Sirmione: A moated castle on Lake Garda

Sirmione sits at the end of a narrow peninsula reaching out into the south of Lake Garda. You enter the old town over a drawbridge, past a castle that rises straight out of the water. It is one of the most popular places on the lake, and by midday the lanes are full of day-trippers. Stay the night and you get it back: the evenings are warm and slow, and the light on the castle is the best of the day.

Getting There and Around

• The nearest station is Desenzano del Garda–Sirmione, on the Milan–Verona line; buses run from there to Sirmione in about twenty minutes
• Ferries link Sirmione with Desenzano, Garda, Bardolino and the other lake towns, and are the nicest way to arrive
• The old town is closed to traffic, so drivers park in the car parks before the castle and walk in
• Everything in the old town is walkable, and a little tourist train runs out to the Roman ruins at the tip

The Castle and the Old Town

• The Rocca Scaligera — a thirteenth-century castle built by the della Scala family of Verona, with its own fortified harbour
• Climb the walls and the tower for the view over the old town and both sides of the lake
• The lanes behind the castle are draped in bougainvillea, and are prettiest early in the morning or after dinner
• Small boats leave from by the castle for trips around the peninsula, which are best at sunset

Roman Ruins and Thermal Water

• The Grotte di Catullo — the ruins of a huge Roman villa at the tip of the peninsula, set among olive groves above the lake
• Jamaica Beach — flat limestone slabs running into clear, shallow water just below the ruins; bring water shoes
• Lido delle Bionde is a pebbly beach on the east side with a long jetty, and somewhere to swim without a sunbed fee

The Thermal Spa

Sirmione sits on a hot spring. The water comes up from deep under the lake at around 69°C, and the town has been a spa resort for more than a century. We went to the Terme di Sirmione SPA & Thermal Garden, still widely known by its old name, Aquaria, and it was lovely. It is right in the old town, and its outdoor thermal pools sit on the edge of the lake, with loungers on the grass looking straight out over the water. Inside there are saunas, steam rooms and more pools.

• Book ahead, especially at weekends and in summer, as entry is by reserved session
• Sessions run for a few hours, and there are evening slots when the pools are lit up and the day-trippers have gone
• Bring a swimsuit and flip-flops; robes and towels are usually included or can be hired
• Prices change by season and session length, so check the current rates when you book

Food and Drink

• Lake fish, especially lavarello, grilled or served with local olive oil
• Lugana — the crisp white wine made in the vineyards just south of Sirmione
• Gelato is everywhere, and a cone on the walk back across the drawbridge is the ritual
• Eat outside the old town for better prices; the lakeside restaurants charge for the view

Spend at least one night. The day-trippers leave by early evening, and Sirmione after dark, with the castle lit up and the lanes quiet, is a different place.