The well-known summer resort called sometimes the ‘pearl of Lake Garda’, owes its popularity, besides of the lake features, to the great location, halfway between Milan and Venice.
Sirmione lies just off the road connecting these two cities, and may be reached by a car, or local bus from Brescia, or Verona.
The trains from Milan and Venice stop on near train station in Desenzano del Garda, which is less than 20 min of car drive from Sirmione.
The town is quite old, from Roman times are the ruins of ‘Grotte di Catullo’, the property of poet Catullus which could be a villa, or a bath, as the pipes delivering the mineral water were found on site by archeologists. Somehow the presence of hot springs did not change the place into the popular baths, unlike many of the other Roman sites, and Sirmione kept quite anonymous existence till 13th century, when ‘Della Scala’ family built the fortress here as a part of fortifications protecting Verona.
Castello Scaligero features nice views from the towers, and not much more. Jet the old fortifications still protect the town, and the only road into Sirmione leads near the castle walls.
You can enter the zone by car only if you have a valid reservation to a local hotel.
During summer holidays it is better to book a hotel room in advance, as the place became quite crowded in July and August.
If you did not make a reservation you can get help in local tourist office.
Via Dante leads from the castle to a lake beach Lido delle Bionde with kayaks, pedal boats and umbrellas to rent.
From the beach you will see the clean waters of Lake Garda backed by Alpine peaks, view admired by James Joyce, who in 1920 met Ezra Pound here, and Maria Callas, who owned a villa in Sirmione.
Besides the castle and Grotto di Catullo,you can visit church of San Pietro in Mavino with 11th century belfry and Medieval fresco inside and church of Santa Maria Maggiore with many of 15th century architectonic details.
Sirmione holiday packages
[ Photo courtesy of jvl ]
