Sirmione hot spring pool (Lido delle Bionde)

About Sirmione hot spring pool (Lido delle Bionde)

Sirmione, the peninsula stretching out into Lake Garda, is famous for its Scaliger Castle, the Grotte di Catullo and its spas, fed by the Boiola sulphur spring that rises from the lake bed. The spas charge for entry, but there is a corner where you can try the hot water for free: along the shore near the Lido delle Bionde, where the sulphurous water rises and mixes with the lake water.

At the source the water is extremely hot, around 69 °C, but by the time it reaches the shore it has mixed with the water of Lake Garda and becomes warm rather than hot. The temperature you feel changes with the season and with the lake level, so it isn't possible to give a precise figure: some days you notice the difference a lot, other days less. The view over the lake and the tip of the peninsula, however, is guaranteed.

You get there on foot from the old town in about 15-20 minutes, following the lakefront towards the Lido delle Bionde. The Lido is a public beach with free showers; bars, restaurants, paid toilets and sunbed hire are nearby. Along the same route there's also the so-called Jamaica Beach, with slabs of smooth rock, which can be slippery and has a bottom that drops away quickly: not ideal with small children.

Thanks to the moderate temperature and the facilities nearby, the Lido delle Bionde area also suits families. On sunny days and at weekends it's very busy, so it's best to arrive early in the morning. Remember that Sirmione's centre is a restricted traffic zone: leave the car in the car parks at the entrance to the peninsula.

After your swim, Sirmione offers one of the loveliest walks on Lake Garda: the castle on the water, the village lanes and, at the tip of the peninsula, the ruins of the Roman villa known as the Grotte di Catullo.