Having visited Lake Como in September when it was much quieter, we happened to be driving nearby to Sirmione in January, and so we detoured. I am glad we did. Yes it was cold and windy, not all of the shops and restaurants were open, but it did mean we could enjoy it much more. Reading other people’s reviews, and seeing how small it is with one way in/out, I can only imagine how horribly busy it must be in season. Didn’t eat or drink, just walked and headed out. Lovely views and a pleasant walk.

Beautiful place to visit for a day. I wouldn’t use as a base as I did, choose one of the towns that has a train station for access to other areas. I was so excited to eat in Italy and was thoroughly disappointed in every meal in Sirmione, bland, tasteless and overpriced. Bus drivers rude as hell if you ask a question and general attitude stinks throughout. I don’t need fawning over I’m pretty relaxed but dear me what a shame!

Only the crowds stop this charming place getting maximum marks . It’s rammed . We came over on a ferry from Desenzano stayed a couple hours then reluctantly left due to having to jostle to get anywhere within the tourist areas . Hopefully that’s only an August negative as the place is definitely worth visiting .

Lake sirmione is in the northern part of Italy, near Verona and just off the main Venice to Milan route. It is definitely worth a detour, although you might find that you need to park a while away and walk to the centre. The centre is a peninsula approached through an archway with stunning water, views and a castle. Many nice restaurants hotels and worth a wander through the old cobbled streets.

Sirmione old town is beautiful and well worth visiting for a few days. There are wonderful views, walks and attractions. My first impression was the crowds are worse even than Vernazza in the Cinque Terre. The quote from Withnail & I “we’ve come on holiday by mistake” came to mind as we entered. The good news is they congregate in the streets near the castle so can for the most part be avoided. There are some nice walks along the shoreline and through Maria Callas Park towards Jamaica Beach. While there it is certainly worth visiting Grotte di Catullo, a very interesting archaeological site and museum. A negative (apart from the crowds) is every shop seems to be either gelato or souvenirs. It’s very difficult to find a grocery shop even for basics.