Things to Do in Sirmione, Italy

Quick facts: The Scaliger Castle was originally built in the 13th century to protect the town from water attacks. The fortress is uniquely surrounded by water, resembling a medieval ship.

Highlights: The castle's drawbridge and tall towers offer a perfect panoramic view of Lake Garda and the Sirmione peninsula. Additionally, there is a chance to explore the medieval prison cells, which is a rare experience in most Italian castles.

Quick facts: The basilica is an 8th-century church, one of the oldest buildings around Lake Garda. Its unique frescoes preserve the imprint of medieval religious art on three levels.

Highlights: Among the frescoes on the building's three levels, those on the lowest level depict medieval representations of faith and life, offering a rare sight to visitors. A feeling of peace and tranquility emanates from the courtyard pool, which served as a cooling spot for the tired feet of pilgrims.

Quick facts: In this district stands a castle over a thousand years old, the best-preserved medieval fortress on Lake Garda. Walking through its narrow, winding streets, visitors can travel back in time to the atmosphere of old Italian towns.

Highlights: The old town's special feature is the medicinal spring beside the castle, which, mixing with the lake water, creates a unique microclimate for bathers. The tiny cobblestone streets and lookout points towards the lake offer unique photo opportunities at every corner.

Quick facts: The harbor can accommodate about 300 boats and is one of the busiest spots on Lake Garda. It is located directly next to the historic city wall, offering a beautiful waterside panorama.

Highlights: The special feature of the harbor is the view of the nearby Scaliger Castle, whose towers seem to watch over the water traffic like guards. In summer, local fishermen sell their hand-caught catch on the shore, providing a fresh and authentic experience.

Quick facts: Two huge frescoes decorate the walls, one depicting scenes from the life of Jesus, while the other shines down on visitors from the ceiling. The church is a unique blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles, which is rare in the region.

Highlights: An interesting fact is that the frescoes on the walls are over 700 years old and tell stories of the past with their original vibrant colors. Under one of the frescoes hides an old statue, believed by locals to bring good luck.

Quick facts: Sunlight ricochets off underwater calcium carbonate slabs, turning the shallows an electric turquoise that rivals any ocean beach. Wading out over the submerged foundations of an ancient Roman villa adds a genuinely surreal layer to an otherwise simple lake swim.

Highlights: Float in the waist-deep natural pool carved into the flat rock shelf and watch sunbeams light the submerged villa walls just below your feet. Scramble to the far edge where the shelf vanishes into deep blue for a bracing, heart-in-throat plunge.

Quick facts: Roughly one million tulips bloom across 600,000 square meters every spring, a floral wave that peaks for only two to three weeks. A spiral staircase at the heart of the hedge maze lets you climb above the confusion, and the grounds hold oak trees that have stood for over 400 years.

Highlights: The Great Oak, a 400-year-old giant near the castle, throws shade across a clearing wider than a tennis court, a canopy so vast you feel tiny beneath it. Climb the hedge maze's central tower and look down on visitors wandering in circles below, a moment of quiet triumph you won't forget.

Quick facts: Over 5,000 creatures swim through 40 display tanks connected by a 10-meter underwater tunnel where sharks glide just inches above your head. A walk-through coral reef habitat teems with clownfish, rays, and seahorses in one of northern Italy's largest marine collections.

Highlights: Glass floors and a central shark tunnel put you face to face with sand tiger sharks during daily feeding dives, when divers swirl ballerina-like through the water while narrating through speakers. Children can lean over a touch pool, stroking starfish and sea urchins while keepers reel off each species' name and backstory.