Summer in Europe is changing its rhythm. Crowded beaches, packed squares and sleepless nights once defined the high season. Today, more and more travelers are turning away from the noise in search of something different: silence. Out of this shift comes a new word — quietcation — a neologism born from “quiet” and “vacation,” pointing to a desire for holidays that restore, rather than exhaust.
Recent surveys show that more than half of European travelers in 2025 plan to spend their holidays in destinations far from the tourist mainstream — and interest is growing worldwide. On Pinterest, searches for “quiet places” have risen by more than 50% year-on-year, while major travel magazines like Condé Nast Traveler now list “quietcation” among the top trends of 2025. It is no longer just about escaping the crowds, but about finding spaces where one can truly pause: a vineyard at sunset, a silent piazza, a mountain trail where the loudest sound is a cowbell. Silence, it turns out, has become a new form of luxury.
A quietcation is not about doing nothing. It is about doing things differently: walking through empty piazzas, listening to cicadas instead of traffic, tasting a glass of local wine without background noise. In a world where our daily lives are flooded with notifications, news and pressure to stay connected, the simple act of disconnecting becomes radical.
Experts in wellbeing note that silence lowers stress levels, enhances creativity, and improves sleep quality. But beyond health benefits, there is also a cultural element. Choosing silence is choosing authenticity — seeking places where local life has not been reshaped by mass tourism, where conversations in the square still matter more than hashtags.
Why Lake Garda Fits the Trend
Lake Garda has long been known for its beauty, but in recent years some areas have grown intensely crowded, especially in summer. Yet, beyond the busy promenades of Desenzano, Sirmione, or Riva del Garda, there are villages, hills, and natural corners that remain wonderfully out of the spotlight. These are the places where a quietcation naturally unfolds.
In the Valtenesi hills, between Desenzano and Salò, three villages capture this spirit: Soiano del Lago, Polpenazze del Garda, and Puegnago del Garda. And further north, the vast Parco Alto Garda Bresciano offers silent landscapes where mountains and lake meet.
Soiano del Lago: Where the Bells Still Mark Time
Perched at nearly 200 meters above the lake, Soiano del Lago is the highest village in Valtenesi. Its medieval castle, dating back to the 10th century, was never a grand residence but a refuge, built to protect the community. During the Second World War, the bells in its 13th-century tower were hidden so they would not be melted down — and their chime still marks village life today.
Evenings here are filled with the sound of local festivals. On Ferragosto, the castle courtyard becomes a stage for music and lights, followed by celebrations of San Rocco and Saint Michael in late September. Downhill lies Garda Golf, a 27-hole course framed by vineyards and olive groves — an oasis of green where silence is only broken by the swing of a club.
Polpenazze del Garda: Frescoes and a Gelato
Polpenazze is known as the village of frescoes, with paintings scattered across façades and hidden corners. A walk here becomes a treasure hunt, each fresco revealing a fragment of faith, tradition, or folklore. From the churchyard, rooftops tumble toward vineyards and the glimmering lake beyond.
At the heart of the village, Piazza Biolchi is where locals gather, especially during the Fiera del Vino each May — a wine fair that dates back to 1947. Outside of festival days, it’s quieter: you can sit with a cone from Gelateria Vassalli (worth the detour, even in winter) or stop at Bar Centrale for a simple aperitivo. Just outside town lies the Lucone archaeological site, part of a UNESCO World Heritage area of prehistoric pile dwellings — a reminder that people have been seeking life here, quietly, for millennia.
Puegnago del Garda: Lotus Flowers and Olive Oil
Puegnago stretches across gentle hills covered with vines and olive groves. Inland, the ponds of Sovenigo bloom with lotus flowers each July and August, a spectacle that feels almost surreal in its stillness. The surrounding woods are perfect for walks that return you to a slower rhythm.
Puegnago is also deeply tied to its produce. Local mills press olives into fragrant oil, and family-run wineries pour Groppello, the native grape of Valtenesi, into light, aromatic reds. Sitting with a glass at sunset, you realize that this is what a quietcation is about: not absence, but presence. For a refined experience, Casa Leali — recently awarded its first Michelin star — offers cuisine that is elegant yet deeply rooted in this land.
Parco Alto Garda Bresciano: Where Silence Becomes Landscape
If the villages of Valtenesi embody the human side of a quietcation, the Parco Alto Garda Bresciano represents its natural counterpart. Stretching from the shores of the lake up into rugged mountains, the park offers vast, silent landscapes that feel far removed from the bustle below.
Its recent programs — such as Ben-Essere in Natura, with guided forest walks, “sounds of nature” experiences, and open-air readings — highlight the restorative power of silence. Hiking trails wind through chestnut woods, limestone ridges, and alpine pastures, opening onto breathtaking views where lake and mountains meet.
Villages scattered within the park, like Tignale or Magasa, maintain rhythms that have changed little over time: stone houses, tiny churches, and piazzas where the sound of conversation carries further than any traffic. Here, silence is not curated; it is simply part of daily life.
Markets, Piazzas and the Art of Slowness
Weekly markets in these villages are not tourist spectacles but everyday rituals. On Fridays, Soiano’s Piazza Don Vantini and Puegnago’s Piazza Beato Don Giuseppe Baldo fill with chatter, fresh produce, and neighbors exchanging news. On Saturdays, Polpenazze’s Piazza Zanardelli brings together fruit sellers, cheesemakers, and families stocking up for the weekend. These scenes may seem ordinary, but they are the essence of a quietcation: the slow pulse of community life.
Silence as the New Luxury
In the end, the allure of a quietcation is not silence for its own sake, but silence that allows you to hear again — your thoughts, the voices of others, the sound of a place living at its own pace. Lake Garda, from the vineyards of Valtenesi to the wild ridges of the Parco Alto Garda Bresciano, offers this in abundance.
Choosing a quietcation here does not mean giving up beauty or culture. It means trading crowds for frescoes, noise for bells, traffic for vineyards. It is a reminder that in travel, as in life, sometimes the most luxurious thing we can do is slow down.
Curious about the best way to explore these villages and landscapes? See our page on 👉how to get around Lake Garda and let silence lead the way.