Every year, Italy is visited by millions of tourists, mainly due to the presence of cities with interesting sights that have remained since the times of the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages. You can't help but like the melodious Italian language, and the country is rich in entertainment. So is beautiful town in southern Italy Sirmione

General information about the city

Sirmione, as written in English transcription Sirmione, Italy - not Big city, which is located in the province of Brescia, a region called Lombardy. The population is 5,600 people, but during the tourist season, with an influx of tourists, it can increase several times. Is located south coast Lake Garda, in very picturesque place, on a peninsula that protrudes 4 kilometers into the lake.

The history of the city begins in Roman times, when there was a settlement called Sirmio Mansio. The settlement was used as a fortification and had a castle and several harbors. Already at that time it was popular resort, due to the fact that there are a number of healing thermal waters here. In the 13th century, Sirmione was under the rule of the Verona Scaligerians, who built the castle of the same name, located at the entrance to the ancient center settlement.

Sirmione, Italy, bird's eye view of the city

From 1405 to 1797 Sirmione was under the rule of the Venetian Republic, which used the castle to house the Venetian garrison. In 1889, the benefits were again proven thermal springs nearby, and the place began to experience a tourism boom. Thanks to its thermal springs and attractions, tourism is now the main source of income for Sirmione's treasury. The city has gained great development and popularity thanks to tourists and travelers who visit it en masse.

Thermal springs of Sirmione

Weather and climate

Sirmione is located in a humid subtropical climate. It has hot and humid summers and relatively warm and mild winters, also with plenty of moisture. Sometimes in winter there is snow, which does not remain for long. Due to constant and high humidity, fog often occurs in the city.

Important! It is best to visit Sirmione from the end of spring and in summer, when the amount of precipitation is low, they will not interfere with viewing the city’s attractions and swimming in the thermal baths will be a pleasure.

Average temperature and precipitation monthly:

  • January - 2.2 °C, 64 mm - precipitation;
  • February - 2.9 °C, 63 mm;
  • March - 7.7 °C, 82 mm;
  • April - 11.4 °C, 82 mm;
  • May - 16.4 °C, 97 mm;
  • June - 20.3 °C, 65 mm;
  • July - 23.1 °C, 67 mm;
  • August - 22.3 °C, 93 mm;
  • September - 17.3 °C, 67 mm;
  • October - 12.5 °C, 104 mm;
  • November - 6.5 °C, 100 mm;
  • December - 3.5 °C, 61 mm.

Infrastructure

Thanks to the large number of tourists and travelers visiting Sirmione, the resort's infrastructure has become quite well developed. The city does not have its own airport, but uses neighboring airports, mainly Milan, Bologna and the small Verona or Brescia. The distance to Milan is 110 kilometers, to Bologna about 120 kilometers.

Important! To get to Sirmione from airports and other parts of the country you can use the following modes of transport

  • Bus. The most common type of transport. Buses will take tourists to the center of the village. Travel time will not take more than a couple of hours;
  • Railway transport. Sirmione station address 25015 - Desenzano del Garda, Brescia, Italy. Trains run from major cities nearby, mainly from Milan and Bologna;
  • Taxi. Using this type of transport, you can easily and comfortably get from airports or move around the city;
  • Transfer. Most tourists and travelers with package tours already have a transfer booked. If not, you can go to a special window in the arrivals hall;
  • Rent a Car. The most convenient and fastest way to travel between cities and attractions. You can rent a car directly at the airport or any other point within populated areas.

Sights and excursions

Sirmione in Italy has attractions that will appeal to everyone without exception. The main and most visited are the following:

  • The ruins of a Roman villa called the Grottoes of Catullus. It is the former villa of the famous poet Gaius Valerius Catullus. This site is one of the largest surviving architectural monuments of the Roman Empire discovered through excavations. Although it has not been proven exactly that the famous poet’s house was located here, the place is iconic and very visited among tourists and travelers from all over the world. The building was built in the period from 29 BC to 67 AD. The total area of ​​the excavation site is two hectares. The best preserved are the basements and a small terrace, which offers an excellent view of the lake. Recommended for photography and just admiring the scenery.
  • Castle of the Verona Scalingers. It is a fortification structure. It was built in the 13th century and was the base of a flotilla of Veronese troops. It is a castle surrounded by walls made of stones and clay and a moat, through which it was previously thrown suspension bridge. Recently, a permanent bridge has been created to enter the castle, making it easy to visit the attraction. In the center of the structure there is a tower whose height is 47 meters. From the top of the tower there is a wonderful view of the surrounding area and the castle itself. You can take great shots here.

Sirmione Castle

  • Thermal springs. It is called Fonte Boyola. This is exactly the place that most tourists and travelers come here to visit. The healing properties of Sirmione springs have long been proven for diseases of the ears, skin, respiratory tract and lungs. The source is located at a depth of almost 20 meters and is supplied through pipes to the surface. The source water contains many useful elements, iodine, bromine and sulfur, which have beneficial properties for the body.
  • Sirmione has two notable churches, dating back to the 14th century. These churches are called San Pietro in Mavino and Santa Maria Maggiore. They are decorated with ancient frescoes and attract a large number of tourists and local residents.

Recreation and entertainment

Sirmione is not a very big city, so it does not have a lot of entertainment and places to relax. It is equipped with many hotels of different categories. On the streets of the old city, it is recommended to visit one of the restaurants or bars and try the exquisite local cuisine. The center has several shops suitable for shopping lovers. On the shore of the lake in the summer you can visit Jamaica beach. It is not very well equipped for swimming, but there are several cafes here, from the terrace of which you can see good view to the lake.

Note! There are diving equipment rental points on the shore, where you can admire the underwater views.

For lovers of sailing and windsurfing there are also necessary points; the almost constant presence of wind in the region allows you to practice these sports at any time and in any season.

In addition, on the territory of the thermal springs there are many spas that provide cosmetologists, massages, rejuvenation and weight loss courses.

City on the map of Italy

Sirmione is located in northern Italy, on the shores of the picturesque Lake Garda. It is a major tourist center in the region called Lombardy. Mostly tourists and travelers come here to visit the thermal springs for which the place is famous. Sirmione is close to major cities such as Milan, Bologna and Venice, which can be easily visited thanks to developed infrastructure.

Sirmione on the map of Italy

Useful information and interesting facts

Among the information and facts about the city are the following:

  • The patroness of the city is the Most Holy Theotokos, her day is celebrated on August 5;
  • The waters of the thermal spring at the very entrance to the surface have a temperature of 69 degrees Celsius;
  • In the old town there is a villa of one of the greatest opera singers in the world - Maria Callas;
  • It is noteworthy that the healing springs were already quite popular place Even during the times of the Roman Empire, even then the city had the reputation of a popular resort for treatment and recovery.

Sirmione - small town ok in northern Italy, which is famous for its ruins from the Roman Empire and healing underground sources, which are visited by a large number of tourists and travelers from all over the world. Thanks to its well-developed infrastructure, both transport and tourism, it is an excellent place to relax. Has places to have fun and have a good time.

Lake Garda (obsolete name Benaco) is a landscape nature reserve, framed by Mediterranean greenery and Alpine mountain grandeur.
The pleasant lake climate was also appreciated by the barbarian tribes, who founded their settlements here. The Romans also paid attention to Garda, coming here and building wonderful villas on the coast.




Lake Garda is exceptional not only in size, but also in diversity: rocky mountains rising in the alpine landscape are combined with sandy beaches and with olive groves, giving the lake a Mediterranean flavor.
The water horizon of the lake is located at an altitude of 65 meters above sea level. Its length, from Riva to Peschiera, is 51.6 km, maximum width - 17.2 km, coastal perimeter - 155 km, surface 389.98 sq. km, maximum depth(between Musione and Castelletto di Brenzone) is about 346 meters, average depth- 135 meters.

The main tributary of the lake is the Sarka River; in addition, many streams and small rivers flow into the lake. There are also underground springs, including a spring of volcanic origin, flowing near Cape Sirmione: the spring flows at a depth of 19 meters, the water temperature is 70 degrees Celsius, and has been known for its healing properties for several centuries.
Two hundred meters from Cape San Felice is the island of Garda, the most significant on the lake, its length is 110 meters, width 65 meters.

Sirmione Peninsula

The Sirmione peninsula, cutting into blue waters on the southern side of the lake, its length is about 4 kilometers.
Its natural beauty and excellent thermal waters admired by many, including the poets Catullus and Carducci, who glorified Sirmione in poetry. The entire peninsula (and in fact it is an island that became a peninsula thanks to the erected bridges) is a magnificent historical and natural reserve, with lush magnolias, laurels, cypresses, and olives framing the ancient buildings of the settlement.
In the relief of Sirmione, three ridges of hills are clearly visible: the eastern ones, with the name Cortina; the western, Mavino, and the northern, located between the other two and called the Catullo Grottoes (Grotte di Catullo), where now, on the site of the ruins of a Roman palace, an archaeological zone has been established.





Already in ancient times, the peninsula was inhabited by people. Numerous archaeological finds, ancient ruins, stone tablets with inscriptions, columns, capitals and other architectural elements testify to the great importance of Sirmione in the ancient Roman era. The rich history of the area continued after the fall of the Roman Empire: Queen Ansa, the wife of the Lombard king Desirius, built a Benedictine monastery here, for example, in the 8th century.

In the 12th century, Sirmione passed to the Scaliger family, who built a magnificent fortress, one of the best in Europe at that time. It formed one defensive complex together with the ancient settlement, being surrounded with it by a single fortress wall. After the della Scala dynasty, the area was ruled by the Milanese Vixonti, the Paduan Carrara, and from the 15th century by the “Quiet” Venetian Republic, the vicissitudes of which were followed by vassal Sirmione.

Scaliger Castle

Castle of the Scaligers - a stern castle, almost like a sentry, rises above the peaceful settlement, giving Sirmione a medieval appearance. Together with the Grottoes of Catullus, the castle has long become the main attraction of the southern part of the lake, for which it plays the role of a kind of enchanting curtain over the blue surface of the lake.





The castle ("castello" or "rocca") in Sirmione was built by Lord Mastino of the Scaliger family (aka della Scala) as a military citadel. Placed inside the ancient walls encircling the medieval settlement, due to its noble forms it is deservedly the most beautiful castle of the Scaligerian era.

On its lower floor various sculptures and architectural fragments of bygone eras are exhibited, while from the top of the donjon, climbing 146 steps, you can enjoy an excellent view of the town and the lake.

The Grottoes of Catullus is a monumental complex, the ruins of which are inseparable from the local landscape. Having walked inside the museum zone, the visitor first finds himself on the so-called Lavok Street: here there are rooms arranged like a scallop, which previously had high barrel vaults - a spacious terrace rested on them.





The following parts of the complex are especially interesting: “Horse Cave”, consisting of four rooms with a barrel vault; "Double cryptoportico", 159 meters long, with two corridors, each 4.26 meters wide, separated by a series of 63 pillars (probably used here to escape the heat); The “pool”, which appeared at the second stage of construction of the villa, with 4 steps leading to a spacious bath (the water was heated like in the Roman baths); a gallery with a three-part “paradise” window, from where the surrounding area is perfectly visible.
Near the entrance to the archaeological zone (to the right of the entrance) is the Antiquarium, a collection of valuable items found here by scientists.

Entrance to the Scaliger Castle and the museum area of ​​the Grottoes of Catullus is paid. Amounts to 4 Euros per person in each facility. In terms of time, 2-3 hours is enough to walk around the entire peninsula.
You can take photos almost anywhere.

The most typical products This region produces wine and olive oil. Of course, we couldn’t resist and bought it.

If interesting:

Winery. Azienda Agricola Cascina Maddalena: Via Maddalena, 21-25019 Lugana di Sirmione (Bs) Italia. Tel. +39 030 9905139. They produce red and rose wine and champagne. The farm is located at the end of the street, some distance from the other houses.

Dairy. Frantoio Montecroce di Ramanzini Egidio: Viale E.Andreis 84 - Desenzano del Garda (BS). They make 2 - 3 types of oil. We chose the “delicate” oil “Delicato” for ourselves - suitable for both frying and salads.

This is not the first time we have purchased from these manufacturers. Really like.

Transition to general information along the route:

Sirmione (Italian: Sirmione) is a famous resort town located on the southern coast of Lake Garda in the province of Brescia (Lombardy region). Population tourist center, famous for its thermal springs with unique medicinal properties, has only 5.5 thousand people.

The area of ​​the resort is also relatively small, but despite its apparent simplicity, it is worthy of attention and will charm you with its impressive nature and amazing historical sights.
Sirmione is famous both for its beaches and for its unique thermal baths, one of which is the healing spring of Boiola, an impressive fortress that looms over historical center city, giving it a fabulous look.
Sirmione became famous as a place have a great holiday for a long time - since the times of the Roman Empire. It was then that wealthy residents of northern Italy did not regret buying a villa and a couple of meters of land there.

Currently, the city of Sirmione is divided into three parts. The first, the northernmost, includes the ancient core of the city with architectural attractions. There are many hotels, restaurants and shops here. Cars are allowed to enter there with special passes. A large parking lot is available for city guests directly in front of the entrance. The next part consists mainly of hotels and expensive villas. The third part, Colombare, also consists of hotels and residential buildings. There are already significantly fewer restaurants here.

How to get to Sirmione

In the Lake Garda area, the closest airport is Verona Valerio Catullo Airport (). You can find suitable tickets for the S7 Moscow-Verona plane in the form below.

By train

The nearest railway station is the station where trains arrive from the stations of Verona (Verona Porta Nuova), Milan ( Milano centrale), Venice (venezia S.Lucia) and Brescia - Desenzano, it is located 10 km from the resort. You can get from there to the city center by bus or taxi (about 15-18 EUR).

From Milan By train the journey will take you about an hour and a half, the ticket costs about 10 €.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that tickets should be purchased for regional trains (regionale), since not all high speed trains they stop at Desenzano station and are much more expensive.

From Venice the train journey will also take you about an hour and a half, and the ticket price is from 15 to 25 €

From Verona from Porta Nuova train station, the journey will take you 23 minutes and the ticket costs about 5€

By bus

From Desenzano station to Sirmione, the distance between which is 10 km, you can take a bus. Travel time is about 20 minutes. You can see the bus schedule

From Verona and Brescia the journey by bus will take about an hour (route LN026).

By the lake

Two types of motor ships ply on the lake: high-speed and ordinary. They can take you to Peschiera, Gardone, Lazise, ​​Bardolino, Garda (the lake of the same name) - resort towns on the Garda coast. You can view the schedule and routes on the company's website.

By car

Of course, it is most convenient to travel with your own car. The southern part of the lake is reached from the A4 Milano-Venice motorway, exit at Sirmione.

If you like to drive a car and have intentions of often traveling around the lake or in Italy, then it makes sense to rent a car, especially since you can do this right at the airport where you will arrive. In the arrivals area of ​​Italian airports, you will see many companies that allow you to rent a car: Sixt, Europcar, Hertz, Top Rent-a-Car, Enterprise, Avis and so on.

If we talk about a good and inexpensive car rental service, then it is better to select a car in Italy with the help of. In most cases, this turns out to be much more economical than renting locally. You can do this right at the airport, but renting a car locally is usually the most expensive. In addition, even if you have 3-4 car rentals in front of you, it will not be easy to compare their prices, since some companies use various hidden payment schemes. This, in particular, can be expressed in limited daily mileage, increased insurance payments, etc.

If you booked a car in advance, completing all the documents and receiving the car will take you about 30 minutes - this is very convenient.

Please note that the earlier you decide to book a car, the more choices you will have. You can also pre-order additional options, such as a navigator or child seat.

Sirmione is the most famous resort on Lake Garda. This small town, located on a long and elongated peninsula in the south of the lake. Here stands a beautiful ancient fortress Scaliger, there are the Grottoes of Catullus - ancient Roman ruins and a magnificent spa hotel.

Tourists come here for a relaxing holiday at spa resorts. And they've been going for quite some time. These thermal springs have been in demand since the times of Ancient Rome, back in the 1st century BC.

The entrance to the ancient part of the city is located near the walls of the Scaliger castle - you can get there only through a 4-meter stone bridge (previously, in the same place there was a wooden folding bridge, which was lowered and raised by order of the castle owners in order to let in welcome guests and stop unwanted ones) . By the way, driving a passenger car is not prohibited here, and when they try to drive through a crowd of tourists, they have to squeeze into the walls of the bridge, because there is simply no other way to get to the territory of ancient Sirmione. And why isn’t entry banned here? Wealthy tourists could be transported to 5* hotels on golf carts. We were there at the end of April (the very beginning of the season), and yet we had to specifically jostle on this bridge. I’m afraid to even imagine what’s going on here at the height of the season)

Entering the gates of Sirmione, you immediately find yourself in a fairy tale: on the right stands the Scaliger fortress, and in front - ancient city, whose streets will lead you to the ancient Roman excavations - the Grottoes of Catullus. And at the entrance to Old city There is such a cute tent with giant lemons.

How to get to Sirmione


From the official website of term

Quite expensive, right? That's why I draw the attention of all budget tourists, that on the right tip of the peninsula, about 20 minutes walk from the castle, there is a completely free spring where you can swim. True, it’s quite difficult to call it swimming - it’s quite shallow there, and there are a lot of people there. But if you are not ready to spend money on thermal baths, but still want to take a dip, then take a walk here.

Grottoes of Catullus

The Grottoes of Catullus are the remains of one of the largest Roman villas in Northern Italy. It's funny, the name "Grottoes of Catullus" is completely untrue: these ruins are not a grotto, but the remains of a luxurious villa at the very end of the Sirmione peninsula, and they are not directly related to the famous poet. Catullus never lived in this villa, although his family had an estate nearby. This is also confirmed by the fact that the villa was built around 150 AD, when Guy Valerius Catullus lived from approximately 87 to 54 AD. BC. The official website of the Grottoes says that the mention of Catullus in the name of the place is associated with his works and the beauty of the villa, calling these places the most precious among all the islands of the seas and lakes.


From the official Grottoes Facebook page

Today, the excavation complex consists of two attractions: the museum (Il Museo archeologico di Sirmione) and the villa (La villa romana). The museum displays some of the archaeological treasures discovered in this villa: fragments of frescoes and mosaics, jewelry, coins and other household items of the ancient Romans.

The villa, surrounded by olive groves, covers a total area of ​​about two hectares. During the walk, tourists discover not only the beauty of the ancient building, but also an extraordinary view of the lake.


From the official Grottoes website

Cost of visit— 6 euros

Schedule:

  • on weekdays from 8:30 to 19:30 (except for the archaeological excavation area in winter period, then you can walk around the villa until 17:00);
  • on Sundays and holidays in winter - 8:30-14:00;
  • on Sundays and holidays in the summer - 9:30-18:30.
  • Attention! Entry is possible 30 minutes before closing.
  • The Grottoes are closed on Mondays, as well as on January 1, May 1 and December 25.

And the last thing! There is a note on the Grottoes website: due to staff shortages, the museum may be closed without prior notice and without any refund of admission!

For additional and up-to-date information, please visit the official website - www.grottedicatullo.beniculturali.it. By the way, you need to study the site specifically at Italian — English version is extremely meager and contains only a work schedule and a small information note of two sentences.

And in conclusion, I want to say that Sirmione is an excellent place to base yourself during a holiday on Lake Garda. From here it is quite easy to get to the western and east coast lakes to see other cities. And here, unlike all other cities on Lake Garda, Russian speakers meet every 5 minutes, which also indicates the popularity of Sirmione among our tourists.

Lake Garda (Lago di Garda) - largest lake Italy and a popular resort. There are many resort towns around it, one of the most popular among them is Sirmione and its constituent villages (Colombare and Lugana). Why did I choose this city for my holiday on Lake Garda? It combines everything you need for have a nice rest: great beach, transport accessibility, interesting sights.

How to get there

I was lucky in this regard, and railway station I was met by the owner of the apartment we booked in her car. Apartment owners often extend this courtesy to their guests, so arrange this in advance.
I'll say a few more words about railway transport Italy is far from the best thing the country has. According to my observations, buses are more comfortable and travel more regularly. Yes, trains are late, and quite late. Our train from Milan, with a total travel time of less than two hours, was 40 minutes late. Moreover, all announcements about lateness were made in Italian, and we only had to guess what was happening. The carriages themselves also don’t look the best; they are all covered in graffiti. In general, the Italian train, unlike the French one, did not leave the best impressions.

Which area of ​​Sirmione to choose for your holiday

Sirmione

The city of Sirmione itself is located on a narrow cape that juts out into Lake Garda for 4 kilometers. The ancient Romans chose this place for relaxation, since already in those days they knew about the healing properties of the local thermal springs. The ancient Roman poet Catullus had his villa here. Archaeological excavations are underway on its territory, and some of the ruins are open to the public (admission is paid).


At the entrance to Sirmione there is medieval castle 12th century, built by the Verona ruling Scaliger family. There is a museum in the castle. Then the pedestrian zone begins. In summer, the town bustles with resort life: there are many cafes and restaurants, sounds live music. In the evening, classical and jazz music concerts take place in the central square.
The official beach of Sirmione is small, pebble, and always crowded with people. The beach is located almost at the foot of the Scaliger castle. The cost of renting sunbeds and umbrellas here is higher than in other places. But if you go further along the narrow path (sometimes ankle-deep in water), you will come to wild beach. This is where the real pleasure is! The beach has been washed into the rock over centuries by the waves of the lake that have flowed onto it. It is not sandy or pebble, but stone. The bottom consists of stone slabs of different heights. The water is clean and transparent like a tear. In summer it warms up and becomes like fresh milk. It is almost impossible to sunbathe on the shore, because it is difficult to find a place to leave things. But this can be done in water from which you simply don’t want to get out. In general, the beach is great!

Here in Sirmione there is a large thermal complex of Catullo with the AQUARIA recreation center. Thermal water contains sulfur, sodium, bromine, iodine, and other trace elements. It is good for the nervous system, improves metabolism, helps with allergies, helps lower blood pressure, and is an analgesic. The complex is open daily from 10.00 to 22.00, on Thursdays and Saturdays - until midnight. The cost of visiting varies from 15 euros for 1.5 hours to 53 euros for the whole day. Many hotels provide their guests with discounts on visiting the thermal complex.


But in Sirmione you can enjoy the thermal waters for free. A little before reaching the city beach, you will see a small depression lined with stones along the edges right in the lake. People usually sit or lie in the water. In this place, thermal waters come to the surface. The water is very warm and even hot, and smells of hydrogen sulfide.

Colombare

This is part of the commune of Sirmione, located not on the cape, but at its base. In fact, this is the modern part of Sirmione. In Colombard, as well as in the old town, there is a tourist office. There are supermarkets here. Colombare beach is rocky, entrance to Lake Garda is via stairs. There are many cafes, restaurants, and shops in Colombard. There are bicycle rental points.

Lugana di Sirmione



This is another village that is part of the commune of Sirmione. This is exactly what I chose for my vacation. Lugano has a great beach. Umbrellas and sunbeds, however, are paid, but you don’t have to use them. You can sunbathe on the grass under the trees. The entrance to the lake is pebbly, but further in the water there is sand.
There are two large supermarkets in the village. Between Lugano and Colombare there is another large thermal complex of Virgilio. True, it is not intended for relaxation, but for treatment. There are programs for the treatment of ENT organs, rheumatism, and unique methods for treating deafness.
Free wifi can be found at your local library during opening hours. There is a special room there for working on a computer. The library also functions as a tourist office: here you can get maps of the area and get information.
In Lugano there is a small park with children's and sports grounds.

All villages of the commune of Sirmione are connected by a single transport network. Buses run on schedule and the fare is 1 euro. But we didn’t use them, since everything here is quite close.


Once a week a small mobile market comes to the villages. He comes to Lugano on Thursdays. Arriving at the beach, we saw a crowd of cars and people near it. They mainly sell clothing and textiles. Prices start from 5 euros. Looking at this assortment, there is an excitement to choose and buy something beautiful for yourself. The sellers are mostly of some Asian nationality, which suggests that the items are of the same origin, although many are written that they were made in Italy. The fitting conditions are the wildest - behind improvised fabric screens or at the entrance to the trailer, which brings back memories of the early 90s. However, I couldn’t resist and after several fittings I became the happy owner of beautiful holey jeans, a T-shirt with a cat for 5 euros Made in Turkey and a scarf with a print of Eiffel Tower. Here it is - simple female happiness! Here at the market they sell fresh fish, which is immediately fried and also sold. Local wines, cheeses and other products are also offered. At one o'clock in the afternoon they suddenly stopped trading and left as if nothing had happened, until next week.