Citytrip Verona, Italy
June 2018






Day 2
Sunday, June 10th


Yesterday at the end of the day we made plans for today. One of the places that I want to visit is Sirmione at the south shore of Lake Garda. In my teens I have visited this town with my parents during our stay in Riva del Garda, located on the north side of the Lake Garda. I have only vague memories of this visit left, but I always remembered the fish swimming through the clear water and the pleasant temperature of the water. Up North at Riva the water was really cold, much to cold to swim in.

We are off to the train station at Porta Vescovo were we take the nine o′clock train to Peschiera. To Peschiera because Sirmione has no train station. From Peschiera you can take either the bus or the water taxi to Sirmione. The water taxi looks fun to us, so head for the box-office at the port of Peschiera where it docks.

 


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Verona, Porta Vescovo

Verona, Porta Vescovo



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Verona, Porta Vescovo

Verona, Porta Vescovo



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Train to Peschiera

Train to Peschiera



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Train to Peschiera

Train to Peschiera



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Peschiera del Garda

Peschiera del Garda



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Peschiera del Garda

Peschiera del Garda



 




Unfortunately the boat to Sirmione has left some time ago. The next one leaves in an hour or two. We do not want to wait that long for the boat to return. Another option is Lazise. The man who sells the tickets assures us that Lazise is worth the visit also. Tickets to Lazise it is! Sirmione has to wait.

The boat to Lazise is at the verge of leaving. They are literally waiting for the both of us. With the tickets at hand we run across the plank onto the boat, which immediately leaves for Lazise. We find a seat on the open deck and enjoy the cool breeze while watching the scenery pass by. It takes about a minute or thirty to reach Lazise. We dock, people get off the boat, people get on the boat, and off she goes again in Northern direction.




 




The thing that strikes me immediately is de laid back atmosphere in this town. Compared to the noisy Peschiera with its traffic, Lazise is a sleepy kind of town. The lake side of Lazise is decorated with a beautiful boulevard where people stroll around in the sun and the cool breeze blowing across the lake. The water near the shore is dotted with ducks and swans that are bobbing on the cool refreshing water, while watching the tourists on the hot boulevard.

We sit down in the shade at one of the many restaurants and order some coffee. That allows us to observe people for an half hour or so. Lazis is a small community and does not have many sites of interest. The most important tourist attraction is the Castello Scaligero. Or should I say, what remains of the ancient Scaligero castle.

 






Lazise del Garda

 




The first information about Lazise dates back to the period between 888 and 961 during which this town was not subject to any feudal lord, a great accomplishment for those times. Between 1375 and 1381 Cansignorio della Scala strengthened the walls that surrounded the town. Included in this defensive structure were twenty towers and three doors. He also ordered the construction of the Scaliger castle, which at the time belonged to a complex of defensive works in the territory of Verona.

Subsequently, there were four centuries of Venetian rule in Lazise, which became the most important town on the Verona side of the lake and the castle was used as a residence for the magistrates of the Venetian Republic.

 




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Lazise, Castello Scaligero

Lazise, Castello Scaligero



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Lazise

Lazise



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Lazise

Lazise



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Lazise

Lazise

 




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Port of Lazise


Port of Lazise

 




During many years the castle has been subject of abuse and used as a source for stones to build houses with. The inner stairs of the four towers were even removed. The Count Buri bought the castle, and conserved what was left, also restoring some parts of it that were not completely destroyed. The ancient harbour of the castle became a swamp due through negligence, and was later transformed in a garden.

Having strolled around in the town centre for a while we are beginning to feel thirsty and hungry. Lunch time at Lazise! We find a cosy restaurant Pizzeria Cordonega in one of the narrow streets and sit down for a meal. Obviously accompanied with Lugana wine. Bruscetta for a starter and spagheti carbonara for me this time.

 




 




Rested and fed we venture out in the direction of the castle itself. Unfortunately you cannot get very close to it, so we walked around it taking a few photographs of it. Then, near a camping entrance, we stumble across a man who is selling boxes of cherries from the trunk of his car.

These look really appealing so we buy a box and go to the park and children′s playground facing the castle. We find a cool shady spot underneath a tree and sit down. Having washed the cherries at the water tap in the park we start munching away. Simply delicious! So sweet as these cherries are, kissed by the sun so to speak! Too much to handle at once, the rest we take with us.

As we walk back to the pier, we come across a small clothing shop named ″Corner91″. I notice they sell clothing of the German ″Camp David″ brand, which I like a lot. Good fit, good materials and sportive prints and designs. You can hardly find anything of this brand in the Netherlands. This shop has a huge collection. T-shirts, polos, body warmers, shorts, pants, shirts, you name it! We leave with two really nice polos. That was a nice surprise!

Wating for the boat that will bring us back to Peschiera we indulge in some Italian ice cream. ″Tutti Limone″, only lemon flavour for me! After half an hour the boat shows up, and we are off to Peschiera, the train and the apartment.











and welcome!


 





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Train tickets

Train tickets





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Ferry folder

Ferry folder



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Ticket to Lazise

Ticket to Lazise



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Lazise, street light

Lazise,
street light



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Lazise, street light

Lazise,
street light



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Lazise, wall vegetation

Lazise,
wall vegetation



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Lazise, wall vegetation

Lazise,
wall vegetation



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Lazise, lunch time

Lazise,
lunch time



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Lazise, lunch time

Lazise,
lunch time