On the south coast of Lake Garda, at the end of the peninsula of Sirmione, in a splendid panoramic position are the remains of a Roman villa known for centuries as the "Grotte di Catullo", the most magnificent example of private building of noble character in the whole North Italy.
During the Renaissance, the name of "caves" or "cavern" was used for underground structures and During the XV and XVI centuries, the tradition has identified this complex as the family villa of Catullus, the Latin poet who died in 54 BC.
According to the testimony of Catullus' it is certain that he had a residence in Sirmione, but it is not certain it was in this area. Sirmione belonged to Verona and, in the past, it was known to be a station along the important road that joined Brescia to Verona.

The long and narrow strip of land extending out into the Lake Garda between Desenzano and Peschiera has an enchanting charme. Sirmione is a particularly characteristic town, which reflected itself in the water of Lake Garda.It is a well-balanced union between modern and ancient beauty. This beautiful peninsula is also the home of precious thermal waters, that have been well known since the antiquity. The thermal baths in Sirmione consist of 5 sites where you can have thermal cures.
The history of the thermal baths of Sirmione began at the times of the Romans, who used to visit them during the 1st century a.C.
The rediscovery of their thermal properties however, is recently dated and precisly in 1889, when Procopio a venetian sea diver, equipped with a diving suit and special pumps supplied from England, dived to a depth of 20 metres into lake.
He was the first who reached, in the area around Catullo villa, a hot water spring which had been known to exist for three centuries.
After several attempts he succeeded in planting a long pipe into the rock face. From it a jet of sulphurous water gushed out to a height of over 5 metres above the surface of the lake. It was a great achievement and the press reported the importance of it throughout Italy.
The origin of thermal waters of Sirmione is meteoric, it springs about 30 miles away, in the watershed basin of Mount Baldo in Veneto at 2200 meters above sea level, going 2100 meters below sea level where it is enriched with minerals becoming hot.

Sirmione Castle (XIII century) is full of towers and crenellated walls. It was a stratetegical basis for controlling the lake. This important castle was built in the thirteenth century, probably, by Mastino I della Scala.
It is surrounded by water and has an internal porch with Roman and medieval stone. There are some steps from the second fence, which is accessed by a drawbridge: from here you can admire the striking dock, an ancient sanctuary.
The doors were fitted with different locking systems: from the drawbridge carriage and pedestrian, to the metal sluice, and in more recent times, to the door on hinges. Sirmione, thanks to its geographical position, becomes the focal point of defense and control until the sixteenth century when the post is taken from Peschiera.
Venezia attaches Sirmione to its Republic in 1405 and it works to make the rock even more secure strengthening the walls and widening the old dock.

On the border between two regions, Lombardia and Veneto, south of Lake Garda, Valeggio is situated on the morainic hills that overlook the Po plain, close to two wonderful cities of art, Verona and Mantua. The valley of the Mincio, which crosses it from north to south, is a landscape of great natural charm, and the habitat for numerous species of birds.
Here, the economy is closely linked to the territory and is based on agriculture, a deep-rooted tradition and an increasing industrial activity, which has hampered the consolidation in recent decades, of a popular tourist destination.
Classified as "City of Art" for its artistic heritage, Valeggio sul Mincio can offer much to those who want to spend a holiday of culture, nature and gastronomy.
The valley of the Mincio and the hilly area surrounding Valeggio are perfect for long walks and cycling along many streets surrounded by the green. In Borghetto there is cycle track that follows the course of the river Mincio, to the North, Peschiera and Lake Garda, about 15 Km ahead and, to the South, the lakes of Mantova, connecting with other interesting cycling routes.

Castello Scaligero (XIII-XIV sec.) overlooks Valeggio and the Mincio valley from the top of the hill, keeping unchanged the evocative grandeur of the medieval fortifications. Almost completely razed to the ground by an earthquake in 1117, remains the only Round Tower, a unique building a horseshoe of X century. The rest of the complex dates from the fourteenth century. In July and August the courtyard becomes a stage for the events of entertainment, culture and film review.

In Borghetto the landscape is dominated by the Visconteo Bridge. An extraordinary fortified dam built in 1393 by the order of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan, in order to ensure the impenetrability of the eastern borders of the duchy. It's 650 mt.long and about 25 mt. wide, with the road to 9 mt. above the river; that's why, it is commonly called "Ponte Lungo". Completed in 1395, after only two years of intensive work, it was connected to the Castle by two high walls and battlements built into a fortified complex called "Serraglio", which extended for about 16 Km until Nogarole Rocca. Villa Maffei was the sumptuous summer residence of the Counts Maffei, lords of Valeggio and Monzambano since 1649. It was designed and built by the architect Vincenzo Pellesina (1637-1700) who inspired the most famous projects of Palladio. During the Risorgimento wars it housed Carlo Alberto of Savoy, Radetzky (1848) and Napoleon III (1859). On the back of the villa, in the "brolo", extends the Parco Giardino Sigurtà.

 

 

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