Sirmione Lake Garda

Sirmione Lake Garda

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Sirmione Lake Garda

Sirmione is a beautiful town just 15 minutes from Desenzano by bus. You can also take the ferry to there and I recommend that as that is much more fun. Spending a half a day or so in Sirmione is well worth it and if the weather is good you could even spend a whole day there on one of it´s beaches.

If you rent a speedboat you can sail to Sirmione and drop anchor just outside the rocky beach at the north and swim to the beach. I have done that and it´s great fun.


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Sirmione, Italy

Lake Garda is the largest, and many say the most beautiful of the Lakes which make up the Lake District of northern Italy. The delightful town of Sirmione is on the southwestern shore of Lake Garda, on a two-mile long peninsula which juts out into the lake itself. Fondly known as the Jewel of the Lake, the Old Town is a ramble of narrow streets crammed with tiny shops and cafés. The town is popular for its short strolls, lakeside views and pleasant hotels. The narrow streets can get packed with visitors in the heights of the summer season.

This delightful area has long been popular with visitors and influential guests. The Roman poet Catullus had a villa here from 84-54BC. The town was also popular for its thermal sulphur springs and was a spa destination even in Roman times. There are some Roman villa ruins at the end of the promontory known as the Grotte di Catullo. Open daily, the Roman substructures can be explored, along with some archeological treasures on display in the small museum.

Cross the old drawbridge to the lovely castle ‘Rocca Scaligera’, a true fairy tale castle surrounded by the blue lake waters with delightful towers and fancy battlements. The Castle was built in the 13th century for the powerful della Scala (or Scaligeri) princes of nearby Verona and has since been restored. Take a tour of the Castle (which is closed on Mondays), and enjoy the fine views from the castle tower. Apart from the ramparts, the structure is now just an empty shell but the wonderful location and the architecture are worth taking time to admire, along with the considerable age of this lovely castle.

Beyond the castle is the charming pedestrianized area of the small historic town. There are many shops, mostly selling souvenirs and plenty of restaurants here, making the most of the delightful setting at the water’s edge, complete with swans if you are very lucky! The waterfront promenade is a pleasant place to stroll on the well-made path which runs around Sirmione on the very edge of the lake.

In the evening the town has many delightful trattorias, pizzerias and restaurants with something for every budget and taste. There is often live concert music in the piazza which adds to the delightful atmosphere, so plan to linger into the early evening to enjoy these delights.

Here I put in some videos and maps of Sirmone I took in one of my trips there.
Porto Galeazzi

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The gates to the old city


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Grotte di Catullo

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My trip around the old city was approx. like this. Attn. approx. not exactly, just to give you an idea.


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