A beautiful Italian town is hailed as 'a feast for the eyes' but nobody has heard of it.

       Sirmione is a resort town on Lake Garda in Lombardy, Italy. It’s known for its thermal baths and medieval castle.

       It has been included in a list of the best places to travel in Europe this year by European Best Destinations, alongside Batumi in Georgia and Ponza Island in Italy.

       The travel site described it as “a dream, a feast for the eyes, the icing on the cake of Lombardy”. It also called Sirmione “one of the most beautiful secret destinations in Italy”.

       Among its must-see attractions are the ruined Roman villa Grotte di Catullo, the medieval castle Rocco Scaligera and the town’s oldest church San Pietro in Mavino.

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       Also popular are the town’s thermal baths, where the sulphurous salso-bromo-iodine thermal water supposedly has “preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitative properties”, linked to the presence of the ancient Bojola Spring.

       There are a number of little beaches to be enjoyed around the lake, including Spiaggia Lido delle Bionde, Spiaggia Tifu and Limone sul Garda.

       The area is known for its produce, with olive oil and limoncello made from the olive and lemon groves that have been beside the lake since “ancient times”. Lavender, saffron and salami and white Lugana wine are also beloved local products.

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       Sirmione, a destination the Italians would prefer to keep to themselves, is not yet well known to the international traveller, making it perfect for a quiet getaway.

       The area has a nice average summer temperature, with highs of 30C and lows of 20C. In the winter, it gets highs of 6C and lows of 0C.

       Those wishing to visit Sirmione can fly into Verona from Birmingham and London with the town just a 40-minute car journey away. There are a number of places to stay in the area, including hotels and holiday lets.