I know that normally the good is suppose to come before the bad and the ugly, but actually, our horrible experience at the hotel in Sirmione was just a bad beginning to what turned out to be a very good day, so much so as to almost wipe the memory of the morning from our minds. We found a friendly pizza place for lunch where they didn't seem to care that we were dripping wet, although the waitress did raise her eyebrows when my friend ordered a tuna and onion pizza with no mozzarella but with anchovies instead. Even the hoards of Germans who dominate the tourist business in the Veneto and have caused wuerstel to appear on every pizza menu haven't changed the idea that you don't mess with Italian culinary tradition.
After lunch, and feeling relatively dry again, we went to visit the remains of the Roman villa which lie at the very point of the peninsula. According to its name, the villa belonged to the Roman writer Catullus but in fact historians don't believe that he ever lived there. The villa was enormous, with its own baths and olive groves and even if you're not very interested in Roman history, the ruins combine with the views over the lake to make a very scenic place to wander around for an hour or so.
After the villa, we visited the castle. Despite a childhood spent running around endless old Scottish fortresses, I think this is one of the best castles I've ever visited. It has a drawbridge, a moat and interesting parts that stick out into the sea, as well as towers that you can climb to get a fantastic view of the peninsula and the lake. Highly recommended.
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