"Place of the Magica ..." a Sirmione Travel Page by SabrinaSummerville

I believe that Gorgeous George Clooney has a house in Sirmione on the shores of Lake Garda and, having just spent a week there, I am not even vaguelysurprised. The only thing that strikes me is that George cannot be too arrogant, as his handsome charms undoubtedly pale in conmparison to the beauties of this Historical town.

This town, as with several of the other lakeside towns, is walled and as the streets are so narrow traffic access is restricted to, well, all but buses! The etrance to the walled old town is romantically across the moat surrounding the Castle. The cars are meant to do no more than 2 miles an hour, but I warn you to take care - those Italian drivers all think they're at the Grand Prix ;-)

Our Hotel was the four star Sirmione and it's perched on the edge of the lake just inside the walls of this town. The place is incredibly quaint with some of the prettiest buildings I have ever seen.

One of the main reasons that people return to Sirmione year after year is to experience the beneficial affects of the sulphorous waters that supposedly rejuvenate (aha, now we have discovered Swooney Clooney's big secret!!).

Our hotel swimming pool war a thermal sulphurous pool and I believe that some of the other hotels have a similar service. There is also the Aquaria at the top of the old town which is open to the public. Some spa treatments are free under various government schemes but more of that in my tips.

One thing that did strike me is that the majority oif guests in the resort were the over sixties - maybe it was the time of year, or maybe it was the search for eternal youth, but these people were full of fun!

Wherever you go in Sirmione the views are out of this world - views of the lake, the mountains, the bougainvillea covered ancient buildings, the narrow cobbled streets....need I go on?

Why not take a champagne sunset cruise in a motorboat to enjoy the views at their mort romantic? Or just sit sipping a strong coffee at a streetside cafe shaded by a tree and watch the world go by? My favourite viewing spot is at a little restaurant I discovered the very first day - I'll post the view pic here and the tip inside these pages:-)