SIRMIONE

The town stretches over a 4km long peninsula that sticks out into the bottom of the lake, symbolically dividing Desenzano from Peschiera.

Anyone who goes to visit it remains totally enraptured. In fact the variety of periods help make Sirmione an Italian excellence. Le Grotte di Catullo (The Catullus Caves), for example, are associated to the Roman times, and their remains are still open to the public. However, some of the featured churches, such as San Pietro in Mavino, situated on the highest point of the peninsula, belong to the Lombard era. While the castle, with its distinctive profile, is a legacy of the Scala age. But the biggest attraction is perhaps represented by Terme, famous throughout the world: the hot spring water was acknowledged in the sixteenth century but the lack of resources prevented the use of the water for some time. It wasn’t until around the nineteenth century that the work was carried out and the first spa was built.

All this gives Sirmione its charm, but also an unbeatable geographical location that makes it unique in the visitor’s eyes. One visitor…. Maria Callas was so fascinated that her husband, at the time Meneghini, gave her a villa, which later became Villa Callas, not to be confused with the palace dedicated to her in Piazza Carducci.