Summer Vacation! Where To Eat, Swim, Play & Stay in Italian Lake Garda's Lovely Sirmione

Enjoying Sirmione's Spiaggia Jamaica on a hot day!

​Lake Garda is enormous, so big in fact that your family could probably spend an entire summer here and still not see and do everything on offer. There are multiple amusement parks and aquariums, lots of beautiful towns circling the lake like jewels on a necklace, countless restaurants, special museums and archaeological ruins, a vibrant nightlife, and a huge variety of outdoor activities including boating, windsurfing, hiking, cycling, diving, swimming, camping and MUCH more.

If you have only a few days of vacation this year we suggest that you consider devoting one of them to Sirmione, a Lake Garda treasure.

Sirmione is a popular resort town set on an isthmus about 20 minutes by car from Desenzano. Well known for its thermal baths, Sirmione also boasts the beautiful medieval Scaligera castle fortress overlooking the lake, plus ruins of a spectacular Roman villa at the Grotte di Catullo.  

Our family spent two days enjoying this crowded but fabulous slice of paradise. Here are highlights to help you plan your own trip to the isthmus... including where to eat, where to swim, what to see, places to stay and how to get to Sirmione!

Highlights of Sirmione

Where To Eat:
Ristorante San Lorenzo (family), Il Girasole (date night), Rucola 2.0 (elegant)
The Bounty Bar (gelato!)

Where To Swim:
Spiaggia Jamaica

What To See: 
Roman Ruins at Grotte di Catullo
​Medieval Castle of "Rocca Scaligera"

Where To Stay: 
Hotel Marconi (reasonable), Hotel Eden (elegant)

How To Get There:
​From Desenzano LN026 Bus (20 minutes), drive (17 minutes) or walk (1 hr 40 minutes)
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Magnificent ancient ruins!

​Where To Eat:

​​Ristorante San Lorenzo (family)

Relaxing atmosphere at Ristorante San Lorenzo.

 
My kids and I stumbled into Ristorante San Lorenzo after a long, sweaty walk in 90F heat and humidity.  We felt hungry and exhausted. The restaurant's shaded outdoor dining area was blessedly cool and relaxing and our server was prompt and professional.  (He also spoke perfect English, though I tried hard with my Italian!)

Ristorante San Lorenzo's menu focuses on pizzas and pastas with plenty of vegetarian and gluten free options. My kids give high marks to the spaghetti bolognese and Margherita pizza, and I recommend the gluten free 'funghi' (mushroom) pizza. While the restaurant seems very reasonably priced, do watch out for the cover charges everywhere in Sirmione and remember that in Italy wine is cheaper than water!

Il Girasole (date night)

Nice place for a dinner date!

Il Girasole is situated toward the end of town far from the crowded and bustling entrance; this restaurant is one of the last buildings you will pass on your walk out to the ruins and the beach.  With simple but elegant decor and a nearly five star rating on TripAdvisor for its food, il Girasole is an easy decision.  It's important - especially in high season - to reserve your table in advance. Praised for its pizza, pasta, salads and meat/fish offerings, this restaurant would make a perfect place to take your sweetheart after a fun day spent swimming or boating together in the lake. Servers speak English here too.  Desserts earn very high praise!

Rucola 2.0 (elegant)

This highly rated Michelin star restaurant, tucked down a side street next to the Castle of Scaligera, is a wonderful place for both foodies and high romance... though probably not ideal with kids. The baked octopus starter with black mustard mayonnaise retails at 30 euro per serving and all tasting menus run 60 - 85 euro per person. The range of food options are wondrous, from deep water Rose shrimps in peach cream to seared scallops with black garlic and yuzu!  Rucola 2.0 features a fabulous wine menu and would be the perfect place to spend an elegant evening with the one you love.
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The Bounty Bar (gelato!)

Incredible gelato! Enormous!

Sirmione offers a tremendous array of gelaterias (together we counted at least 13), several of which sell giant cones with scoops of gelato larger than apples.  Wow!  Just wow!  We'd honestly never seen such enormous gelato cones - ever!  As my family walked down the street we noticed tourist after tourist rapturously enjoying their massive icy treats. Eleven year old Soccer Dude's eyes began to bug out with excitement.  "Can we get one?  Please?  Please?" 

With long lines winding out the door The Bounty Bar may possibly have the most interesting selection and the most impressive looking cones.  Featuring flavors such as "vaniglia nera" (black vanilla which was actually a gorgeous charcoal gray) and "Smurf" (a bright, delightful blue) along with kind, attentive service, this is a place to return to!
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Where To Swim:
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Spiaggia Jamaica

Unique, phenomenal Jamaica Beach!

Jamaica Beach in Sirmione is special. Nestled at the foot of the Grotte di Catullo, the beach itself (not sandy) sits against a backdrop of spectacular ancient Roman ruins and looks toward the stunning Garda limestone mountain range while surrounded on all sides by the crystalline waters of Lake Garda.

A bar sits in the shade of olive trees right above the beach.  It offers aperitifs and yummy drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Wandering down the path you will find yourself looking out upon a series of wide, overlapping rock plates where you can lay your towels or blankets (if the tide is low and rocks are dry) or play in shallow rock pools and slides (if they are wet).

​As you walk out closer to the actual lake, the water caressing the rocks becomes deeper and cooler with gentle waves breaking around your knees - which feels amazing on a hot summer day!  Tiny fish share these rocky pools with you and will dart in large schools all around your feet as you walk carefully out to the lake's true edge. ​

 
Serious swimmers like my husband will enjoy swimming all the way around the isthmus and checking out the ancient ruins from the water.  It's important to hug the shore when you swim though as there are myriad motor boats anchored just yards away from the edge of the rocks.

My kids spent hours enjoying this amazing place and I was awed by its setting.  We were swimming in the same spot where Emperor Catullus and his family swam thousands of years before, enjoying the majestic views.  Truly a bucket list experience!
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​What To See: 

Roman Ruins at Grotte di Catullo

This ancient Roman villa was built between the beginning and end of the 1st century AD.  It is beautifully preserved (in some areas reconstructed) and sits amid a large grove of olive trees overlooking splendid Lake Garda. The villa itself is thought to be the 'most important example of a high class residence in all of northern Italy'.  

As part of the price of admission you may tour its museum which houses many intriguing archaeological discoveries and treasures found during the excavation of the site in the 20th century, along with beautiful black and white photos taken in the 1940s and 50s.

If you're looking for an amazing place to propose marriage to your beloved, consider a leisurely walk along the grounds of the villa toward tip of the isthmus. Below this tremendous ruin and overlooking the sparkling lake, time seems to stand still. There could be no more romantic spot in which to declare your undying love!

​Medieval Castle "Rocca Scaligera"

The highlights of this beautiful medieval castle can be earned by climbing up its steep, narrow stone staircases (and one large metal one) to see panoramic views from the top.  Scaligera castle (created in the late 1200s) originally belonged to the Kingdom of Verona and it has a very interesting man-made walled harbor that the Veronese must have sailed their boats into for protection. The views from the top of the square-cut castle fortress are extraordinary and showcase its excellent defensive position. The castle controlled the only access point to the town of Sirmione.

The Scaligera fortress is one of Italy's best preserved ancient castles and it's well worth a visit.  One important note: if allergic to bees, beware!  Many, many bees live at the top of the castle inside of its upper walls and they may swarm around you as you walk by their hives.  


Where To Stay:
 
Hotel Marconi

​This beautiful hotel is pristinely clean and is fortunate in its excellent location - a quieter part of Sirmione past the throngs of visitors and right at the edge of Lake Garda. A real gem, Hotel Marconi is highly praised for its excellent service and outstanding breakfast!

Price per night starts at 91 euro. Note: Driving through the tiny narrow, tourist-filled streets of Sirmione to reach this hotel is very difficult. Consider parking outside of the town and walking in.

Hotel Eden

Called by some the most beautiful hotel on Lake Garda, this romantic boutique hotel is preferred by honeymooners and couples on special getaways. It boasts an amazing location, excellent service and extra touches such as sparkling wine waiting in your room for special occasions and private balconies overlooking the lake.  Hotel Eden has a modern interior, lots of sun beds, and terraces and restaurant overlooking the lake for peace and tranquility.  Rated the top hotel in Sirmione by TripAdvisor!  Rooms at Hotel Eden start at 160 euro per night.
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​Getting There: ​

Ferry travel to Sirmione is easy and fast from Desenzano!

From Desenzano there are many ways to arrive at Sirmione, most of which take less than 30 minutes.  

By Boat: 
Purchase ferry tickets at Piazza Matteotti - 25015 Desenzano at the office of Navigazione Lago Di Garda.  The trip by boat takes 20 minutes. 

By Car: 
The drive itself is in theory swift and easy around the lake... that is, if traffic and parking are not an issue.  During the off season you can make this drive in 15-17 minutes and there are lots of paid parking lots as you grow close to the isthmus.  At the height of summer this same drive can take close to an hour due to traffic and parking is next to impossible.  

By Bus: 
​Catch the LN026 bus from any of multiple stops in downtown Desenzano.  Tickets are 1.90 euro each way and can be purchased in one of the local Tabbachi shops in town. The buses themselves are clean, air conditioned and comfortable with beautiful seats and a nice view out the window.  20 minutes from Desenzano.

On Foot:
If the weather is mild and you've nothing else planned, this would be an easy and relaxing way to get your exercise for the day before touring the town of Sirmione. The walk from Desenzano is 1 hour and 40 minutes approximately.  We did the final 40 minutes of this walk after hopping off the bus too soon.  It was straightforward, however Google Maps put us traveling across a heavily broken wooden boardwalk for several blocks... impossible for a wheelchair or stroller to navigate.

No matter how you get there, Sirmione is a destination well worth your time.  It's rare to find a resort spot this popular that truly lives up to its hype.  This one does!
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Life is short.  Get out there and choose your own adventure! :)

Sunset from Sirmione, Lake Garda.

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