Sirmione

This weekend Peggy suggested that we go to Sirmione.  We had planned on going there while were in Verona for the couples conference, but we were too tired after touring Verona and came home instead.  It was a little over 1.5 hours away.  We got there and pulled into a large paid parking lot that counts the number of cars in and out so we knew there was a parking place somewhere.  After driving around for 10 minutes we went past the buses where it told us not to go and found a graveled lot and barely found a spot there.

Sirmione is a small narrow peninsula at the southern end of Lago Garda (the largest lake in Italy).  It has been the vacation spot for royalty and the rich for thousands of years.  From the parking lot it was only about 500 yards to the Castle.

The castle had draw bridges, a couple of towers and an ancient private marina where the royalty would park their boats.

 From the top of the tower here is a view of the old town and then the trees and such towards the end of the peninsula.

We strolled thru town and then came to a park where there we three small battery powered trains.  It cost 1 euro to ride the train past the hotels to the end of the Peninsula where there was a museum and the excavated grottoes of Catullus.

This excavated private residence was built in the 1st century BC

There were locations where you could see the original mosaic floor. These mosaic pieces are about 1/4 inch squares.

Other spots showed the large rooms that were on the top floor

We walked several steps to the edge of the cliff that dropped down to the lake.  Off in the distance you can see the vacationers laying on the long dock for that hotel

                              An old olive orchard surrounded the ancient villa.

                            And there were olives growing on some of the trees.

Here is an old room or patio that has been paved with tiny bricks about 1 by 2 inches each.

As we walked towards the far end of the ancient villa you could see some of the supports for the large building.

At the far north end of the building were many levels as the building dropped down to the lake shore.

It was really neat to look at.

Here are three old olive threes that have holes through the lower truck.

I have no idea how old the trees are.

After we walked thru the ruins we rode the little train back to the town.  The peninsula is also known for its hot springs.  This is the courtyard and entrance to the swimming pool.  Very fancy. we didn't go swimming but we did see that those that were all had identical swimming caps on.

We walked back through town, bought our mandatory souvenir refrigerator magnet and saw this gate way house with a fabulous flowering tree or vine.

After having lunch at one of the many sidewalk restaurants, we then wandered down the narrow streets.  You can see the castle at the end of this street.  Of course we got some gelato at one of the many many gelato shops in this town.  There are more very large gelato shops here than anywhere else I have seen in Italy.  This must be THE place to come for Gelato.