Sirmione: a Scaliger castle, a Roman villa and Lake Garda all around

Sirmione is a narrow peninsula, about 4 km long, reaching into Lake Garda from its southern shore, and almost everything worth seeing lies at its far end. There you find the old town enclosed by medieval walls, the Castello Scaligero guarding its only entrance and, at the very tip, the Grotte di Catullo, the remains of the grandest Roman villa in northern Italy. In between run flower-lined lanes, gardens and lakeside walks, with the water always in sight.

Italians call it the Pearl of Lake Garda, and it is one of the best-known and busiest places on the lake. Medieval buildings and Roman ruins sit alongside fashionable shops and fine restaurants, and that balance between history and pleasure explains much of its appeal.

What to see in Sirmione’s old town

The castle is Sirmione’s emblem and the first thing you see on arrival. It guards the only way into the old town: the historic centre occupies the northern end of the peninsula and is cut off from the rest by a navigable moat, crossed by a bridge. Crenellated medieval walls enclose both castle and village, so the old town is, in effect, an island.

Building began in the mid-13th century, very probably on Roman foundations, under the Scaligeri, the della Scala lords whose rule marked Verona’s most prosperous period. Its purpose was always practical: defence, control of the harbour and use as a prison. Today it is considered one of the best-preserved castles in Italy and a rare example of a lakeside fortress.

Opening hours and tickets

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8.30am to 7.15pm (ticket office until 6.30pm); closed on Mondays. Full ticket €10; reduced €2 for 18 to 25-year-olds; free for under-18s, visitors with disabilities and one companion, and on the first Sunday of the month. Booking optional.

The legend of Ebengardo and Arice

Sirmione’s castle has its own legend. Ebengardo and Arice, a young couple deeply in love, lived here until, one stormy night, a knight from the Veneto named Elalberto asked for shelter. They took him in, but the guest, struck by Arice’s beauty, crept into her room that night and, when she screamed, stabbed her to silence her. Ebengardo rushed in and killed him in turn. Ever since, the story goes, he has found no peace, and his ghost still wanders the castle.

The Grotte di Catullo

At the tip of the peninsula lies the archaeological site of the Grotte di Catullo, the remains of a vast and luxurious Roman villa. It is the most important Roman site in Sirmione and the grandest example of a Roman villa in northern Italy. It was built in the Augustan age, between the late 1st century BC and the early 1st century AD, and the villa alone covers around two hectares, on a rectangular plan measuring 167 by 105 metres.

The name, which means “Catullus’s Grottoes”, goes back to the first travellers of the 15th century, who mistook the overgrown ruins for natural caves. For a long time the villa was thought to have belonged to Catullus, the Veronese poet (84 to 54 BC) who owned a house in Sirmione and dedicated famous lines to it. The dating rules this out: the villa was built after his death. Theories about its owners include the gens Valeria, an aristocratic family from Verona, and Gaius Herennius Caecilianus, quaestor of Gallia Narbonensis, Roman senator and patron of Verona.

The site also houses the archaeological museum, opened in 1999. It displays architectural fragments, mosaics and what survives of the frescoes and stucco work that decorated the villa’s living quarters, while other rooms trace the earlier history of the peninsula and of other settlements around the lake. That history begins long before the Romans: the first inhabitants date back to the Bronze Age and left traces of pile dwellings, and only in Roman times did Sirmione become a place of leisure.

Opening hours and tickets
Monday 8.30am to 2pm; Tuesday to Saturday 8.30am to 7.30pm; Sunday 10am to 7.30pm. Last admission 50 minutes before closing. Full ticket €10; reduced €2 for 18 to 25-year-olds; free for under-18s and on the first Sunday of the month. Booking optional but recommended.
Combined ticket: €20, valid for 7 days at Scaliger Castle, the Grotte di Catullo and the Roman Villa in Desenzano.

If you arrive on a Monday, plan around it: the castle is closed and the Grotte open only in the morning, but it is also market day.
The churches of San Pietro in Mavino and Santa Maria Maggiore
Two old churches complete a walk through the village: San Pietro in Mavino, set a little apart, and Santa Maria Maggiore, in the centre.

Things to do in Sirmione

The thermal waters

Much of Sirmione’s reputation rests on the sulphurous water that rises hot from the lake bed, known for its benefits to the respiratory system and the skin. In the old town you can try it at the Terme di Aquaria.

Beaches: Lido delle Bionde and Jamaica Beach

The main beach is Lido delle Bionde, a good place to lie in the sun. From there you reach Jamaica Beach, right below the ruins of the Grotte di Catullo at the tip of the peninsula. It is a wild setting you would not expect on a lake: emerald water, a pebbled bed and large smooth slabs of pink and pale grey rock. In spring and autumn, when the water is lower, the rocks emerge and form pools that mirror the sky. The best time is from sunset into the blue hour.

By ferry around the lake

Scheduled ferries take you quickly to Toscolano Maderno, Limone sul Garda, Riva del Garda in Trentino, and Malcesine and Torri del Benaco in the Veneto, showing you the lake from an angle the road never offers. Timetables for departures from and arrivals at Sirmione are published on the Navigazione Laghi website.

Boat tours at sunset and to the Isola del Garda

If you would rather see the lake at your own pace, a private boat tour is the freest way to see Sirmione from the water. Garda Tours, a Garda Outdoors partner, runs sunset trips around the peninsula, excursions from Sirmione to the Isola del Garda and tailor-made tours, for couples and groups alike. [Discover the Garda Tours trips]

Shopping, market and evenings

The old town is full of small shops, while outside the village you will find several outlet stores and factory shops. The weekly market is held on Monday mornings, from 8am to 1pm, in Via Colombare. In the evening, restaurants and osterie, the traditional Italian taverns, fill with visitors from all over the world and with locals from Brescia and Verona who come specially for dinner; in summer the programme includes events and beach parties, often ending with fireworks.

How to get to Sirmione

By car. Leave the A4 motorway at the Sirmione exit and follow the signs.

By train. The nearest station is Desenzano del Garda, the main railway hub on the lake, where all trains stop.

By air. The closest airports are Verona and Brescia, both within about 30 km and connected by fast roads. Bergamo is further away.

Where to park in Sirmione

The old town is a limited traffic zone (ZTL): cars may enter only with permits, granted under strict criteria and for set time slots, so you will need to leave the car before the castle. The car parks closest to the castle are on Lungolago Diaz and Piazzale Monte Baldo. There are many others across the peninsula, most of them charged; the map below shows the main ones.

Indicative rates: on average from €1.80 to €3.50-4.00 an hour. The closer you get to the tip of the peninsula, the higher the rate.

Where to stay and eat in Sirmione

Accommodation ranges from small, well-kept B&Bs to resorts with spa and beauty treatments, by way of hotels with lake-view terraces and campsites, open through a long tourist season. Beyond the old town, the municipality also includes the villages of Colombare and Lugana. In the [where to stay in Sirmione] section you will find the properties selected by Garda Outdoors.

The same goes for food: the [selection of restaurants in Sirmione] has its own section. Bear in mind that Lake Garda as a whole has several Michelin-starred restaurants and that the standard of cooking is high everywhere. For activities and outings on the lake, see the [experiences] section.

Sirmione FAQs

How much does it cost to visit Scaliger Castle and the Grotte di Catullo?
A full ticket costs €10 for each site and a reduced ticket €2 for 18 to 25-year-olds; under-18s go free. The €20 combined ticket, valid for 7 days, also covers the Roman Villa in Desenzano.

Are the castle and the Grotte open on Mondays?
The castle is closed on Mondays. The Grotte di Catullo open on Monday mornings only, from 8.30am to 2pm.

Was the villa really the home of the poet Catullus?
No. The villa was built in the Augustan age, after Catullus had died. The poet did, however, own a house in Sirmione, which he celebrated in his verse.

Where can I park near the castle?
The closest car parks to Scaliger Castle are on Lungolago Diaz and Piazzale Monte Baldo. Rates rise the closer you get to the tip of the peninsula.

Can I drive into Sirmione’s old town?
Not without a specific permit. The old town is a limited traffic zone, and permits are granted under strict criteria and only for set time slots.

When is the market in Sirmione?
On Mondays from 8am to 1pm, in Via Colombare.

Where is Jamaica Beach?
At the tip of the peninsula, below the ruins of the Roman villa of the Grotte di Catullo. You reach it from Lido delle Bionde.

See you next time dear Outdoors!