The name for the village comes from the Latin word “Limen”, which means border. Surrounded by mountains and water the economy was traditionally based on fishing, olives and lemons. Then in 1932 the Gardesana Occidentale was completed and at last isolation came to the end.
After the world wars tourism started. The inhabitants started to transform the little fishing village into a tourist resort, which is now one of the most important ones at Lake Garda.
Limone became famous in 1979 when the APOLIPOPROTEIN A-1 MILANO was discovered. This protein, which is in the blood of the people born in Limone, quickly removes the fat from the arteries. This protein is efficacious against arteriosclerosis and infarct.
Limone is the Italian word for ‘lemon’ and this shore of Lake Garda was once renowned for growing lemons and other citrus fruits. Limone’s name, however, is no more than a happy chance, since it is said to be much older than the lemon groves, and to derive from a Latin word meaning ‘boundary’. The town is still close to a boundary: between Italian regions. Lake Garda is shared by three Italian regions; Limone is part of the province of Brescia, in the Lombardy region. It is known as Limone sul Garda, to distinguish it from another Limone (in Piemonte).
Parts of the 2008 James Bond movie Quantum of Solace were filmed around Limone, although the shoot was dogged by bad luck and talk of a ‘curse’. Scenes include a car chase along the lakeside road, the Via Gardesana
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We used to see them only when visiting California, but the California-grown ones (and some from Mexico) are now available regularly in New York, too.
Only to be found in the Mediterranean are the delicious Meyer Lemons. A cross with lemon and a mandarin orange. A sweet and juicy – less acidic fruit. Colour of a lemon and shape of an orange. Wish they were available when I get home to the UK . Delicious !
I used to have a Meyer Lemon tree in my yard when I lived in California. It was a dwarf tree, no more than 1.5 meters tall, but it produced more than 300 lemons each year, more than we could consume. I miss that tree!
“Only to be found in the Mediterranean…”Not really. Meyer lemons are native to China and have been grown in the US since 1908. I can find them just about anytime in my ordinary local supermarket in California.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meyer_lemon
In Spain they take the largest, roundest fruits. Cut off the top and scoop out the inside. Fill with Lemon flavour Ice Cream and put the top back on. Wrap in food wrap. Freeze them. Buy them in the store next to the Ice Lollies. No drip Ice Cream !!