Ciao Lago di Garda: Sirmione, Italy
Welcome back to the blog. A lot has been going on worldwide in the last few months. Today, I want to focus on a country that has been hit hard by the crisis: Italy. People all over the world love visiting the world, and as soon as it is safe again to travel there, Italy is one of the countries that needs tourism the most. Of course, I am not encouraging you to go there if it’s not safe.
Sirmione is located at the southern end of Lake Garda, Lago di Garda. For us Tyroleans, driving to this lake is just like driving to the sea for others. It’s only around two and a half hours, and we’re there. The closest airports are in Verona, Brescia and Bergamo. The town is located on a little peninsula that somehow separates the lake in eastern and western side in the south. Just like any other town on Lake Garda, it is perfect for day trips if you are staying in one of the other surrounding cities. I will cover the other cities in the next few blog posts. You can travel between those towns also by boat.
If you want to visit Sirmione, you should be aware of the fact that driving in the city is very restricted and only allowed to residents. As a tourist, you will have to explore the town by foot. One of the most impressive parts of the town you will explore right in the beginning: the castle. As the town is somehow located on the water, you will have to cross a little bridge to enter. The Castello Scaligero was earlier used for military purposes. If you enjoy Italian music, you will surely have come across a music video that showcases this beautiful and well-preserved castle. You can also enter the castle to explore it in even more detail.
All the little towns surrounding the Lake Garda a filled with restaurants and shops of all sizes. I really like that especially in Sirmione there are mostly tiny shops selling soaps, art, jewellery, pottery and other small presents. The town is not really big so you can easily see all it has to offer on a day trip. Great are also the gelaterias where you can buy ice cream cones of incredible sizes. And is there anything better to stroll through the town and all the shops and then stop at a restaurant to enjoy lunch or dinner with such a fantastic view?
Just like most Italian cities, and especially situated on a lake, Sirmione also has a little beach in the northern part of the town. You should also be aware that the city is not flat, so getting there or to the most hidden parts of the town might be a bit exhausting considering Italian summer temperatures. The beach is obviously not a sand beach. Also, you might see a famous person when visiting the town, for example, Theresa May, former British prime minister, visits at least once a year for a few days. On the very north of the peninsula, you can find the Grotte di Catullo, an archaeological park with the ruins of a Roman villa built in 1 BC. The entry price is less than 10 euros. Of course, it can’t be compared to other Roman sites just as the Foro Romano in Rome or Pompeii, but if you are new to places like this, you will surely enjoy the visit.
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy, and therefore there are lots of charming towns in the area. I cannot wait to share more information about this beautiful destination, and I hope after all this madness ends, Italy can recover very fast.
If you read a few of my blog posts, you might know that I am a huge fan of Italy. As an Austrian, summer is nearly always spent somehow in Italy. Therefore, and due to the fact that I lived there for a few months, I explored a lot of this beautiful country and if you want to read more of those blog posts, just click the link below. If you are interested in other Italian cities, villages or sites I haven’t already written about, let me know in the comments or by messaging me.
