Clusane is a small village of 2,000 inhabitants along the south part of Lake Iseo, in Iseo municipality. It is a village of Franciacorta, a region well known for its wine, especially red and sparkling wine: around the village you can see many vineyards and if you came on late August/September you'll see the grape harvest (and if you want, you can contact a wine producer to take part in the harvest).

Understand

Clusane - panorama

Clusane has been a fishing village since the 18th century. Its countryside is cultivated with cereals, vineyards, mulberries, olive trees and fruit trees .

The eastern and northern slopes of Monte Alto are rich in woods, olive groves, and meadows.

Clusane is also known as "the village of the roasted tench" (in Italian: paese della Tinca al Forno) because of its famous dish: the roasted tench (a variety of fish from the lake).

History

The village was founded during the Bronze Age as many ruins of old palafittes can confirm. During the Roman Age a bath was built, and you can see some ruins of this in the eastern part of the lakefront (Lungolago Capponi).

In the early Middle Ages, two monks who belonged to the family of Cluniac monks, were sent to Clusane and founded a priory there. The monks led the land reclamation works, to drain the predominantly marshy land, and they built some agricultural organizations.

In the Cluniac monastery (now Castello Carmagnola), the historic centre of Clusane was formed. The old church, which has now been deconsecrated, has become a small theatre.

Get in

By plane

The nearest airport is:

• 1 Bergamo-Orio al Serio international airport (Il Caravaggio international Airport), Via Aeroporto 13, Orio al Serio (from Orio al Serio you have to take a coach (autostradale) to Brescia and then the train or a bus to Iseo), ☏ +39 035-326323. 

By bus

Clusane's main bus station is in Via Risorgimento. Lines passing by Clusane are:

• "LS002" (Sarnico-Iseo);
• "LS003" (Iseo-Palazzolo sull'Oglio-Chiari);
• "LS021" (Iseo-Orzinuovi);
• "LS027" (Brescia-Cazzago San Martino-Brescia);

For more information you can go here.

By car

To reach Clusane by car you have to take the road SP12 that links Cremignane and Sarnico, if you are arriving from Iseo follow the sign to Sarnico.

By boat

During the summer you can reach Clusane by boat from Monte Isola and the other towns by Lake Iseo (Predore, Sarnico, Monte Isola, Sulzano, Sale Marasino, Tavernola Bergamasca, Iseo, Marone, Vello, Riva di Solto, Castro, Pisogne and Lovere). Prices and timetables are available here.

Get around

Clusane is a little village and the old centre sits between the main road and the lake. The only exception is the Parish Church situated on the other side of the road.

If you are approaching Clusane by boat you have to walk straight ahead over the old spinning mill and the fisherman's harbour.

See

St. Gervasius and Protasius Old Church

Carmagnola Castle

• 1 Carmagnola Castle, Via Ponta 2 (from Iseo it is necessary to take a bus, a car or a bike; see get around section), info@rosmunda.it. Now the castle is private but it's possible to visit it by appointment. Situated on a little hill in the historic centre of the village, this castle was built under the government of Oldofredi, a local feudal family, in the 14th century, but its current name is more recent: in 1427 the Republic of Venice obtained this castle and then it was given to an important chieftain, Francesco di Bussone, called Carmagnola. It has a square plan with a central court, and in the past there was a deep defensive ditch with a drawbridge. 
• 2 Christ the King Parish Church (Chiesa Parrocchiale di Cristo re), Between Via Risorgimento and Via di Bernardo. Clusane's parish church. 
• 3 St. Gervasius and Protasius Old Church (Chiesa Vecchia), Via della chiesa vecchia. Once Clusane's Parish church, now it is used for conference and concert. It was built in the 15th century. 
• 4 St. Rocco Church (Chiesetta di S. Rocco), Via San Rocco. Small church near the harbour built in the 16th century. 

Do

As in many other towns by Lake Iseo, in Clusane you can swim in the lake or in some swimming pools or sunbathe. The mayor lido in Clusane is:

• 1 Origami live, Via Risorgimento 136, ☏ +39 0309829100, +39 3772878743, info@origami-live.it. Open during the summer months from 09:00. Small lido with a bar and a garden. €7 during the week, €9 in the weekend. The price includes a deckchair if available. 

You can also do wake board:

• 2 Wakemas Lago d'Iseo, Via Risorgimento 66 (next to Origami), ☏ +39 3403158668, +39 3397531696. Open from April to November. Garden with trees by the lake. You can do wake board or learn to do it with an instructor. 
• 3 Hiking on Clusane mountain. You can walk on Clusane mountain between vineyards and chestnut trees (you can collect chestnuts in Autumn) and reach the top of the mountain. 

Buy

Clusane hasn't got many shops, who loves shopping has to go to Iseo or to Erbusco where there is a big shopping center (the one in Corte Franca is small). If you want some fresh water fish, you have to go to Clusane's fisherman cooperative:

• 1 Cooperativa pescatori Lago d'Iseo, Via Porto. Small shop where you can buy some fish. 

Eat

Tinca al forno - Roasted Tench

In many of Clusane's restaurants and hotels you can eat the roasted tench (Clusane's most famous dish). Every year during the third week of July OTC (association of Clusane's touristic operator) you can eat this dish at €22 per person (the menu includes the tench, a dessert, a coffee, some water and some vine - menu available only at OTC members).

Budget

• 1 Ristorante Pizzeria da Sandro, Via Lanza 10, ☏ +39 030989048. OTC member. During the week days you can eat here at lunch at a very good price: menus from €9. 
• 2 Pizzeria Ristorante il Ghiottone, Via Risorgimento 166, ☏ +39 030989216. 
• 3 Ristorante Pizzeria Zucca 2, Via Risorgimento 111, ☏ +39 030989155. This restaurant organises many events. OTC member. 
• 4 Ristorante Pizzeria Lido Belvedere, Via Risorgimento 132, ☏ +39 0309898030. 
• 5 Ristorante Pizzeria La Barca, Via Ponta 65, ☏ +39 030989022. OTC member 

Mid-range

• 6 Ristorante le Margherite, via Risorgimento n. 251, ☏ +39 0309829205, p.archetti@libero.it. OTC member. The restaurant has got a big garden with a fountain and even if the bedrooms are quite simple, here you can eat delicious dishes (you can eat there also if you not sojourn there). 
• 7 Osteria Pane al Sale, Via Corte Filanda Pirola, ☏ +39 -030 989465. 
• 8 Antica trattoria del Gallo, Via Risorgimento/Via Guatta, ☏ +39 0309829200. OTC member. In front of the Parish church, here you can eat delicious fish dishes at a reasonable price. 
• 9 Trattoria del Muliner, Via San Rocco 16, ☏ +39 0309829206. OTC member 
• 10 Ristorante Punta da Dino, Via Ponta 33, ☏ +39 030989037. OTC member 
• 11 Ristorante Villa Giuseppina, Via Risorgimento 2, ☏ +39 030989172. OTC member 
• 12 Ristorante il Sole, Via Risorgimento 70, ☏ +39 030989013. OTC member 

Splurge

• 13 Ristorante Barro, Via Risorgimento trav. XI 1, ☏ +39 0309829209. 
• 14 Trattoria il Porto, Porto dei Pescatori, 12, ☏ +39 030989014, info@alportoclusane.it. OTC member 

Drink

• 1 Origami live, Via Risorgimento 136, ☏ +39 0309829100, +39 3772878743, info@origami-live.it. Open year round. During the day a lido, in the evening and the night it becomes a night club. 

Sleep

Budget

Camping

• 1 Belvedere, Via Risorgimento 132/134, ☏ +39 0309898030, lidobelvedere@hotmail.it. By the lake, it has an outdoor swimming pool. 
• 2 Cantiere del Lago (Camoing Bellini), Carlo Lanzo 26, ☏ +39 030989166, +39 035930759 (during the winter), fax: +39 030 989016, info@campingbellini.it. Open from 1st April to 30th September, the camping has a restaurant. 
• 3 Camping Le Betulle, Via Risorgimento 148, ☏ +39 030989349, campinglebetulle@virgilio.it. Open from 1st April to 30th September. It has a beach, an out-door swimming pool and a restaurant. 

Mid-range

• 4 Hotel Aquarium, Via Risorgimento 130, ☏ +39 030989018. By the lake, it has a big garden and a solarium. 
• 5 Hotel Empire Resort, Via del Dossello 30, ☏ +39 0309898128. On the hillside, it has a swimming pool. 
• 6 Hotel Punta dell'Est, Via Ponta 163, ☏ +39 030989060, +39 3356560649, fax: +39 0309829135, info@hotelpuntadellest.it. Directly by the lake, near the pier. It has a garden and a terrace by the lake. 
• 7 Hotel Rosmunda, Via Guatta 1 (Near the castle), ☏ +39 030989019, fax: +39 0309898076, info@rosmunda.it. The same owners of the castle. 

Splurge

• 8 Relais Mirabella, Via Mirabella 4, ☏ +39 0309898051, mirabella@relaismirabella.it. OTC member. On the hillside, it has a swimming pool and a beautiful view on the lake. 

Connect

In Clusane there aren't any internet cafes and free wifi internet connections (the only possibilities is to use bar and restaurant's ones).

• 2 Clusane Post Office, Via Giovanni Pascoli 52, ☏ +39 0309829126, fax: +39 0309898045. M-F 08:20-13:45, Sa 08:20-12:45, if you need to go there in July or August, please check on poste.it. 

Go next

• Iseo — the most famous town by Lake Iseo;
• Monte Isola - the highest European lake island, reachable by boat from Iseo;
• Brescia — the biggest town of the province, it is quite famous for the roman temple Capitolium and for St. Giulia's Museum with Roman villas and Santa Giulia's Royal Lombard Monastery, a UNESCO site.
• Capo di Ponte — in Val Camonica, it is famous for Rock Drawings, a UNESCO site.

Routes through Clusane

Sarnico ← Paratico ←

W  E

→ Cremignane → Iseo