Sirmione & Lake Garda

The plan was to go along the lake from San Benedetto where we slept to Sirmione, there we would rent kayaks, swim a bit and make a picnic at the lakeside. From the above mentioned plans, we managed to do only the picnic part.

That is where the properties start

The way to Sirmione

We discovered that you cannot walk along the lake, as it is full of private properties with huge villas and even bigger fences. So we had to go along the road. The route was more pleasant because of the ubiquitous jasmin and its smell, as well as the eco laur-fences and tasteful classy villas.
I was even wondering if that might be the place I could live in. Then I decided it would be nicer if my parents were living there, so that i could visit them whenever I felt like staring at the lake (mostly in summer:).


We walked 6.6 km and we made the picnic at the very beginning of the peninsula, after shopping in Conad (15 euros worth shopping for both of us included: two different types of salad, cherry tomatoes, olives, Stracchino cheese, dill dressing, bread, rice milk, orange juice and ice-coffee).

Local vinery 

There was the possibility of renting a double kayak for 10 euros an hour (a single one was 7 euros, 4 euros for half an hour). To the castle there were 3 kilometers left, and to the Roman ruins another 3.5km, so after the picnic we started to walk briskly towards our aim. Again - along the road, as you cannot go along the coast from the reasons already mentioned...

Next to the castle there were no visible kayak rental places but you could rent a speedboat. Anyway, after a shooting session and visiting the castle, swimming and running towards the Roman ruins there was no time left for even a half an hour kayak experience.

finally in Sirmione!

natural fence from laur 

One of the villas

strange trees around

Picnic time

our eating companions

The entrance to the castle was 4 euros. You can pay less when you are below 25 (2 euros) or you have a student card (but you need to have a faculty written on it.... for some reason... the guy selling tickets couldn't explain why, but was relentless).

The castle - quite cool. Around the castle - a moat with the blue water from the lake, of course with some dead fishes floating...

in front of the castle

the castle

The entrance to the castle was 4 euros. You can pay less when you are below 25 (2 euros) or you have a student card (but you need to have a faculty written on it.... for some reason... the guy selling tickets couldn't explain why, but was relentless).

The castle - quite cool. Around the castle - a moat with the blue water from the lake, of course with some dead fishes floating...

the main attraction of the castle

an "art" excibition

also "art" exhibition 

on the left - a piece of "art" and in the middle - the car 

After visiting the tower (you can do it in 10 minutes if you are not taking the pictures, if you are - time varies a lot depending on personal needs of the photographers), I run towards the Roman ruins just to discover it was another 4 euros for the entrance and that I wouldn't have time to get in anyway. I believed the word it was nice and run back to the castle, and then to the bus station. The ruins are only one kilometer from the bus station, but if you travel with a backpack and in flipflops, you need to reserve more time for
getting anywhere.

the route to the ruins

the view from the caste 

the view from the caste tower

The bus to Verona was leaving at 18:20 from in front of the post office, 5 minutes walking from the castle The trip cost us 3.50 euro (you can buy the tickets near the bus station, opened also on Sundays) and lasted one hour to the train station of Verona.

Lake Garda and the mystery of drowned fishes

In Italy, a lot of things take more time that I would like them to… Though I should already get used to it during my nearly two-year stay in Malta…

First, a friend of us who gave us a lift to Lake Garda (Lago di Garda: official page of Lago di Garda) was 45 minutes late, then we tried to refuel the car for 30 minutes, after that a brief toilet pause turned into a conversation over coffee and instead of 16: 30, we arrived at 19:00. Luckily, before sunset and fortunately in the right village, Peschiera di Garda (Peschiera del Garda: official website of Peschiera del Garda). At the beginning the plan was that, in order not to stray from the path, we would go to Brescia and from there we would take a train. I was so glad that we managed to bribe the driver with a big good chocolate bar with oranges, and she dropped us off near the highway, then we reached the town on foot.

Peschiera del Garda

Peschiera del Garda

Peschiera del Garda

The first thing that surprised us was a dead fish. Later it turned out that not only one but a whole lot of them. With our “pretending Italian” that sounded like Spanish with a singing accent we asked a roadside fisherman about the cause of this disturbing phenomenon, but he had no idea. Or maybe he had but did not want to share. Or maybe he was the part of conspiracy? It was difficult to say…

Dead fishes

The fishes floating belly-up almost discouraged us from swimming in the lake, but we managed to find a place where in the sight nothing dead was floating. For dinner, I ordered a vegetarian meal ... Ben was tempted to local fish paste. Until now he is alive. Ben is alive, I mean, not the fish… Later on I found out that this is a normal seasonal phenomenon and has not much to do with any toxins released to the water by any nasty factories. The details of the phenomena can be found in Italian under: http://www.larena.it/stories/Home/523684_i_pesci_morti_nessun_velenosolo_un_fenomeno_stagionale/?refresh_ce&scroll=40

What they are mainly saying is, that they don’t know exactly why the fishes are floating dead, but it is not the first time around this time of year and that the quality of water is checked and although there have been some changes, it is still under the legal limit. 

A place where we swam

The restaurant we found while walking (interlaced with press ups and sit-ups) was sensational - friendly staff, a very wide variety of meals (meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan options), and the food delicious. We were both surprised by the cooked - fried cauliflower with pumpkin mousse and roasted cherry tomatoes.

Vegan meal in the restaurant

Fair prices - considering, that:

• the quality and quantity of food was good,
• there was a pleasant atmosphere 
• it was placed on the shore of the lake, just a stone throw away from the water
• some of the income is spent on charity associated with animals, 
• this is the part of Italy where a lot of Germans and English are visiting and they, as stereotypes say, have loads of money.

For my cauliflower dish, a salad with cherry tomatoes and ricotta cheese, pasta with fish, a large bottle of water and the so-called "envelope" (service charge) we paid 28 euros (deducting 4 euros of the service charge and and 3 euros for water it is 10.50 euros per person for a  nice meal).

Pasta with fish

While going back to the campsite we encountered next two surprises: otters! and closed gate to the campsite. Otters, unfortunately, could not be photographed because it was too dark, but looked quite “chubby” – most probably because of the increased nutrition on easily available fishes:)

And the camping site gate, well – we jumped over it. We made use of the climbing lessons. On the campsite zero stress, no loud music, no screaming kids and drunken rowdy teenagers. Only the croaking of frogs and other sounds of nature.

Ben jumping over the gate

Seen animals: thousands (most of them – mosquitos and drunk insects with long legs and quite big wings)

Dead fishes: at least 60 (fishes)

Killed animals: a couple of mosquitos 

Drunk insect with long legs and big wings

In Peschiera di Garda you can actualy sleep on the beach. We discovered it walking along the lake at night. Close to where we saw the otters, were some people sleeping, someone was snoring, someone was still (or maybe already) fishing. So – it can be done. We booked a camping place, as it was supposed to rain. Well, it didn’t.

If it we haven’t had Verona in plans and already booked accommodation there, we would have stayed in this relaxing place, joined the snorers and the otters in their night activitiesJ  

The restaurant - Vecchio Mulino Beach Restaurant (official website with menu and pictures: http://www.vecchiomulinobeach.com/)

As to the restaurant, I discovered later at home, that Vecchio Mulino restaurant (at Passeggiata Lago Porto Bergamini, 37010 Peschiera del Garda, Italy) that we accidently ate our delicious dinner at, is one of the best restaurants around Peschiera di Garda (reviews on tripadvisor written by 380). How lucky we were:) As it is quite unusual that a nice view comes with delicious food, with competent and friendly service and a very pleasant atmosphere of the place, accompanied by humanitarian prices:)

The restaurant had also a wide range of desserts that we were very tempted by, especially that we had the foretaste of the skills of their chef... and they looked absolutely yummy (some pictures of the desserts). We resisted the temptation, after all it was already after midnight... and we didn't want to "catch up" with all the calories we lost doing our situps session...