What to do in Sirmione - 12 tips for a gem on Lake Garda

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated August 2026 | There is a lot to see and do in Sirmione on Lake Garda, on holiday. This gem offers, among other things, a historic castle, ruins from the Roman era, cozy alleys and nice outdoor cafes. Here we offer our best, personal tips!

Sirmione

Sirmione has been a place for relaxation and holidays since Roman times. Today, this holiday resort is perhaps more popular than ever and tourists flock here to experience the historic and relaxing environment. We travelled here with our motorhome and had a great day in the city.

Sirmione is located at the southern end of Lake Garda, and the historic centre sits on the tip of the narrow headland that extends into the water.

What to see and do in Sirmione?

So, what can you see and do in Sirmione? This town has a lot to offer, both in terms of historical sights and holiday activities. We share our top tips in a list.

1. Impressed by the Scaligero castle

First of all, you'll want to check out the Scaligero Castle, or Castello Scaligero as the castle is called in Italian. The castle was built in the mid-14th century by the powerful Della Scala (Scaligeri) family, who ruled Verona and the Lake Garda area between 1259 and 1387.

The castle is one of the best preserved castles in Italy and a unique example of a medieval fortified harbour, with a fully intact dock. Strategically located at the narrowest part of the Sirmione peninsula, the castle acts as a gateway to the historic centre of the town.

Those who wish can pay an entrance fee (currently around €6) to explore more of the courtyards, wall walks and towers. Even those who don't buy a ticket can see a lot of the fascinating castle.

2. Strolling the streets of the Old Town

The old town of Sirmione is incredibly cosy, with narrow alleyways, medieval arches and flowers spilling out between the houses.

There are also some more powerful streets with nice squares and beautiful houses, and of course there are plenty of restaurants and shops.

3. Shopping for lemon gadgets

You'll find all sorts of things in the small shops of Sirmione, but what stands out the most is all the lemon-themed, lemon-flavoured or lemon-scented items. You'll find clothes, crockery, textiles, soaps, scented candles, liqueurs and just about anything with a lemon theme. If you like lemons, this is heaven!

4. Check out the church of Santa Maria della Nueve

In Sirmione there is a church named Santa Maria della Nueve or Santa Maria Maggiore. Built in the 15th century on top of the remains of an even older church, this church was consecrated in 1512 and features 15th-century frescoes and a 15th-century wooden sculpture of the Madonna.

5. visit the Grotte di Catullo

Grotte di Catullo is by far the most important archaeological site in Sirmione, and one of the most impressive Roman remains in all of northern Italy. These are the ruins of a huge Roman villa from the first century AD. The villa was built at the very tip of the Sirmione promontory, with a stunning view of Lake Garda.

The name 'cave' comes from the fact that in the Middle Ages the ruins resembled caves, protruding from under the vegetation. The connection with the poet Catullus (84-54 BC) is uncertain. He certainly had links with Sirmione and wrote about the place, but the villa was probably built after his time.

Today, for an entrance fee, you can visit the ruins and the archaeological museum located on the site. Walking around here is fascinating, and you'll be particularly impressed by the sheer size of the villa, with living quarters, terraces, colonnades and private baths.

6. Walk along Lake Garda

One thing you can do in Sirmione, and which we did for much of our day, is to walk along Lake Garda. There are several nice walking paths, with varied views.

7. Sunbathing and swimming

Of course, you can also sunbathe and swim, if you are here in a season suitable for sunbathing and swimming. The most famous beach is La Spiaggia Giamaica (Jamaica Beach), which is located at the far end of the Sirmione headland.

In addition to that beach, there are several other smaller beaches. As it was hot when we walked around Sirmione, we took swimwear under our normal clothes, and when we suddenly felt overheated, we took the opportunity to take a dip... Nice!

8. Take a boat trip

As Sirmione is located on Lake Garda, there are of course many different organisers offering different types of boat excursions. For example, you can go on a mini-cruise around the Sirmione peninsula (25-30 minutes), longer sightseeing tours (2-4 hours), sunset cruises, tours to islands with swimming stops, and half- or full-day tours to various destinations around the lake.

9. Relax at the spa

As far back as Roman times, it was popular to use Sirmione's hot springs to build bathing facilities. The tradition is kept alive and it is still popular to bathe here, but in modern spa centres. The two most popular spa complexes are Aquaria Thermal Spa and Terme Virgilio.

10. Eat a huge ice cream

In Sirmione there are several ice cream parlours and the characteristic here is that the ice cream scoops are huge. We each bought a cup with two scoops, and they might be the biggest ice cream scoops we've ever seen. Afterwards, we realised that it's the same everywhere... unusually large ice cream scoops! Was the ice cream good? Yes, it was super good, but we still couldn't finish it ...

11. Enjoy on an outdoor terrace

Considering how full we were after the ice cream, there was no lunch for us, but on the way out of town we decided to sit down and have a beer each, at a cosy place by the water, called Barracuda.

We may have thought at first that €8 was a bit expensive for a 33cl bottled beer, but when the snacks came in we changed our minds about the price. At no extra cost, it included a bowl of chips, a plate of some small bruschetta and a small plate of fruit. Very nice!

12. take a trip to Parco Giardini Sigurtá and Borghetto

Half an hour south of Sirmione by car you will find a nice destination: the park Parco Giardini Sigurtá and the small village Borghetto. The park is huge and offers everything from ponds and flowers to historic buildings and domesticated animals. The village is incredibly charming, with a historic bridge and cosy little restaurants overlooking the river.

READ MORE: Parco Giardini Sigurtá and Borghetto near Lake Garda

More to see and do in Sirmione

There is of course even more to see and do in Sirmione, beyond our top tips. Here are a few more suggestions.

• San Pietro in Mavino is a church located almost at the far end of the Sirmione headland.
• Wineries are plentiful in the Sirmione area.

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

There are of course many different hotels and other accommodation in Sirmione. We travelled here by motorhome and then you have a few different options. The campsite with the best location is called Camping Sirmione, and in addition to this there are a few more campsites.

We chose instead to park reasonably close to town, in a paid car park for motorhomes at 11 Via C. Ederie, during the day. At night we camped just outside Sirmione, together with a whole bunch of other motorhomes, at a place called in the Park4Night app Pescheria del Garda, 2 Localita Bassana. As usual in Italy, it is important to fricamp discreetly and respectfully, and not to pick out tables and chairs etc.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

There is of course much more to see and experience around beautiful Lake Garda. We can recommend, among other things:

• Things to do around Lake Garda
• Riva del Garda
• Limone sul Garda
• Strada della Forra (note, not with a camper!)

More tips on things to see and do in Sirmione?

Have you visited Lake Garda? If so, do you have any more tips on what to see and do in Sirmione? Please share them with us!