An enchanting town in the lower part of Lake Garda, Sirmione welcomes visitors with breathtaking landscapes, historical vestiges and prestigious spas.
For centuries a military outpost, today Sirmione is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. Entering the city you are greeted by the Scaliger Castle, placed to guard the only point of access by land to the historic center. One of the best-preserved fortresses in Italy, it was built around the middle of the 13th century by the Scaligeri, the dynasty that ruled Verona. The walls and the three massive towers are characterized by the swallow-tailed battlements that distinguish every Scaliger construction. Climbing a ramp with about 146 steps (but it’s worth it!) you can access the walkways of the walls, up to the top of the highest tower, where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the lake.
Another unmissable visit is to the Grotte di Catullo. Do not be fooled by the term “grotta” (the Italian for “cave”), which usually indicates an underground cavity, because in reality, these are the remains of a Roman domus, built between the end of the first century BC and the first century AD on the tip of the peninsula of Sirmione. This important archaeological complex is considered the most important example of a Roman villa in northern Italy. Tradition identifies the villa as belonging to Valerio Catullo, but there is no certainty that the building is actually the one where the great Latin poet lived. In any case, the site is immersed in a particularly evocative atmosphere, thanks to the breathtaking panorama, the Mediterranean vegetation and the calm waters of the lake that surround it. But Sirmione is one of the most important tourist resorts of Lake Garda also thanks to its charming old town, full of restaurants, bars, ice cream parlors and stores where you can buy souvenirs, but also thanks to its sports facilities, where you can practice water sports such as windsurfing and sailing, taking advantage of the windy waters of the lake.
Finally, if you want to see the area from another perspective, you just have to book a boat tour, which will allow you to admire the villa where the singer Maria Callas lived and the Boiola Spring, from which flows a water particularly rich in sulfur, to get to the charming island of San Biagio, known as the Rabbit Island, a small lake paradise, characterized by green lawns, cypress trees, flowering bushes and inhabited by many bunnies. And after having explored Sirmione far and wide, why not relax completely by immersing yourself in its beneficial thermal waters? The Aquaria thermal center, surrounded by a lush park, offers among other things, saunas, Roman baths, vascular paths, salt room. Immersed in the thermal water of its infinity pool overlooking the lake, especially with the lights of sunset, it is easy to find balance and harmony.
