The Republic of Venice established itself permanently in the Garda region and in the territories of Brescia and Bergamo after the peace of Lodi in 1454. During this time the port of Desenzano was completely renovated. However the outer breakwater, up to the lighthouse with its lantern, date back to the nineteenth century. Before the nineteenth century the small port (nowadays known as the Old Port) was protected by a large quay and by some rocks which curbed the force of the waters when the lake was stormy, boats could also be moored to the quay opposite the port. The traffic of goods in the nineteenth century was noteworthy, goods departed from Desenzano or arrived there from other lakeside towns, either on small boats or on larger craft towed by small tugs. A tramline set out from a small square, which now houses the gardens at the start of the lakeside promenade "C. Battisti", and linked Desenzano to Castiglione and Mantova. The Venetian style bridge which crosses the entrance to the small port was built in this century, in the thirties. The large wet dock to the south was also built in the thirties.
Nowadays the "nineteenth century style" steamboats, with their beautiful slender shape, have all but disappeared, to be replaced by motorboat-ferries and extremely fast hydrofoils.