After staying in Verona the night and taking in Venice on a day trip, we decided to head to Lake Garda and Sirmione for a day trip.
We had heard from our Couchsurfing hosts that it was a beautiful spot to go and we were not disappointed. It was such a picturesque place and we enjoyed strolling the old cobbled streets with amazing views of the coastline.
Sirmone
Sirmione is such a picturesque town. It is located at the tip of Lake Garda with beaches around the peninsula. It's history dates back to 1st BC and it was known as the holidaying island of rich families who would come up from Verona and Rome. Today it is a tourist attraction with thousands flocking to the city everyday.
Roca Scaligera
This is the main entrance to the city. The Scaligera Castle was built in the 13th century as a Medieval castle port fortification for the city. The castle is in a strategic position at the entrance of the peninsula with a moat around it. The city can only be entered through one of the two drawbridges through the castle.
We loved this castle. Seeing it for the first time was like stepping into the set of a movie. The water surrounding the castle was the lightest blue and the sun was shinning.
As we entered the narrow castle drawbridge we saw many old buildings and stone cobbled walkways. It can be a tight fit at the entrance however as you and other tourists' battle the cars through the drawbridge.
Grotte De Catullo (The Roman Ruins)
At the end of the city or peninsula lies the Grotto De Catullo. The building is believed to have been the Roman villa of a rich Veronese man and dates back to the first century BC.
The villa covered more than 20,000 square metres and as a result of an archaeological dig many artifacts from the Villa can be seen at the museum at entrance to the grotto.
Many Romans used to visit this island because it also had a natural source of thermal water that came up from under the ground here. The hot water used to be pumped into the villa and today is still used by many on the island.
The day we visited we were disappointed to find that the grotto was closed for a mid-day siesta. We arrived just after they closed for 2.5 hours so we did not get to go inside and explore. This is somewhere I would love to come back to though as it was such a beautiful town.
Giamaica Beach
Because Sirmione is a peninsula there are many different beaches around the island. The most secluded and beautiful is Giamaica. It is located under the Grotte di Catullo and can only be reached by boat or by a 30-minute hike around part of the island through knee high water. Boats can be hired just before you enter the drawbridge to the city and this seemed to be a popular option when we visited.
Although we did not make it to this beach we saw the beautiful turquoise water from the gates of Grotte di Catullo and it looked so inviting.
Santa Maria Maggiore
While exploring the back streets of Sirmione we happened upon Santa Maria Maggiore. It is a quaint little Catholic church with beautiful frescos. The church has a lovely little porch with 5 arches and the architecture is quite unique for Veneto and Lombardy areas.
Sirmione is such a beautiful town and it really felt we had stepped back in time while strolling the cobbled streets. This is somewhere I can't wait to return to so I can explore some more.
