Sirmione ☀ Sirmione, hotels, photo, map, reviews, how to get there. City in Italy. Lake Garda. Sirmione. Sunny Italy (20 photos)
Hi all! From Verona we drove towards Lake Garda, which is the largest in Italy.
As a prologue, an old not funny anecdote:
"- Something this Madonna of yours did not impress me.
“She has already impressed so many before you that no one is interested in your opinion.”
So, Sirmione is a popular resort town on Lake Garda, which is famous not so much for its beaches as for its unique baths and an impressive fortress that hangs over historical center city, giving it a fabulous look. It seems that courageous guards are about to run out from behind the stone walls or coyly, smiling milkmaids, shooting their eyes to the right and left, will come out - and only another flock of tourists with cameras at the ready appears.
Sirmione became famous as a place have a great holiday for a long time - since the time of the Roman Empire. It was then that wealthy residents of Verona did not hesitate to buy a villa here and a couple of meters of land, so that there was somewhere to take capricious wives and children into the air. And indeed, would this town not be so wonderful, would this dude drive almost 1000 km from Braunschweig in an Aston Martin?
Against what background would these young Scandinavians be photographed if it weren't so cool here?
In Sirmione, the smell of money mixes with the aroma of flowering trees and hits the nose of everyone who arrives here for the first time.
Here the German-Austrian "Ordnung", mating with the Italian " Dolce Vita", forms an explosive mixture that gives rise to cypresses of an almost cylindrical shape
The abundance of flowering plants of all stripes is striking
And the lemons growing here weigh no less than our collective farm melon ... I won’t compare chili pepper with anything, it’s just very large
The city itself is located on an island, separated from the cape jutting into the waters of Lake Garda by a narrow channel on which the castle stands. south side in a lake on the border between Lombardy and Veneto (province of Verona) in the suburbs of Colombare. The city is considered the most important resort in Italy, not only for its historical value, but also as a resort that uses the thermal waters of the Boiola-Quelle spring. The waters of this source have an outlet temperature of 69 degrees Celsius. They also promised us the smell of sulfur, but they deceived us ... for this a big human thanks to them :)
If, while in Sirmione, you will be offered a boat trip, feel free to refuse. Zero impressions. The same thing can be seen by walking the same half an hour.
Castle of the Scaligers on the shore of the lake (XIII century), which once served as a military port of the Verona flotilla.
The walls of the castle are built both from natural stone taken in the vicinity of HÜgel Cortine, and from bricks made and fired on the spot.
Previously, the entrance to the castle was carried out through a drawbridge, which has survived to this day. Now the entrance and entrance to the city is carried out through a permanent bridge thrown over the channel separating Old city from its areas to the cape.
The side towers of the castle are connected by passages with stairs to each other. central tower-Mastio has a height of 47 m and is currently used as a survey.
Attached to the castle and completely surrounded by walls, the harbor is a unique building in Europe.
Typically Italian colored facades
The greenery is booming! The air is amazingly clean and saturated with coniferous and flower aromas... No, these millionaires definitely know something that we don't :)
Lake Garda - popular italian resort, located in the Dolomites, where olives grow and vineyards spread. Garda - the most big lake in Italy. It is located in the northern part of Italy, approximately halfway between Milan and Venice, not far from Verona. The lake can be reached by car, train or plane. The most convenient way to travel around the lake is by bus. In addition, each city has its own port, so you can also get from one city to another by boat or boat.
Why are we a little disappointed? We were expecting a more "alpine look" from the lake. However, it is so large that coastline varies very much. Moreover, Sirmione is its southernmost part, and the Alps begin to the north. So the discrepancy between what you see and what you expect is more likely our problems associated with insufficient knowledge of local geography :)
And finally, such a wonderful service for tourists. It's probably popular, but I saw it first. A board with hotels, their position on the map of the town and a light indication showing the degree of "vacancy" of rooms.
And the "alpine" that we lacked, we got to Cortino d'Ampezzo. More on that in the next issue.
Thank you for your attention!
So I got to one of the most vivid impressions from the October trip to Italy - Lake Garda.
The largest lake in Italy, located at the foot of the Alps and is a favorite vacation spot for Italians. How can I understand them!
Despite the fact that the trip was in the second half of October, I fully felt the resort mood and had a great time.
The next day, after walking around and seeing almost all of its sights, I went to the railway station. I bought it for the train in advance, it remains only to find my way at the station and not miss the train.
How to get to Lake Garda from Verona?
Lake Garda can be reached by train, bus, car or guided tour. The distance from Verona is only 44 km.
By train you will only reach two resort towns: Desenzano del Garda and Peschiera del Garda. Travel time is 20-30 minutes. A ticket to Desenzano costs from 4.25 euros.
bus route runs along east coast lakes. Of course, the trip will be more scenic, but it will take longer. The bus stops at Peschiera, then goes to Lazice, Garda, Malcesine, until Riva del Garda. I didn’t deal with buses, but I know that two routes No. 162 and 163 follow the east coast. from travel distance.
Taxi ride, from Verona to Sirmione, will cost about 5500 rubles (depending on the current exchange rate). .
excursion tour from Verona this is one of the most comfortable options to see Garda. It's also cheaper than a taxi ride. Prices range from 4000 to 5000 rubles. Includes bus and boat rides. When choosing a tour, pay attention to the duration and language of communication. Most likely a guide will be offered on English language. But if we consider this trip as a transfer and an opportunity to practice English, then why not?))
While planning a trip, I was overtaken by the pangs of choice. On the one hand, I really wanted to see the town of Sirmione on the peninsula (it was painfully good in the photographs), on the other hand, I was attracted by the more northern Malcesine. The Alps are already starting in the vicinity of the city. You can climb to the top of the mountain by funicular and be stunned by the beauty that opens from a bird's eye view.
In the end, due to time constraints, I still chose Sirmione. It would take me about three hours to get to Malcesine by bus.
Walk through Desenzano del Garda
First I went to the embankment. The first thing that caught my eye was a large number of yachts. The masts swayed slightly in the wind and made a melodic ringing.
The town seemed quiet and deserted to me. Perhaps Desenzano has not woken up yet, or maybe tourist season ended and the city began to live its calm, measured life.
I walked a little along the embankment, watched the local old men and ducks. The old men were vigorously discussing something, and the ducks seemed to be just enjoying life.
A slender forest of masts blocked the view of the lake and I really wanted to walk along the pier past the lighthouse and look at the lake. Guard without additional elements.
In the background of the photo you can already see the foothills of the Alps. However, the photo cannot convey all the beauty. Alas.
My main goal today is the town of Sirmione on the peninsula. The most interesting way to get to it is by water. From the reviews, I knew that in the summer, transport runs along the water surface of Garda quite regularly. But in autumn…..
For about half an hour, I pored over the schedule of boats and dealt with prices. And I was also embarrassed by the fact that there was not a soul on the pier. It turned out that the next flight would be only an hour later. What to spend an hour on? Stay in a cozy cafe and drink a cup of aromatic coffee with croissants or climb the mountain to the castle and take in the surroundings? Well, I think you guessed it)
I didn’t waste time looking at the castle itself, but I wandered around. Like all similar buildings of the late Middle Ages, Desenzano Castle looks very severe. High walls with battlements, towers, thick walls. His function was the most simple - to protect local population. There was no beauty to speak of.
But from the terrace in front of the castle opens great view on the city, lake and mountains.
How to get to Sirmione from Desenzano?
At the Desenzano pier there is a timetable for the movement of boats and a tariff scale. The ticket price will depend on the distance. The figure shows the cities on the lake. Garda, which can be reached by water.
This is the traffic chart. water transport. Unfortunately, the bright sun did not leave me a chance to take a decent photo, but the general meaning is clear. The graph shows the departure time from Desenzano and the arrival time at end point. The graph below reflects the reverse event.
And this is the tariff scale, according to which you can navigate the cost of travel. Due to the glare in the photo, the fare on the Desenzano - Sirmione route is not visible. In fact, fare "2", the ticket price is 4 euros. But you can ride to Malcisine for 10.90 euros.
upd. 15.02.2018
Thanks to Svetlana (see comments) we have a fresh boat schedule in a readable form.
When buying a ticket at the box office, they clarified with me - I will go one way or I will also return by boat. The fact is that a round-trip trip will cost less - 6 euros. I chose one way only.
Well, goodbye, quiet Desenzano. The city left me with a slight taste of understatement. I didn't have time to try it.
To Sirmione, travel time is 20-30 minutes. At first I sat on upper deck and caught warm, sunny rays. But on open water rose strong wind and had to go down.
As you can see, there are not many people.
Pier in Sirmione
As soon as the boat began to approach the peninsula and I saw the powerful towers of the Scaliger castle, I realized that it was " the same place". You know, sometimes you get that feeling... it seems to be the first time you are in a city, a cafe, on the embankment, but no matter where, you immediately understand that this is 100% mine.
Ducks and swans "graze" right next to the pier.
Small area in front of the pier. The weather is just wonderful. Sunny, warm...
Meanwhile, in the "village of Gadyukino" ...... minus 13 and snow showers. I don't even believe it.
Walk around Sirmione. Lots of photos and very little text.
Back in the days of the Roman Republic, there was a resort in Sirmione. Many famous families maintained their own villas on the peninsula. What is interesting about Sirmione? In addition to a good location, beaches and a wonderful climate, the town has a picturesque Scaliger fortress with access to the lake, the ancient ruins of the Grottoes of Catullus and thermal springs. In my opinion, it is quite enough to devote enough time to the resort town.
First of all, I went to the impregnable military citadel - the castle of Sirmione or the castle of the Scaligers. Yes Yes. It was built by the very Scaligers who ruled Verona.
Before going inside, let's go around it on the left. A narrow path leads to the lake. And why do I want to call it permanent sea?
The moats around the castle seem to separate it from the mainland and divide the peninsula into two parts.
Swans clean their feathers right on the shore. Cute picture.
The walls of the fortress come close to the water. I will explain the reasons for such an interesting design a little later.
The entrance ticket costs 4 euros. Inside there is a small exposition of various ancient antiquities, but I was more interested in beautiful views.
In the photo you can see the drawbridge that connects the citadel to the mainland.
It is from here that pleasure boats depart on Lake Garda. The water excursion is short, only 25 minutes, but the views from the water are gorgeous!
And here is the explanation of the architectural solution. The castle has its own harbor, which is perfectly visible from the tower.
Photos from the highest point of the tower. Before us is the continuation of the peninsula. Somewhere out there, behind the greenery, hides the most extreme point Sirmione - Grottoes of Catullus.
And this is a long part of the peninsula, adjacent to the mainland. The sun treacherously peers into the camera lens.
Nice picture with a quiet harbor for yachts and boats.
One more look at the lake….. and it's time to move on. And you don't want to. From above you can see all the surroundings and, believe me, there is something to see there.
In order to show all the power and beauty of the Scaliger castle, I am attaching a photo from the Internet, from a bird's eye view.
Great view, isn't it?
From the main gate of the castle, my path lies to the very greenery that I saw from the tower. On the map, this place is marked as the grottoes of Catullus. I have no idea what it is, but it's very interesting. Fantasy suggests that these are some kind of grottoes, caves and other natural beauties.
Along the way, the eye now and then catches some interesting details. The camera works to the fullest.
Absolutely crazy gift shop. What is not here. It's impossible to break away.
I completely forgot where I was going. Strikingly lush flowering in October.
Plaque on the wall of the house. I wonder what it means?
Baths CATULLO in Sirmione
Sirmione is home to the most famous baths on Lake Garda. You need to allocate a whole day or at least half a day to visit them. My busy itinerary did not involve thermal procedures at all.
She ticked the “need to return” checkbox in her endless virtual notebook.
I entered the complex with idle interest. The cost of visiting seemed very high to me. However, all the information is on the website - http://www.termedisirmione.com.
Of course, these are not the only baths on the lake. If you set a goal, then you need to plan the route in such a way as to have time to swim and relax.
Grottoes of Catullus
From the main entrance to the baths, Catullus can be reached by electric car for 1 euro. I only found out about this opportunity when I came back.
Despite the fact that by this time I had managed to decently get tired and “beat off” my legs, I don’t regret the missed opportunity at all. And now I'll tell you why.
During the walk to the grotto of Catullus, I decided to deviate from the route and go down to the lake, or rather to the beach. How nice it must be in summer.
A wooden pier is generally some kind of infinity in pure form. A magical photo, one of my favorites. I unceremoniously sat down on the pier and decided to rest a bit. My privacy was disturbed only by pleasure boats, which occasionally passed by.
IN the purest water bunch of small fish.
As it turned out, the grottoes of Catullus are not at all natural caves, A huge complex archaeological sites. Oh yeah! I love places like this. Apparently, unfulfilled childhood dreams of becoming an archaeologist make themselves felt.
That's how powerful this miracle looks.
The entrance ticket costs 6 euros. In addition to visiting the excavations themselves, you can visit the museum.
Many sources use a different name - the Villa of Catullus. Strictly speaking, it was not a villa at all, but a huge sanatorium for the Roman nobility.
Let's take a walk through the ancient ruins that remember the times before our era.
A wonderful wall made of flat stones.
Now it is no longer clear what it was ... .. A window overlooking Lake Garda or access to the terrace.
Remains of the arch.
Jerusalem (in the Garden of Gethsemane) grow olive trees that are about 2000 years old. At least that's what the legend says.
It was under this olive that I was knocked down. 🙂 I was so tired that I decided to take off my shoes and lie down on a bench. Apparently I was so pissed off in the sun that I took it and dozed off.
I slept for only a few minutes, but I felt much better. The most interesting thing is that I didn’t give a damn about decency and what the tourists walking in the olive garden thought. In general, I noticed that when I travel, I seem to change a little, I become a different person. Especially if I'm traveling alone. Not an indecent person, but something simpler ... without stupid conventions.
And once again, I took the liberty of taking a photo from the Internet to show the beauty of the peninsula and the scale of the ancient Roman ruins from a bird's eye view.
At the end of the walk, I either had lunch or dinner of lasagna in a small cafe on the lake. I don’t know why, but in Italy it is customary to serve chips with a glass of wine. Strange.
I returned to Verona by bus number 26. The stop is located right on the square behind the Scaliger castle. There is also a timetable. Tickets are purchased at the kiosk next to the bus stop.
I really enjoyed the day spent on Lake Garda. I was driving back, though rather tired, but in a great mood and on the rise. The idea firmly stuck in my head to drive a car along the lake with a stop at all the coastal cities. After all, each resort town has its own character and unique spirit.
Finally, I am publishing a couple of selfies from Sirmione, so that readers do not think that I was spying photos on the Internet and inventing a walk around the city. These are my attempts while waiting for the bus)).
Worried about getting lost? Agree on individual excursion from Milan to Sirmione. I guess, that local will tell you much more about this wonderful place.
Remaining questions about independent trip? I will be glad to answer them in the comments.
Sirmione is one of the most popular towns on Lake Garda! Even its name sounds like a song and promises extraordinary beauty to everyone who visits it. Sirmione is located in the southern part of Lake Garda, on a narrow peninsula 4 km long, which immediately catches the eye when looking at the map.
The popularity of the city is also the main disadvantage! Especially, it is felt on its narrow streets. I lived in Desenzano and almost all trips were made through Sirmione (such is the schedule of boats on the lake), so I was not only purposefully in Sirmione, but also several times in the morning. And in the early morning, when not yet a large number tourists, it's a completely different city! Therefore, I highly recommend that if you have a morning transfer in Sirmione, take a walk along its streets.
The pier in Sirmione is located on one of its squares with cafes and restaurants.
By the way, the cafe located opposite the pier is already open at 8 am and here you can drink coffee while waiting for the boat if you don’t feel like walking around the city in the morning.
At the pier, there is a bust of the poet Gaius Valerius Catullus, who lived with his family in Sirmione.
In the city you can see the ruins of their villa - the Grottoes of Catullus (they are located almost at the end of the peninsula). If you want to visit this place, then along the way you can see the church of San Pietro in Mavino and the villa of Maria Callas.
As in many cities on the lake (yes, and in general the surrounding provinces), in Sirmione there is a castle of the Scaligers - a family that ruled Verona in the XIII-XIV centuries. He immediately meets everyone arriving in the city by water.
Now in the castle there is practically nothing left that belonged to that time, and bare walls and many stairs appear before the eyes, along which visitors wander. But if you pay attention to all sorts of nooks and crannies, you can find that new owners have settled in the castle.
The main charm of the castle is that you can climb one of its towers and look at Sirmione from a height.
From here we can see both parts of the city, which are connected by a bridge. And located closer to the cape (here is the main parking lot, tourist centre and a berth for private vehicles).
And the old town with its narrow streets that are almost hidden under the tiled roofs.
By the way, about the bridge. Previously, the castle could only be accessed through a drawbridge (now it is not accessible).
Now there is a permanent bridge for the movement of both cars and pedestrians. But it is so narrow that a traffic light has been installed to cross the bridge.
On some streets of the old city, such a system with traffic lights is also used.
At the bridge from the side of the castle is the church of St. Anne - less majestic than main cathedral Sirmione, but it feels special atmosphere privacy.
The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (the main cathedral) is also close to the castle. We just saw its bell tower from the castle tower.
I strongly advise you to go to the courtyard of this complex.
From the tower of the castle you can see that not far from it there is a coastal strip with a footpath.
There is also a beach area, and a path at a higher level with benches.
During the visit to Sirmione, work was just underway to improve the coastal strip and the public beach. And apparently, it is quite possible to swim here.
Well, for now, only such vacationers wandered around here.
Private beaches are also available. I came across the Bionde beach along the way, which seemed well-equipped and surrounded by a park. I think it's great here in the summer!
Sirmione is famous for its thermal springs. And there is even a small free "paddling pool". It is located near Bionde beach. In May, there were only a few people in it, but judging by the summer photos, this place is very popular.
In addition to thermal springs, most of the reviews at Sirmione mention a ceramics shop. I don’t know whether I went to this store or not (there are a lot of them in the city), but I really have never seen so many things made of ceramics (and sometimes very unusual ones). I especially liked the flowers!
Sirmione makes an absolute impression suitable place for filming some medieval movie.
Flowers and greenery are everywhere!
And I especially remember the houses on the street near the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. It's amazing how everything fits together!
This red door, of course, was chosen by tourists. If I were the owner, I would have already thought about charging for selfies against this background.
Still always touches the signs on the houses. And if the numbers-names have already become familiar, then another reminder of the city is rather a rarity.
Although, it is impossible not to fall in love with such a city!
Sirmione (Italy) andreimos wrote on June 13th, 2013
I originally wanted to dedicate my first trip to Italy to the north of this country. That is, Rome and Neapoli interested me much less than the "great Italian lakes"- Como, Garda and Maggiore. But by the will of fate, I then visited all the classical cities of Italy, but from the ponds I could only see Maggiore. On the same trip, I decided to "finish" the lakes, and started from Garda. Well, the most famous town on the Garda is Sirmione...
Fountain
All the way to Sirmione railway no, so I took the train to another town on the Garda - Desenzano. And then I got on a bus going to Sirmione.
globe
In order not to accidentally leave for Verona (and the bus was Brescia-Verona), I got off almost as soon as Sirmione's signs appeared. But it turned out that he was a little hasty. The fact is that the city is spread out on a narrow ledge, which is extended for 4 km, and the tourist center of Sirmione is located at its very tip.
So we had to walk about 3 km on foot. But this is nothing compared to Superga the day before. Moreover, the road went along the picturesque coast.
Lake Garda (Lago di Garda
Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It has an area of 370 sq. km and is 51.9 km long. Greatest depth- 346 m.
Lake Garda (Lago di Garda
Even in Roman times, the city of Sermio Mancio appeared here, which was already famous for its thermal springs.
Lake Garda (Lago di Garda
The ruins of the Grotto of Catullus have been preserved, although there is no exact information that the villa belonged to this particular Roman poet.
Sirmione
One of the terms is also named after Catullus.
Terme Catullo
Shipping is developed on the Garda, and Sirmione is one of the important ports.
Anchor
Many celebrities have their cottages on the lake. The most famous villa in Sirmione belonged to Maria Callas. (The picture is not her villa).
25 April Street (Via XXV Aprile)
There are many hotels here as well. The 4-star Sirmione Hotel has become one of the business cards cities.
Hotel Sirmione
It is difficult to say what idea the author put into this work. Probably the dominance of a man over a woman.
Sculpture
The main attraction of Sirmione is the Scaliger Castle. It was built in the 13th century. during the reign of Mastino I.
The most high tower rises to 47 m.
Scaliger Castle (Castello Scaligero)
The towers and walls are decorated with battlements, which are characteristic of the architecture of the Skala family.
Scaliger Castle (Castello Scaligero)
This is one of the best preserved ancient castles in Italy, and one of the rare ones that are located on the water.
Scaliger Castle (Castello Scaligero)
There are many funny compositions in Sirmione. The inscription "I dont like a Rolling Stone" ("I do not like a rolling stone"). Apparently, the famous Bob Dylan song "Like a Rolling Stone" is played up.
"I don't like a rolling stone" (I dont like a Rolling Stone)
They ask for a kiss...
Lake Garda (Lago di Garda
And in front of the castle, two faces in the style of Igor Mitorai were already frozen in a kiss.
In general, there are many incomprehensible sculptures in the city.
Sculpture
All roads lead to the castle.
Scaliger Castle (Castello Scaligero)
And opposite the fortress there is a restaurant "Little Castle".
Piccolo Castello Restaurant
Now the population of Sirmione is about 8 thousand inhabitants.
Piazza Castello
On the shore you can meet different living creatures. For example duck...
Lake Garda (Lago di Garda
Snails...
Lake Garda (Lago di Garda
And bold swans walking around the city.
Swan
In 1797 Sirmione was occupied by Napoleonic troops.
Napoleon Bonaparte
The modern resort of Sirmione began to develop at the end of the 19th century.
Now there are many hotels, restaurants and shops.
Street S.M. Maggiore (Via S.M. Maggiore)
Even artificial fruits look appetizing in the window.
Shop
Many houses are beautifully decorated with flowers.
Giuseppe Piana Street (Via Giuseppe Piana)
It is also popular in Sirmione to have a tree growing through the roof.
Restaurant "Il Girasole" (Il Girasole)
More than one cafe is designed in such an original way.
Flaminia Square (Piazza Flaminia)
Well, on the way back, I devoted some time to another town of Garda - Desenzano ...
We had many historical cities on our trip, and for a change we decided to spend one relaxed and "non-historical" day on Lake Garda, especially since I had long wanted to see these places. Since we initially did not want to rush anywhere, we decided not to bother with the lake and stop in the town of Sirmione - the very close city on our route.
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Lake District
These places fall in love completely and irrevocably. lakes Northern Italy - separate topic for the trip. Moreover, even I, who likes to rest no more than 7-8 days, admit that such a trip should take two weeks, no less! Feel the unhurried rhythm, blissful atmosphere, admire the amazing landscapes and enjoy a truly respectable vacation.
I don't know when I'll be able to drive around all the lakes. I'll tell you a little - what if one of you decides?
Here is Italy. Lake District - in its north, near Milan
Here they are closer. I circled Milan for orientation. Below the numbers are the largest and famous lakes. Marked Mantua with an asterisk.
1 - Maggiore
2 - Como
3 - Garda
Mantua in my mind, this lake district is not included, although it is also located on lakes, even on a chain of lakes. I really wanted to talk about it, because Palazzo Del Te is located on its territory. Unremarkable from the outside, this palace contains amazing, fantastic murals that I really want to see! Everything is painted - both the walls and the ceiling. In some places, the painting is pornographic to the point of eerily, but what can you do - art))
Photo from the Internet
Recently I was at a lecture on Italy, and there the lecturer mentioned the lake Maggiore. There are such delights that at least pack your bags and rush to see it urgently. On small private islands, stunning villas, historical and natural beauties are located.
For example, Isola Bella, or beautiful island. Look at this photo from space
I think that already says it all. And here is a photo from the Internet - look at these terraces, at this palace - this is where the fairy tale lives!
There is a similar island nearby - Madre with the Borromeo Palace
And in the north of Lake Maggiore, there is a legend from chivalrous times - the Di Cannero Fortress, which was built on a small piece of land in such a way that it seems as if the Middle Ages emerged directly from the lake
Miracle, isn't it?
Lake Como, in my opinion, the most famous lakeside resort in Italy. There is also a lot of beautiful and interesting things, elderly Europeans and George Clooney's villa.
The largest lake of all is Garda, but more on that below.
Between these large lakes there are also smaller ones - each with its own zest - Lugano, Varese, Iseo ... And this is not counting the historical cities such as Bergamo and Brescia, which also deserve attention. And also Milan at hand.
In short, a trip around the lakes, if anyone dares, will be absolutely fabulous! But it's better not to go in the summer - I think in the summer there are tourists like dirt.
garda
We decided to stay only in Sirmione, because we wanted to relax. Purely theoretically, you can drive around Garda in a day, but why? To be honest, it seems to me that you can safely allocate a whole week to this lake. Judge for yourself - we spent the whole day in Sirmione and we really missed it! We even regretted that we decided to go to Milan - we had to stay here again and immediately go to the airport.
Garda is very different. In the south - the lake is one, in the north - quite another. There, in the north, the lake is surrounded by mountains, Dolomites. Look at the photos on the Internet - the nature here is crazy beautiful. If you do not want to go on foot, you can climb the mountains on the lift. They say the views are magical.
Around the Garda are also ordinary resort towns, and towns with a twist. For example, Limone sul Garda (it is beautiful in itself, but is also famous for the fact that a unique protein was found in the blood of local residents that prevents the occurrence of atherosclerosis and heart attacks; now scientists are trying to create a medicine based on this protein).
Near Garda there are activities that may be more suitable for children, but adults can also cheer up. First, the safari park (but I already forgot where exactly). Secondly, the largest in Italy and one of the largest amusement parks in Europe is Gardaland. It's all the same more water park and is only open from May to October.
Still north of Garda there is natural Park, in which the vopodad Nardis is located.
That is, here is nature, and history, and pleasure.
Sirmione
And finally, about Sirmione. This is the most famous town on the Garda, if I'm not lying.
It is located on the southern part of the lake, crawling out like a thin worm from the land
The thin isthmus is filled with narrow streets with stone pavements, with old castle Scaligers (I mentioned this family in a post), with a large archaeological park and luxurious spa hotels.
We arrived closer to dinner, checked into the hotel and went for a walk.
Went to a small pier
I think there are a lot of tourists here in the summer, and sunbeds are put up on this wooden platform
Ducks and swans swim here (it's a pity I didn't take a picture of the swan!) The water is the purest!
The town is like this
Quiet and deserted, because it's not the season. And finding where to dine was also a problem, I must say)
Then we went to see the Scaliger castle. Once this fortress was designed to protect the Scaligerian borders from attacks from the north. Pay attention - again "dovetails"
Ducks crowded under a small bridge leading to the castle, asking for yum-yum
We climbed a high observation tower
side view mainland- see what a narrow peninsula?
View towards the lake. Despite sunny weather, the lake was covered with haze, so you can’t see anything in the distance, and this is how mountains should be
Then we just went for a walk along the shore.
Sirmione has thermal springs, which is why there are many spa hotels. The springs have been known since time immemorial, and have long flowed through lead pipes (as it is written on the Internet), some of which go directly into the lake. For example, here. Since the waters contain sulfur, in some places in Sirmione it smells, let's say, not very pleasant)
Then we went up through the olive grove to archaeological park called the Grottoes of Catullus.
Lyrical digression. Catullus, if anyone does not know, it was such a Roman poet. We can say the founder of love lyrics. Or maybe you can't tell. But he is known precisely for love lyrics - he dedicated his works to one aunt, who, along the way, was a very frivolous lady and changed men like gloves. And the young Catullus foolishly fell in love with her and suffered. And even jealous of her tame sparrow, with whom she often played. So if you meet somewhere in art the mention of Lesbia with a sparrow, this is about her. Lesbia is the pseudonym that Catullus gave to his muse.
Well, Catullus had a villa on Sirmione. Of course, it is known exactly where it was, but when the Roman ruins were found, they were instantly attributed to Catullus. They called them grottoes because when they stumbled upon them, the ruins were covered with earth and resembled caves.
Now it's very big archaeological park. I even doubt that there was one villa here - too fat for one.
In general, in Sirmione you feel an amazing peace. Without saying a word, we thought how good it would be to come here for a few days - just to be here. This is materialized meditation...
Our hotel was chic, charming, cozy - just a miracle. The only bummer we had was that children were not allowed in the spa area. Seeing how upset we were about this, the management went along and allowed us to visit the pools after the end of the spa. We also wanted to take turns going to some procedures, but we walked for so long that it was already too late to sign up. In general, we blonded for several hours in a row! What is there to go around the lake in one day, if only on Sirmione it is desirable to lower at least 2-3 days.
We went to dinner. Oh, it was a lovely, tasty and atmospheric restaurant. It got a little colder in the evening, we sat on fresh air wrapped in blankets. It was wonderful.
By the way, that's where it was not cheap in terms of food, so it's on Sirmione. In general, lakes are an expensive vacation. For the most part, a respectable older audience rests in these places, which is why life here is so sedate, measured.
Yes, and it was also interesting in the morning. I have long had a picture that Europe is all completely democratic, but I was somewhat mistaken, because I did not get into such hotels. Breakfast was truly chic, and those who wished could treat themselves to champagne. At some point, I realized that we are the only young people and we are the only ones who dared to go down to the table in jeans. All the ladies were: a) brightly made up and combed; b) dressed to the nines; c) with huge rings and sparkling earrings; d) with bags with giant inscriptions PRADA and DOLCE GABBANA. All the men are in light-coloured trousers with ruffles, v-neck pullovers and neckerchiefs, and barefoot leather moccasins. Like all Italians. Perhaps this is such an old Italian "school".
And back to our evening. After dinner we returned to the hotel and went to the thermal pools. One of them was inside, one was outside. thermal springs it is hot here, the water is soft, but it is felt that it is saturated with all sorts of substances. The pool is stuffed with all sorts of bulbulators, and we swam there with great pleasure.
On the street, the pool was with more saturated water, so we were told not to take the child there. And we took turns going out into the cold (it was 12 degrees - not frost, of course, but it's not hot in a wet swimsuit)).
Street thermal pool made in the form of a bowl that hangs over the ground. Water overflows this bowl and overflows with every movement you make. The pool is illuminated, and steam comes from the water. And now, in complete darkness, there is only you in the luminous water, around steam, the splash of water pouring out of the bowl ... The feeling is that you are floating in the middle of the universe. Such is the fantasy...
