Things to do in Sirmione Italy Lake Garda: 1 Amazing Town!
Things to do in Sirmione Italy Lake Garda | Sirmione is on Lake Garda, Italy, and it is really a fantastic town. One of the best destinations on Lake Garda is undoubtedly Sirmione. Sirmione is one of the most beautiful towns on Lake Garda in every season. Sunny and flowery in summer, it acquires a particular charm in the cold season.
The center of Sirmione is considered one of the most romantic walks in Italy: the cobblestone alleys that recall those of medieval villages, the walls, and the castle create a fairytale atmosphere.
What are the things to do in Sirmione? Let’s see it together! But before we answer a few questions about Sirmione!
Is Sirmione worth visiting?
Is Sirmione worth visiting? Yes, it is. Sirmione is worth visiting both if you are an Italian or a foreign tourist, but I would say it’s especially worth visiting if you are a foreign tourist. Why? Because if you’re a foreign tourist, you are probably in Italy because you appreciate Italian architecture, history, food, and much more. In Sirmione, you can find many different of these listed elements because Sirmione is a charming town in an exceptional natural environment, it has fascinating historical monuments, you can relax at the Terme di Sirmone, and of course, there is good food.
How is the weather in Sirmione?
How is the weather in Sirmione? The weather in Sirmione is very similar to that in all the other parts of northern Italy. Anyway, Lake Garda mild up the temperatures in winter when it’s cold, and in summer, it’s pleasant to stay close to the lake when it’s hot. To understand better, I can say that in summer you can swim in the lake, but in winter you need a coat and none, at least no one that is Italian, swim in the lake because it’s too cold.
What is the best time to visit Sirmione?
What is the best time to visit Sirmione? We have to consider more than one element. We have first to say that the winter is the best time to visit Sirmione if you don’t want to find it too crowded and in winter, the castle is used to be enlighted by the winter lights: it’s charming to see. To visit Sirmione, it’s better to choose o period of the year when it’s not very crowded; otherwise, parking the car is difficult. A good compromise between good weather and the crowd can be toward the end of the winter and the beginning of spring when the temperatures are warmer and there are usually fewer people. I vividly recommend you to avoid Sirmione during the Italian national holidays, especially in spring. All the Italians that can’t travel far like to go with their family or friends to the lakes for day trips.
How is the weather in Sirmione in summer and what should I wear?
Sirmione weather in Summer is hot, and since the second half of June, temperatures can reach more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit). The hot weather in Sirmione in Summer allows you to swim in Lake Garda, and you should dress light, with fresh clothing, especially during the day. Of course, wearing comfortable dresses during the day is better because you have to walk to visit the town. This is even more appropriate if you visit the castle, where you have to go up and take a lot of stairs. In the evening, however, you can choose a more elegant outfit. Summer is also the season when one of the most appreciated foods is ice cream because fresh and delicious.
Sirmione things to do
In Sirmione, you can:
- Visit the center of the town where there are many nice shops
- Walk along the Lake
- Visit the beautiful castle
- Visit the Roman Villa Grotte di Catullo
- Enjoy the food and especially one of the enormous ice creams!
- Viewpoints
Sirmione Castle
We are in Sirmione, Italy Lake Garda. The Sirmione castle is one of the most beautiful things you can visit here. Sirmione Castle dates back to the second half of 1300. Sirmione Castle is not only interesting for its history, on the contrary! Sirmione Castle is magnificent because you can go up to its highest tower and view Lake Garda and Sirmione from above.
The castle of Sirmione is certainly the symbol of this city and an obligatory passage to access the historic city center. To enter the main square on foot, we must cross a bridge that was once a drawbridge. Even today, you can see the holes where the beams were used to lift the bridge.
Features of the castle
The most attractive feature is that it is built directly on the lake. This makes the castle of Sirmione an excellent historical testimony and a beautiful tourist attraction. The castle is the protagonist of countless daily photos, both as a background and as a privileged observation point of the surrounding area.
You can admire the surrounding houses, the lake, and the characteristic dock from the top of its towers.
The towers are not all placed at the same height, which allows, reaching the highest points, to take photos, including the castle itself.
Going up a few steps 😉 you will reach the highest tower. The four sides of this tower face as many localities:
- Bardolino and Lazise
- Peschiera del Garda
- Desenzano and Padenghe sul Garda
- Manerba del Garda
All these localities are indicated on the Tower on the side concerned.
History of the Castle of Sirmione
Sirmione Castle dates back to the second half of the fourteenth century at the behest of the Della Scala family, who wanted to create a network of fortifications to defend their domains. The Della Scala family had conquered a vast territory.
The castle then passed to Milan as in 1387, Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan, occupied Verona and the connected Scaliger territory.
From 1405 Sirmione then passes to the Republic of Venice and remained in Venice for a long time, until 1797. After this date, the control of the territory passes to the French and then to the Austrians until 1861 with the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy.
The dock
It is very interesting to know that the characteristic dock where boats were docked in the 1800s had become a walkable courtyard. The continuous accumulation of debris had caused this.
In 1919, however, it was excavated and returned to welcome water inside, giving us these spectacular images.
The thermal baths of Sirmione: Le Terme di Sirmione
Sirmione is a beautiful historical location in which to stroll while enjoying Lake Garda is also famous for its spas: Le Terme di Sirmione, to be precise.
The Terme di Sirmione is a bit special as some pools have a lake view and overlook Lake Garda; they are a very romantic place. I have friends who one year chose the Terme di Sirmione for their very special anniversary.
The Terme di Sirmione is also generally open in winter, when you can immerse yourself in the warm waters of the pools while it’s cold outside. You need to consider that you can wear a T-Shirt and shorts in Sirmione in the summertime because it’s hot and you can swim in the Lage Garda. In winter, instead, you need long pants and a coat and none, at least no Italian one, swim in the lake because it is cold.
At nightfall, you can also see the lights of the towns along the opposite shore of the lake. Very beautiful and scenic.
Viewpoints
If we leave the castle of Sirmione behind us and set out to discover this town on Lake Garda, we will soon notice that on our left, there is no real lakefront to go along.
However, there are several panoramic points, excellent places to relax, and admire the view and the sunset. Here are some.
Panoramic point in Piazza Porto Valentino
One of the viewpoints is the Panoramic point in Piazza Porto Valentino
Marina of Sirmione
The Transportation Boat Marina is one of the best spots to see the sunset in Sirmione.
The pier
Another excellent point from where to see the sunset but not only is the pier. You can even walk on the pier and see some unexpected glimpses of Sirmione.
Sirmione Ice Cream
In Italy, there are many places where you can have good ice cream. In Sirmione, the ice cream is not only delicious but also enormous!
Sirmione Italy in Winter
Sirmione can surprise you in every season. Sirmione in winter is really worth to be visited. You should stay in Sirmione until the castle gets magically illuminated at night. Watch the video!
A day at Lake Garda Sirmione in winter
Here is the itinerary that I recommend for a winter day.
A romantic walk in Sirmione is beautiful and comfortable: you can take advantage of a large car park and immediately find yourself on the lake shore. You can enjoy the sun and the mild air in the early afternoon.
Walking along the lake shore, you can head towards the center of Lake Garda Sirmione. Entering the town is genuinely suggestive: a drawbridge leads to the arch between the very high walls of the castle in a truly unique atmosphere.
The Scaliger Castle of Sirmione is one of the best preserved in Italy: it is a majestic building and one of the few remaining lake forts. The lake surrounding Sirmone on all four sides makes Sirmione Castle unique; it really looks like the castle from the storybook illustrations!
Walking along the ancient walls, we can make the most of the winter light hours.
Enjoying the sun by accessing small beaches and walking on the piers is possible. Lake Garda Sirmione looks like a small floating island on Lake Garda; it is no coincidence that its name derives from the Greek syrma “tail”, “wake”. It seems to detach itself from the mainland and rise above the lake.
The town center is suggestive and elegant, with its cobbled alleys. It is very busy and full of shops, clubs, ice cream parlors, and restaurants, all of which tend to be refined.
Shops with gastronomic specialties, typical products, and delicacies for all tastes!
But let’s not immediately give in to gluttony and enjoy the beauty of the landscape, the fauna and flora of the lake for a while longer, walking on the piers and enjoying the last hours of the day.
Lake Garda Sirmione: The sunset
At sunset, Sirmione becomes even more suggestive. The sun creates plays of light between the Castle’s emeries and the lake’s water; truly a show not to be missed, romantic and evocative. The castle that dominates the village with its high towers and frosting creates a fairytale atmosphere. And the clear winter air enhances this feature.
At nightfall, it is easy to find something to refresh yourself. Sirmione offers a wide choice of clubs and restaurants in which to dine.
Not to be missed is the show of refined and elegant illuminations which brighten up the village in the evening.
Lake Garda Sirmione in June
As we have seen in this post, Sirmione is a very beautiful place to visit in any season, but how is Sirmione in June? Sirmione in June is a very popular destination both for Italians living in the nearby areas and for foreign tourists.
Especially during the weekends it is difficult, although not impossible, to find parking near the center. So you may have to leave your car a little further away, in one of the car parks along Via XXV Aprile.
In summer, you can always visit historical sites such as the castle of Sirmione or the caves of Catullo during opening hours. You can also simply enjoy the village in peace by strolling, enjoying an ice cream, an aperitif, or dinner in a beautiful panoramic restaurant.
Suppose you don’t speak Italian and want to have dinner. In that case, I think you won’t find any difficulties because of the language as in the restaurant the waiter spoke in English even to us who speak Italian, since the waiters are used to serving people of different nationalities.
In the following short video, you can see Sirmione in June. On this occasion, we only spent part of the day in Sirmione as we were previously in Desenzano del Garda. Taking advantage of the lengthening days, we arrived in Sirmione late afternoon.
We walked, enjoyed the view, and dined in a restaurant overlooking the lake. At the end of the dinner, the sun had not yet fully set, and therefore, we could end our day at Lake Garda by sitting at the pier to admire the sun’s setting, which gradually hid behind the mountains at 8:50 pm. Great way to end our beautiful day.
What is Sirmione weather in June?
Sirmione weather in June is hot, especially in the second half of the month, when the temperatures can reach more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit). The hot weather in Sirmione in June allows you to swim in Lake Garda, and you should dress light, with fresh clothing, especially during the day. Summer is also the season when one of the most appreciated foods is ice cream because fresh and delicious.
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