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.