Sirmione Siesta

We had an organised tour of Sirmione booked this morning, and as it involved a boat for some part, we were all concerned about the weather. We could not help but hear the pouring rain overnight. The morning however dawned cool and overcast, the rain seemingly having rained itself out!  

We found the meeting point outside the city wall and joined by 7 others, we boarded a boat manned by Carl, who took us around the end of the Peninsula of Sirmione and back through the secure castle harbour to the Porto Turistico, i.e. the tourist port. 

During the half hour cruise we learnt what a valuable area this had been to the Romans, with its narrow neck enabling it to be fortified and access controlled. Hence the impressive Roman Villa which had once occupied the furthest point of the Peninsula. It became known as the Grottos di Castullo when the overgrown ruins were first discovered in the 15th Century, as it was  believed to be a series of natural caves, or grottos. Now it is a famous archaeological site. 

The tour continued by foot, exploring many places we had already discovered during our own wanderings, but there was of course, plenty of information provided by our guide by way of explanation. 

The sun returned intermittently throughout the afternoon giving us the opportunity to have lunch in the poolside cafe where, Sheryl and I agree, they serve the best Chicken Caesar Salad we have ever tasted, and then spend some time pursuing whichever brand of relaxation we chose. 

One bonus of the guided tour was that we found a restaurant we hadn’t seen before, which also came highly recommended by our guide, so Kim booked a table for dinner. 

We met in the hotel foyer, a space shared by the many cats who roam the hotel, and strolled around to Bon Ton Bistrot at 7pm where we received exceptional service and enjoyed delicious fresh food. The pizza Primavera consisted of a thick but light and airy based pizza topped with the sweetest cherry tomatoes I have ever tasted, and garnished with basil. There was a hint of mozzarella, but not the quantities we coat pizza in at home in Australia. I have learnt much in Italy about keeping foods simple, and allowing the ingredients to shine rather than hiding them behind overpowering sauces, dressings and other condiments.