After the Brescia Art Marathon: Sirmione and Desenzano

The Route: Brescia → Desenzano del Garda → Sirmione → Desenzano → Brescia Logistics: Regional train from Brescia to Desenzano, about 20 minutes. From Desenzano, a local bus runs to Sirmione in roughly 30 minutes, or a ferry links the two in season. Marathon Month: March Duration: 2 nights

Brescia ──(20 mins train)──> Desenzano ──(30 mins bus)──> Sirmione
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                         Lakefront + Roman villa      Castle + thermal baths

Lake Garda is Italy's largest lake, and its southern end is the flattest part. In March, the water is grey-blue and cold, the boats are few and the peninsula at Sirmione is quiet enough to walk without dodging anyone. It is a good place for two nights of doing nothing.

March on the lake: mild by northern Italian standards, with daytime temperatures often around 12 to 16 °C, and wind that can make the shore feel colder. Some hotels and ferries are on winter schedules, and several restaurants stay closed until Easter.

Regional trains between Brescia and Desenzano del Garda run frequently on the Milan-Venice line. Check trenitalia.com for the Monday timetable. A bus service links Desenzano station with Sirmione, but frequency varies, so check the operator's site before you rely on it.

Night one: Desenzano del Garda

Desenzano is a working town on the lake, with a real market and a harbour, and it is the best base for the train. The lakefront promenade is flat, and the old harbour is a short walk from the station. Above the town is a small castle on a hill, with a modest climb of a few minutes.

The main historical attraction is the Villa Romana, a Roman villa with well-preserved floor mosaics. Check the current opening hours and ticket price, as the site is small and can close on some days.

For dinner, lake fish such as lavarello and trout are the local dishes, along with the Lugana white wine made from grapes grown just south of the lake. Choose a place in the old harbour and check whether it is open on a Monday night.

Hotels in Desenzano are mostly a short walk from the station or the lakefront. A room within a few minutes of the harbour keeps the walking to a minimum. Rates are lower in March than in summer.

Night two: Sirmione

Sirmione is a narrow peninsula pushing about 4 km into the lake, with a medieval castle at the entrance to the old town. The Rocca Scaligera, a fortress built by the Scaliger family in the thirteenth century, has a moat and a harbour inside its walls, and the climb up the tower has steps, so it is one to skip if your quads object. Interior access and prices vary, so check locally.

The old town is pedestrian-only and the streets are smooth and flat, which makes it one of the easier historic centres to walk on tired legs. At the tip of the peninsula are the Grotte di Catullo, the ruins of a Roman villa, with a path through olive trees and views over the lake. The site is open most of the year, but the path is uneven in places and the hours change in winter.

The thermal baths are the recovery option. Sirmione's hot springs feed several spas, including Aquaria, and a soak in mineral-rich water is a recognised way to ease sore muscles. Check opening days, prices and whether you need to book, and take swimwear and a towel if the spa does not provide them.

Hotels in Sirmione are concentrated on the peninsula. Choose one near the old town entrance so that the walk from the bus stop is short. Many close for part of the winter, so confirm that yours is open in March.

Getting home

From Sirmione, take the bus back to Desenzano station and then the train to Brescia. If you need an airport, Verona Valerio Catullo is about 30 minutes from Desenzano by train and shuttle. Check timetables and leave a buffer for your flight.