Visit the shortest river in the world!
It’s located in Italy, flowing into Lake Garda, and you can discover it with our boat excursion!
As is well known, Lake Garda is the largest Italian lake at 370 km², with many beautiful towns and villages, and many interesting distinctions.
One little known, but very special place can be found in the village of Cassone, a quaint little village near the town of Malcesine on the Verona banks of lake Garda. Cassone has a unique distinction: it is home to the Aril River, the shortest river in the world!
About Aril River
Although very short, it is an actual river and not a stream or spring, according to the official definition of a river: "a watercourse with constant and continuous flow". The Aril river, called by locals "Ri river", is one of the 25 tributaries of Lake Garda.
From source to mouth, it is just 175 meters long, making it the shortest river in the world!
The river gushes from the heart of the village and forms a pond fed by a spring. This is used as a special water reservoir, and is fed by freshwater streams that flow beneath Mount Baldo.
This mini lake / pond is also a protected reserve for fishing, full of trout which swim back up the river to lay their eggs away from predators.
The trout also love this river because the water is always cold, usually only 9 degrees.
Along the its short voyage to the lake, the Aril river runs through the whole village of Cassone, crossing three bridges and forming a small artificial waterfall, until finally flowing into Lake Garda, near the small harbor.
Another special feature: every Christmas season on the Aril river, the locals prepare a beautiful floating nativity scene. It spans the river from side to side, and is the largest floating nativity with respect to the water course it sits in. Watching it’s a real thrill !