I've been trying to get online to see about buying tickets to visit the Scaliger Castle and Catullus Caves in Sirmione. The site doesn't ever open. Could it be closed because it's too early in the season to buy tickets? We are going the first of June. Do I need to keep trying, or is it possible to easily buy a ticket on the day we want to go?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17564 posts
I don’t know about the castle, but you don’t need to book a ticket for the Grottoes of Catullus in advance. The site is huge and not crowded.
We went in September and walked there from the ferry dock. There was a short line, maybe 5 minutes. The whole site is well signed, beautiful, and pretty amazing.
Posted by
OP
66 posts
Thank you, Lola. I won't look any further for tickets for the caves.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17564 posts
There aren’t any actual caves there; it is excavated ruins on several levels. You can see nice aerial views on these websites:
https://pescart.com/grotto-of-catullus/
https://www.bresciatourism.it/en/things-to-do/catullus-grottoes-sirmione/
Note that the latter webpage has a link to the “official website” that will load ( for me, anyway) but it is a 2019 version and obsolete.
If you are there in summer you might like to swim at “Jamaica Beach”, the wide rocky area on the right side of the grotto site, with shallow blue-green water. My husband did when we visited. But be careful, as the wet rocks are very slippery.