It was glorious to spend October days in Sirmione…a magical destination on the tip of Lake Garda, Lombardy…
So many pleasures are contained in the historic center of this tiny treasure-of-a-peninsula, surrounded by the lake. It’s pedestrian only, and you can actually leisurely stroll from top to bottom in about 20 minutes…
The best way to arrive is by ferry from Desenzano del Garda…another charming lakeside town that has a lot of major train connections–that is, you can train from there to Venice in 1.5 hours. Then you cab to the port, catch the Sirmione ferry...CLICK FOR SCHEDULE…
Dominating the whole pretty scene is the 13th century Scaliger Castle, that inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle at Disneyworld…
I loved my stay at Hotel Sirmione, with this view from my room at sunrise…
And to make me feel like a true principessa, there are thermal springs in this part of the lake, pumped into the hotel’s lakeside pool…
OR for the complete Sirmione spa experience, a short walk away is AQUARIA, with indoor/outdoor pools, treatment rooms, saunas, relaxing rooms, where you bliss out with views of the lake…
Sirmione gets filled with tourists during the day, mostly European. It’s a great place for family fun…You can stroll in the center amidst antique shops and caffes…
Further on is a lovely park, where you’re serenaded by birdsongs…
Of course, I always have my antenna up for the HERSTORY angle...Maria Callas had a villa here, and is fondly remembered…
AND there’s a church of Santa Maria della Neve where one evening there was a Free Concert: a soprano singing Puccini arias…totally magical.
It’s also fun to take a 25-minute boat circle ride around the peninsula for 12 euros, that takes you under the Castle drawbridge…
And then stop at one of the many gelaterias, for special Sirmione-style giant cones…
AND to take you back to Roman Imperial days (1st century AD), you can discover the ruins of the Grotte of Catullo at the tip of the peninsula. It’s strangely named, as this isn’t a grotto, and the pleasure-loving Roman poet Catullus did not live here–though he was from Verona, and his family had a villa in Sirmione. Now you’ll find the most extensive site of northern Italian Roman ruins here…When I visited, there were few tourists, and what a joy to wander amidst those ancient walls, olive trees, bird songs, and lake views, one misty morning…
As for dining, we loved the half-board option at Hotel Sirmione, where every night there was fresh fish, delicious pasta, Veneto wines.
And for a splurge, we had an extraordinary dinner at La Rucola, beloved for sophisticated twists on the classics…such as this seafood-spinach risotto…
Wishing you Happy Travels in Italy, and I do hope you get to SIrmione…
CLICK HERE for more SIRMIONE Info
