We arrived as the sun was setting.. amazing
Sirmione is not in peak tourist season in December so there wasn't a lot of people there at all when we visited, but still so nice!
I could only imagine this being such an amazing place to visit in the summer!
This is the entrance into the city! The only way in is through the castle! #miloandme
We stayed at the Le Reve which was an awesome location! Since its not high travel season it was pretty inexpensive.
The entrance! It was a very cute newly renovated place.
Our bedroom! she let us choose which room we wanted since there was only 2 other families staying there and I liked this one best located on the very top floor with the balcony overlooking the lake.
We stayed in the Audrey room!
The view from our room!
Yes there are real palm trees in Sirmione! Makes you feel like you've gone south but you haven't really at all! Just a little west of Asiago!
Wandering the streets at night! We really wanted to go to the spa but Kevin forgot his swimsuit and it was 40 euro to buy a not so nice one at the spa and you also need to bring your own flip flops which are 10 euro each at the spa. It is nice that its open till midnight and you can just pay to go for an hour if you like. Next time we will know better!
The pier!
so tranquil..
On our walk to Grotto di Catullo! you could pretty much walk the entire peninsula from the castle entrance to Grotto di Catullo at the very end! It is just a 12 minute walk!
Sirmione has been settled since the Stone Age, with early finds showing that it was probably a small village of fishermen living in houses on stilts on the banks of Lake Garda.
Rich Romans, for example, built holiday villas on the end of the peninsula, of which one still exists: The "Grotto of Catullus" on the end of the Sirmione peninsula is a bit of a misnomer as it is neither a grotto nor - contrary to what some tourist blurbs would have you believe - did the Roman poet Catullus ever live there. It was originally termed a "grotto" in reference to the run-down and collapsed walls.
My boys! The great thing about having Milo with us is that we can walk around with him almost everywhere we go when we travel and I love that! Europe is so pet friendly!
As far as the history goes, Catullus lived before this building ever existed (although his family did own a villa here). The villa itself is a three-story building from around 150AD (Catullus died in 54BC) and the main sights to be seen are the supports for what was once a patrician villa for a rich family.
Beautiful views of the ruins, mountains, and Lake Garda!
peace & love,
K . A . M
