Roman Ruins, Shopping Streets and Night Life
On the southern shores of Lake Garda, you will encounter two extremes: On the one hand there is the thriving town of Desenzano, a popular shopping destination with the locals from the surrounding area and a buzzing party town, especially on a Saturday night. When going for a stroll on such nights, you will find it hard to squeeze through the crowds of mainly young people filling the streets of the pedestrian zones. On the other hand there is Sirmione, which in itself is a small village, very different from its hectic neighbour. Although the hubbub in the streets is very lively during the day, the evenings in Sirmione are truly contemplative.
The southern shore of Lake Garda lies embedded in a landscape that has nothing in common with the ambience of the small towns at its northern end. Whereas the north is very much a mountainous area, the surroundings of Desenzano and Sirmione are flat and resemble the Po Valley. You can still see a few hills here, the southernmost foothills of the Alps, but apart from that, there is nothing to obstruct your view. Desenzano sits in a wide bay, which enabled it to expand. Sirmione occupies an inimitably romantic position: situated on a long and narrow peninsula jutting out into the green waters of the lake. The waves lap on the flat limestone terraces that have been sculpted for millennia by the glaciers that once shaped the entire Garda basin. If the end of the ice age hadn’t come along, the glaciers would also have consumed the Sirmione peninsula. That would have been a great pity, since the winding lanes in the romantic Old Town are one of the favourite tourist attractions on Lake Garda.
As attractive as the southern tip of Lake Garda may appear today, it was contested bitterly and bloodily in past times. In the 13th century, the population of Sirmione was almost exterminated. Since the people were being suspected of heresy, a cruel Scaliger ruler ordered to have a big massacre. Whoever survived was burned at the stake in the Arena of Verona. In 1859, much blood was shed on the battle fields of Solferino, when Italy fought against Austria in its attempt to become a unified nation state.
Other places may have prettier lakeside promenades, but the Mole of Desenzano is certainly unrivalled. It is therefore no wonder that at sunset, the pier is not only a spot for anglers but offers a romantic backdrop for lovers too. Unfortunately, the big lanterns are also a favourite hunting ground for mosquitoes...
