Arrivederci Milano

We farewelled Milan this morning and I must say, after a relatively sleepless night, the room being too hot, but if we opened the window it sounded as though we were on a formula one circuit, I was not sorry to say goodbye. I get the impression Milan never sleeps!  

We were ready for our drivers nice and early, but only one had arrived by our arranged 10:30 departure time. Five of us were loaded into the back of the van, but three remained on the footpath. A phone call told us that he had gone to the incorrect Una Hotel in Milan. When finally, the very apologetic young man arrived, we were able to depart the city, about half an hour late. 

The one and a half hour drive to Sirmione was uneventful and fairly uninspiring, until we got out first glimpse of Lake Garda. But from the first sighting of water, to our arrival at the Olivi Hotel, took quite some time as we navigated the throng of tourists, in order to drive across Ponte Levatoio di Sirmione past the castle and into the historic old town situated on a picturesque peninsula at the southern end of the lake. 

Our hotel rooms were not yet ready, so we were shown to the restaurant beside the pool, where we relaxed and enjoyed a delicious lunch. When they were ready we found our rooms to be spacious, somewhat quirky, in keeping with the rest of the hotel’s decor, and with stunning views over the lake. The hotel and natural spa seems like a wonderful opportunity to unwind, rest and recuperate for a few days. 

We wandered into the heart of the village once we had settled in, exploring the sights and the shops, until Aperitivo called us into a bar. The Limoncello Spritz was delicious, but the accompanying snacks did not compare to the quality array we received when ordering Aperitivo in Santa Margherita … I mean, a tiny bowl of equally tiny savoury biscuits and three small packets of crisps thrown on the tables between us … meh! 

Dinner was in the Hotel restaurant at 19:45 and we were treated to some lovely dishes ranging from vegetable soup to fish, tagliolini with white meat ragu, and sirloin steak with baked potatoes, alongside the usual provided breads and a strange goats cheese and pear compote to ready our palates for the meal. It was all delicious, no-one complained and everyone was very quiet. We were all either hungry, tired, or both.