Discover Sirmione on Foot: a journey through nature, lakeside views and history
A lakeside walk from Punta Grò to Sirmione Castle until Catullo Grotto reveals birdlife, quiet beaches, local traditions famous Castle and the Roman ruins of the Grotte di Catullo.
PART I
🌿 From Punta Grò to Colombare: where the lake breathes through the reeds 🌿
🪶 Punta Grò: where the reeds whisper
The southern coast of Sirmione begins in one of Lake Garda’s most peaceful and authentic corners: Punta Grò. Here, the water merges with long stretches of reeds swaying in the wind — home to herons, grebes, coots, and above all cormorants that perch on wooden poles and branches rising from the shallows. It’s one of the most remarkable bird-watching areas on the lake, a quiet wetland where nature still follows its own rhythm.
⚓ The Fisherman’s House
Next to the beach stands the Casa del Pescatore, a small local museum recalling the time when Sirmione lived from fishing and the lake itself. Simple but evocative, it tells of a world before tourism — when life here revolved around boats, nets, and the changing seasons.
☕ La Fenice: a sweet lakeside pause
Continuing toward Colombare, the trail runs beside the reeds, offering wide, ever-changing views of the water. A few steps further lies the Caffè Pasticceria La Fenice, a beloved stop known for its artisanal pastries — among the best on the lake. It’s also a lovely spot to enjoy a glass of Lugana wine from the renowned Ca’ dei Frati winery, a symbol of local winemaking tradition.
🌳 Colombare lakeside promenade
Here begins the lakeside promenade of Colombare di Sirmione — a well-kept and easy path shaded by trees and bordered by tranquil waters. Along the way, cafés and restaurants invite you to linger, including the Ristorante Savoy, one of the area’s most reputable and scenic dining options.
🌅 Light and water at Porto Galeazzi
The walk is simple and accessible to everyone. On clear days, it offers a splendid panorama over the Gulf of Sirmione and the wide southern basin of Lake Garda, stretching toward the distant hills. The route ends at Porto Galeazzi, where the lakeside path continues toward the Sirmione peninsula and the ancient Grotte di Catullo.
🏘️ Colombare: Sirmione’s everyday heart
Those wishing to explore inland can take a short detour to Colombare di Sirmione, the town’s practical and commercial center. It’s not the most scenic part, but it’s where everyday life happens — the working heart that keeps Sirmione alive all year round.
PART II
🌿 From Porto Galeazzi to the Grotte di Catullo: Sirmione’s timeless peninsula
From Porto Galeazzi begins one of Lake Garda’s most iconic walks — a gentle path that slowly leaves behind the modern part of Sirmione and enters its historical soul. This stretch marks the transition from the urban waterfront to a greener, more elegant landscape, where century-old trees alternate with graceful villas and hotels that, since the early 1900s, have made Sirmione a symbol of beauty and well-being known around the world.
🏰 The Scaligero Castle and the ancient gateway to the lake
As the peninsula narrows, the Scaligero Castle rises ahead, surrounded by water like a dream from another age. Built in the late medieval period, it is one of the best-preserved castles in Northern Italy, with towers reflected in the lake and a moat that still fills with turquoise water. Crossing its drawbridge, you enter the walled heart of old Sirmione — a maze of alleys, stone houses, flowers, and slow footsteps echoing centuries of history.
🌅 The lakeside path and the charm of the eastern coast
Beyond the castle, the walk continues along the eastern shore of the peninsula. Unlike the western side, which glows at sunset, this coast faces the rising sun and is known for its clear beaches and luminous mornings. The air smells of cypress and oleander, and the lake widens between the rocks in dazzling shades of green and blue. Here, time seems to slow down.
🏖️ Lido delle Bionde and the hill of San Pietro in Mavino
Following the promenade, you reach Lido delle Bionde, a beloved swimming spot set in a natural bay fringed by olive trees. From here, a small path leads uphill into the inner part of Sirmione, where the Church of San Pietro in Mavino stands in a quiet park of olive trees and ancient oaks. Dating back to the 8th century, it is one of the oldest churches on the lake — silent, shaded, and fragrant with wild herbs.
🏛️ The Grotte di Catullo: where poetry meets the lake
Finally, at the very tip of the peninsula, lie the Grotte di Catullo — the monumental remains of a Roman villa built between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. Overlooking the water from a high terrace, it was once a place of retreat and inspiration for the poet Catullus, who celebrated Sirmione as “the pearl of islands and peninsulas.” The ruins open to the lake like an amphitheatre of light and stone, where history, landscape, and poetry merge in one of the most extraordinary archaeological sites in Northern Italy.