Sirmione and the Grottoes of Catullus

Sirmione sits on a narrow peninsula jutting into the south of Lake Garda. You enter the old town across a drawbridge by the moated Scaliger Castle, a 13th-century fortress rising straight out of the water, which you can climb for the views.

At the tip of the peninsula are the Grottoes of Catullus, the ruins of a huge Roman villa among olive groves, with views over the lake. The town is also famous for its thermal spa, fed by hot springs in the lake bed; the Aquaria spa is open to day visitors. Sirmione is very busy at weekends and in summer: arrive early or by boat.