Sirmione and Lake Garda area
When I was younger I thought that living near the sea side would fill fill all my needs; sea, sun and fun.
But growing up, and growing out of disco's, night life and busy streets, I start to value the cozy atmosphere of the lake side.
Garda Lake has always been one of my favourites, and if I would be able to buy a house in a lake side in the northern Italy, I don't think I'd hesitate too long to think of Sirmione.
The location for this city is just perfect.
From Verona airport it takes only 30 to 45 minutes by car to reach anywhere at Sirmione. Same time to Verona and Brescia down town. It takes two hours by car to drive to Milan, to Bologna and to Venice.
And if I like to visit mountains within 1,5 hours I am at Trento.
Sirmione has a mite climate; wine, lemon and olive grows there.
As it is in the south of the lake, the summertime last a bit longer than in the northern part, at Riva del Garda.
I once flew over Sirmione by helicopter and I couldn't believe my eyes as the lake shore has similar colours as the mediterranean sea; turquoise and blue.
I visited Sirmione and Garda Lake on June 2017 with two of my old colleagues from The Netherlands. One is my best friend from Serbia, my travel buddy as I would like to call him and the other one a Finnish lady I used to work in one of those diamond "factories" in Amsterdam nearly 25 years ago.
First of all we had an excellent hotel, between Sirmione old town and Colombare, that is the district just before the old town. From our hotel we got a lake view to both sides of the lake. Hotel itself was clean and cozy. Although it was fully booked we never had the feeling that it was noisy or uncomfortable. It had all the services one would need in a week; swimming pool, private lake side beach, free use of bicycles, umbrellas, canoe, water bikes, beach beds and private parking.
It was easy to leave my car at the parking lot and take bikes to go out for diner.
The day of the arrival we enjoyed the lakeside and the swimming pool.
In the evening we headed to old town for diner.
The next day we had planned a trip to Verona. As we had a plan to enjoy our diner in a fancy restaurant and we wanted to go dressed up, we left later on in the afternoon. Verona down town is not really huge, so walking in the main streets takes only few hours. We visited the famous balcony of Juliet from the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet, the riverside and Arena of Verona from ancient Roman empire period.
To eat well at Verona I suggest to go a bit further from the main squares and main streets. But I do totally understand if you feel like sitting in the Arena Square and have the view if you don't mind of the quality of the food. We enjoyed our diner in a small street just behind the Arona Square that offered mainly local farmer products.
As one of the most famous and expensive wines in Italy grows in the hills of Valpolicella just north west from Verona, I suggest you to taste it here, in this region. And if your wallet allows, by some of it as a souvenir or to offer to friends when they join you to see your holiday photos.
The day three we wanted to visit first the local market at the area of Lugana in Sirmione and then head to have some lunch at the town near by; Peschiera del Garda. I kind of have feeling with this small town and wanted to show it to my friends. There is a fortress to visit to those that are interested in history and many lovely restaurants next to the canals. We even saw a guy giving gondola tours, just like in Venice.
Peschiera has several amusement parks, such as Gardaland, sea world and many more and offers cheap accommodation with their many campings. And these campings are really good; with swimming pools and supermarkets. I have my favourite hotel near downtown, but unfortunately it is so favourite that I hardly never manage to book a room.
After a lovely lunch we got back in our hotel and enjoyed the sun and the sunset, before heading for a diner to the Old Town of Sirmione.
At this period even thought it was the weekend of public holiday, we had no problems of getting seated in a restaurant.
At the day four we wanted to visit Salo, that is in the Lombardic side of the lake. Driving there wasn't a good idea; it took nearly two hours to get there. There is ferry service from Sirmione faster than a car. This small town is totally hidden in the bay. Salo is historically important town in northern Italy: During the Mussolini's fascism period Salo became an independent republic.
15 years ago Salo got hit by an earthquake that is not common in this part of Italy. Not much harm, and no human lives were lost. But I remember it. I woke up in the middle of the night when my bed was shaking; 35 km north of Milan, nearly 200 km away from Salo.
On our way back, after a lovely lunch we stopped in one of those local wineries to fill our "cantina".
In the evening we had diner in a restaurant specialised of food from Puglia, a southern region of Italy. It was the night when Juventus played against Real Madrid and unfortunately lost.
If you think Italians are hooligans and fanatic about soccer, you might be right with the second option. Even thought people who aren't supporters of Juventus, wanted to see this match of such importance. We got lucky by being seated in the restaurant with no advance reservation.
On day 5 we just enjoyed the relaxed morning in the beach and each one of us did what they wanted. My female collegeau headed to visit Sirmione in the morning, while me and my Serbian friend did the same tour in the afternoon. Our hotel offers a really a good breakfast until 10 am and we were not hungry. Besides it was far too warm to eat anything, except ice cream. Italy is famous for it's ice cream; nearly every ice cream bar has it's own laboratory producing their own ice cream. And the variety of different taste is huge.
After a main portion of ice cream that has same amount of calories as a plate of pasta, we visited the old Roman palace at Sirmione.
And because we liked the restaurant of the day before, we had our diner there.
On day 6 we decided to go and visit Venice. On our way we took a drive along the river side of Padova that still has several beautiful old palaces from the period of renaissance.
Once at Venice, we left our car near the railway station and decided to walk instead of taking water bus. This walk needs good shoes and excellent legs and love for walking. We walked nearly 15 km in just 6 hours.
Venice is famous of it´s canals and bridges and it is not possible to drive a car, bike or anything like Harley Davidson out there. My suggestion is to visit Venice once, like we did, just for a day, to get the picture and then come back for 5 days at least to visit museums and art galleries. Unless you are in one of those "once in the life time tour": Take time to visit Venice properly.
Every second year Venice holds Biennale, an art exhibition that last 6 months. And every year Venice holds a film festival. Famous actors such as George Clooney and Brad Pitt are regular guests at the film festival.
It would be interesting to visit Venice during the carnival period; all dressed up with their typical masks.
Talking about the masks; if you are up to a local hand made mask, a real artisan art work, be ready to pay over €150 each. You may also find cheap "made in china" imitations in every souvenir shop.
Near the Rialto bridge a new luxury shopping centre has risen; one of our ex colleagues work there and we payed a visit to her. This shopping centre is located in an old mansion with a court yard nowadays covered. I found it really interesting that they have left it as much original as possible.
To eat in Venice might turn out frustrating and not necessary as delicate as many tourist might think.
Most restaurants have turned out as "tourist traps" offering low quality, high price and bad service. The main rule is again to avoid main squares and streets; nearly impossible.
Visit to the San Marco Square is always so emotional; How in heavens name such a city have survived so long and with all the difficulties in the past history?
Once we drove my Serbian friend to the Venice airport from where he headed to an other location, me and my female colleague drove back to hotel. On our way back we had pizza in the area of Lugana, in Sirmione, and went bed early after such an interesting day.
As the day 7 was a rainy day, and it wasn't a good idea to visit cities near by for touristic reason, we visited Desenzano, just 8 km from Sirmione, because it's extended market. When women are travelling be prepared to spend at least one day for shopping only. And this market really offers everything.
With some money I could have bought anything from shoes to household items.
In the afternoon we kept on hoping sunshine and sat under the umbrellas in the beach, but it was only the day after that the sun showed up while we needed to leave back home to Milan. But as women are travelling, we stopped by in an Outlet Village near Lake Iseo. And since we were so close to that lake we had lunch and aperitif there before getting back home for diner.
I wouldn't mind having a small flat at Sirmione. It truly offers just about everything; busy weekends if I'm looking for it and relaxed weekdays. Even in the high touristic season. The temperature is so mite that it is easy to enjoy dining out from late March until early November.
Several shore areas are also dog friendly.
And due to it's bicycle paths, I think I'd just love it out there.
If you are planning a vacation at Sirmione, feel free to contact me,
to be your personal host.
For group reservations and other land arrangements, please contact
www.kairos-travel.eu
info@kairos-travel.eu
When I was younger I thought that living near the sea side would fill fill all my needs; sea, sun and fun.
But growing up, and growing out of disco's, night life and busy streets, I start to value the cozy atmosphere of the lake side.
Garda Lake has always been one of my favourites, and if I would be able to buy a house in a lake side in the northern Italy, I don't think I'd hesitate too long to think of Sirmione.
The location for this city is just perfect.
From Verona airport it takes only 30 to 45 minutes by car to reach anywhere at Sirmione. Same time to Verona and Brescia down town. It takes two hours by car to drive to Milan, to Bologna and to Venice.
And if I like to visit mountains within 1,5 hours I am at Trento.
Sirmione has a mite climate; wine, lemon and olive grows there.
As it is in the south of the lake, the summertime last a bit longer than in the northern part, at Riva del Garda.
I once flew over Sirmione by helicopter and I couldn't believe my eyes as the lake shore has similar colours as the mediterranean sea; turquoise and blue.
 |
| The view from our hotel |
I visited Sirmione and Garda Lake on June 2017 with two of my old colleagues from The Netherlands. One is my best friend from Serbia, my travel buddy as I would like to call him and the other one a Finnish lady I used to work in one of those diamond "factories" in Amsterdam nearly 25 years ago.
First of all we had an excellent hotel, between Sirmione old town and Colombare, that is the district just before the old town. From our hotel we got a lake view to both sides of the lake. Hotel itself was clean and cozy. Although it was fully booked we never had the feeling that it was noisy or uncomfortable. It had all the services one would need in a week; swimming pool, private lake side beach, free use of bicycles, umbrellas, canoe, water bikes, beach beds and private parking.
It was easy to leave my car at the parking lot and take bikes to go out for diner.
The day of the arrival we enjoyed the lakeside and the swimming pool.
In the evening we headed to old town for diner.
The next day we had planned a trip to Verona. As we had a plan to enjoy our diner in a fancy restaurant and we wanted to go dressed up, we left later on in the afternoon. Verona down town is not really huge, so walking in the main streets takes only few hours. We visited the famous balcony of Juliet from the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet, the riverside and Arena of Verona from ancient Roman empire period.
To eat well at Verona I suggest to go a bit further from the main squares and main streets. But I do totally understand if you feel like sitting in the Arena Square and have the view if you don't mind of the quality of the food. We enjoyed our diner in a small street just behind the Arona Square that offered mainly local farmer products.
 |
| At Verona |
As one of the most famous and expensive wines in Italy grows in the hills of Valpolicella just north west from Verona, I suggest you to taste it here, in this region. And if your wallet allows, by some of it as a souvenir or to offer to friends when they join you to see your holiday photos.
 |
| the river Adige |
The day three we wanted to visit first the local market at the area of Lugana in Sirmione and then head to have some lunch at the town near by; Peschiera del Garda. I kind of have feeling with this small town and wanted to show it to my friends. There is a fortress to visit to those that are interested in history and many lovely restaurants next to the canals. We even saw a guy giving gondola tours, just like in Venice.
Peschiera has several amusement parks, such as Gardaland, sea world and many more and offers cheap accommodation with their many campings. And these campings are really good; with swimming pools and supermarkets. I have my favourite hotel near downtown, but unfortunately it is so favourite that I hardly never manage to book a room.
After a lovely lunch we got back in our hotel and enjoyed the sun and the sunset, before heading for a diner to the Old Town of Sirmione.
At this period even thought it was the weekend of public holiday, we had no problems of getting seated in a restaurant.
 |
| sunset seen from our hotel beach |
At the day four we wanted to visit Salo, that is in the Lombardic side of the lake. Driving there wasn't a good idea; it took nearly two hours to get there. There is ferry service from Sirmione faster than a car. This small town is totally hidden in the bay. Salo is historically important town in northern Italy: During the Mussolini's fascism period Salo became an independent republic.
 |
| Salo |
15 years ago Salo got hit by an earthquake that is not common in this part of Italy. Not much harm, and no human lives were lost. But I remember it. I woke up in the middle of the night when my bed was shaking; 35 km north of Milan, nearly 200 km away from Salo.
On our way back, after a lovely lunch we stopped in one of those local wineries to fill our "cantina".
In the evening we had diner in a restaurant specialised of food from Puglia, a southern region of Italy. It was the night when Juventus played against Real Madrid and unfortunately lost.
If you think Italians are hooligans and fanatic about soccer, you might be right with the second option. Even thought people who aren't supporters of Juventus, wanted to see this match of such importance. We got lucky by being seated in the restaurant with no advance reservation.
 |
| roman ruins |
On day 5 we just enjoyed the relaxed morning in the beach and each one of us did what they wanted. My female collegeau headed to visit Sirmione in the morning, while me and my Serbian friend did the same tour in the afternoon. Our hotel offers a really a good breakfast until 10 am and we were not hungry. Besides it was far too warm to eat anything, except ice cream. Italy is famous for it's ice cream; nearly every ice cream bar has it's own laboratory producing their own ice cream. And the variety of different taste is huge.
After a main portion of ice cream that has same amount of calories as a plate of pasta, we visited the old Roman palace at Sirmione.
And because we liked the restaurant of the day before, we had our diner there.
On day 6 we decided to go and visit Venice. On our way we took a drive along the river side of Padova that still has several beautiful old palaces from the period of renaissance.
Once at Venice, we left our car near the railway station and decided to walk instead of taking water bus. This walk needs good shoes and excellent legs and love for walking. We walked nearly 15 km in just 6 hours.
Venice is famous of it´s canals and bridges and it is not possible to drive a car, bike or anything like Harley Davidson out there. My suggestion is to visit Venice once, like we did, just for a day, to get the picture and then come back for 5 days at least to visit museums and art galleries. Unless you are in one of those "once in the life time tour": Take time to visit Venice properly.
Every second year Venice holds Biennale, an art exhibition that last 6 months. And every year Venice holds a film festival. Famous actors such as George Clooney and Brad Pitt are regular guests at the film festival.
It would be interesting to visit Venice during the carnival period; all dressed up with their typical masks.
Talking about the masks; if you are up to a local hand made mask, a real artisan art work, be ready to pay over €150 each. You may also find cheap "made in china" imitations in every souvenir shop.
Near the Rialto bridge a new luxury shopping centre has risen; one of our ex colleagues work there and we payed a visit to her. This shopping centre is located in an old mansion with a court yard nowadays covered. I found it really interesting that they have left it as much original as possible.
To eat in Venice might turn out frustrating and not necessary as delicate as many tourist might think.
Most restaurants have turned out as "tourist traps" offering low quality, high price and bad service. The main rule is again to avoid main squares and streets; nearly impossible.
Visit to the San Marco Square is always so emotional; How in heavens name such a city have survived so long and with all the difficulties in the past history?
 |
| San Marco Square |
Once we drove my Serbian friend to the Venice airport from where he headed to an other location, me and my female colleague drove back to hotel. On our way back we had pizza in the area of Lugana, in Sirmione, and went bed early after such an interesting day.
As the day 7 was a rainy day, and it wasn't a good idea to visit cities near by for touristic reason, we visited Desenzano, just 8 km from Sirmione, because it's extended market. When women are travelling be prepared to spend at least one day for shopping only. And this market really offers everything.
With some money I could have bought anything from shoes to household items.
In the afternoon we kept on hoping sunshine and sat under the umbrellas in the beach, but it was only the day after that the sun showed up while we needed to leave back home to Milan. But as women are travelling, we stopped by in an Outlet Village near Lake Iseo. And since we were so close to that lake we had lunch and aperitif there before getting back home for diner.
 |
| Aperol Spritz vs Campari Spritz |
I wouldn't mind having a small flat at Sirmione. It truly offers just about everything; busy weekends if I'm looking for it and relaxed weekdays. Even in the high touristic season. The temperature is so mite that it is easy to enjoy dining out from late March until early November.
Several shore areas are also dog friendly.
And due to it's bicycle paths, I think I'd just love it out there.
If you are planning a vacation at Sirmione, feel free to contact me,
to be your personal host.
For group reservations and other land arrangements, please contact
www.kairos-travel.eu
info@kairos-travel.eu
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