along the Brescian shoreline, Gardone Riviera offers a different but equally cinematic setting. The Vittoriale degli Italiani — the monumental complex that was once the residence of Gabriele D'Annunzio, with its Regia Nave Puglia embedded among the trees and its solemn gardens — was chosen as the backdrop for Il cattivo poeta (starring Sergio Castellitto, directed by Gianluca Jodice) and for Leonardo Pieraccioni's comedy Ti amo in tutte le lingue del mondo.

Beyond the Brescian shore: a lake that inspires cinema

Sirmione, with its Scaligero Castle and the Grotte di Catullo, has inspired romantic productions such as Letters to Juliet, Love in the Villa and Luca Guadagnino's acclaimed Call Me by Your Name. At the northern tip of the lake, Riva del Garda has a cinematic tradition stretching back to the 1970s, reconfirmed in 2015 by Gianni Zanasi's La felicità è un sistema complesso with Valerio Mastandrea. The eastern shore road, with Malcesine, also served as a backdrop for sequences from 007 – Quantum of Solace.

For a complete overview of all James Bond filming locations on Lake Garda: Bond Locations — Lake Garda