Sirmione is a comune in the province of Brescia, on the peninsula of the same name in Lake Garda. The Ancient Roman poet Catullus, whose family owned a villa here, wrote an affectionate poem in praise of Sirmione. The surviving ruins of a magnificent Roman villa are popularly associated with the name of Catullus, though there is no solid evidence that the villa is the same or on the same spot as the one Catullus refers to.

Understand

Sirmione port

• 1 IAT Sirmione (Tourist information), Viale Marconi 6, ☏ +39 0303748721, iat.sirmione@provincia.brescia.it. Nov-May M-Th 09:30-12:30, 15:00-18:00, Sa 09:30-12:30. (updated May 2016)

Get in

By train

The closest railway station is Desenzano del Garda-Sirmione which is about 30 min. by a regional train from Verona Porta Nuova or from Brescia. The station is actually located at the Desenzano, so take a bus, a taxi from there or take a ferry from the Desenzano's harbour. A similar option is a railway station at Peschiera del Garda.

By boat

• 2 Ferry pier (At the historic centre, close to the Castello Scaligeri). A ferry perhaps the easiest option to reach Sirmione. There are connections to many the destinations at the shores of the lake, especially at its southern half. (updated Jul 2016)

By bus

• Linea LN026. Brescia-Verona NB: this line stops at the via Colombare which is quite out of the centre of the town, then use Centro storico navetta (below). (updated May 2016)

Get around

By bus

• 3 Centro storico navetta (shuttle bus). Connects via Colombare stop with the historic centre of the town (updated Jul 2016)

See

Castello Scaligeri

• 1 Castello Scaligeri (Scaliger Castle), piazza Castello 1, ☏ +39 030 28965218. Tu-Sa 8:30-19:30, Su 8:30-13:30. A 13th-century castle of Scaliger (della Scala) family. €4. (updated May 2016)

Grotte di Catullo

• 2 Grotte di Catullo (Area archeologica delle Grotte di Catullo e Museo di Sirmione), Piazzale Orti Manara 4, ☏ +39 030 916157. Winter Tu-Sa 8.30-17.00 (Museum 8.30-19.30), Su 8.30-14.00; Summer Tu-Sa 8.30-19.30, Su 9.30-18.30. Ruins of a Roman villa associated, though without solid proofs, with the poet Catullus. € 6.00. (updated May 2016)
• 3 Chiesa di San Pietro in Mavino. The first documents mentioning the church date from the 8th century. (updated May 2016)
• 4 Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve. A 15th century church. (updated May 2016)
• 5 Torre monumentale di San Martino della Battaglia (Tower of San Martino della Battaglia) (5 km S of Sirmione). mid Mar-mid Oct M-Sa 9-12.30, 14.30-19, Su 9 - 19; mid Oct - mid MarDal Tu-Su 9-12.30, 14-17.30. A tower and museum dedicated to the memory of King Vittorio Emanuele II and other people who brought independence and unification to Italy. €5. (updated May 2016)

Do

• 1 Terme di Sirmione, Piazza Virgilio, 1, ☏ +39 800 802125. The famous sulphur springs which are known to have special effects on catarrhal conditions, particularly those of the ear. (updated May 2016)

Sleep

• Piazzale porto 7 (Hotel). (updated Feb 2018)

Go next

Tower of San Martino della Battaglia

Go next

• Torri del Benaco - commune in Province of Verona
• Lake Garda - lake in Italy
• Verona - city in Veneto, northern Italy
• Brescia - Italian city in Lombardy