On our last trip to Italy, we spent a few days in Bellagio, and totally loved it. This time, we're thinking of going a little out of our way to see Lake Garda, particularly Sirmione. Could anyone who has been to Bellagio and Sirmione give me a clue as to whether we'd be disappointed in Sirmione (and Garda) or if Sirmione is as charming and delightful as Bellagio? We are looking for a similar experience (knowing, of course, that each little Italian town has a character all its own). If Sirmione isn't it, is there another place that might be more 'our kind of town'? Grazie!

The south end of Garda is nothing like Bellagio. It is flat and the town is very touristy. The north end of Garda is much more like Como--spectacular natural beauty.

Well, almost, Bob.

But the bizarre thing about Sirmione is that it's the location of just about the first piece of tourist puffery in our culture.

Gaius Valerius Catullus (80-something BC to 50-something BC) wrote what I've always thought is one of THE great pieces of vacuous literature about the peninsula (www.bartleby.com/245/82.html, or google to see if you can find a comprehensible, non-emetic, translation.

Certainly worth stopping off if you're driving along the Milan-Venice motorway to see what Catullus was getting so worked up about. And, BTW, what generations of classics teachers thought created great literature.

Sirminone and Bellagio have one thing in common: in season some of the most overrun with day trip tourists of any place in Europe - even approaching Portofino status.
that said i love these type places for people watching and after they go the towns are so fine. At Sirmione relatively few of the hoardes wander over to the remarkable Roman ruins - extant from the days flanner is waxing nostalgia about. Lake Garda is also very nice - more fjord-like in the north than other lakes - south yes flat but i've seen all the major Italian lakes and this one is tops for me from a scenic aspect - the boat ride from Sirmione area to Riva di Garda at the top where the lake funnels out of the Alps i found extremely nice. If have a day do the boat tour around the lake. I'd detour to do Lake Garda but not just for Sirmione. At Gardone Riviera is one of Europe's most bizarre sights: the estate where gabriale D-Annunzio lived and is entombed. This raconteur-WWI hero was kind of the Howard Hughes of Italy - his cars, planes and famous patrol boat in which he carried out war heroics are on show - his mausoleum in the park is in the form of a ship's bow looking out into the lake far below. Most weirdly the house has windows blackened out because he had some malady that caused him to avoid light as much as possible. Still a legend in Italy - the estate is very popular - short walk from boat dock in Gardone Riviera. Even in the south, a few miles down the peninsula from Sirmione is Pescheria del Garda - known for its remarkable citadel extant from around Napoleonic times - which many massive bulwarks.

Sirmione is definitely a tourist trap that's worth a quick detour but not an overnight stop. I like the fortifications, roman ruin, peninsula setting and my wife also enjoyed the shopping, sort of a miniature venice shopping. We like Bellagio as well though we were a bit bored staying two nights there (lack of good restaurants). I agree with PalQ suggestions if you have time.

Sirmione is different things to different people. I tend to agree with others that it is a little too touristy. It reminded me of Taormina, about which virtually everyone on this forum raves, but which left me cold. OTOH, my wife and the other couple we traveled with loved Sirmione. The castle is well-preserved and beautiful. The ruins, which most tourists don't reach, are spectacular. And, there are a number of good, if expensive, places to eat.
However, I find myself in the unusual situation of disagreeing with Bobthenavigator:I liked the lower part of Lago di Garda better. While the north end has beautiful scenery, it is really more German than Italian. Almost all the restaurants cater to the hordes of German and Austrian tourists who come down. The menus are in German and feature a combination of ersatz Italian and German dishes. The lower lake (Salo', Gardone, and particularly Torri del Benaco) have their own charm and to me seem more Italian. Desenzano has one of the best open-air markets (I believe on Tuesdays.)
If I were going to spend just one afternoon on Garda, I would see some of Sirmione and then take the ferry to Torri del Benaco or Salo' (don't drive from Sirmione to Torri del benaco because you will have to pass through Gardaland and the tackiest parts of the lake.)

We spent three days in Locarno, Switzerland, a few years ago. It was bit like Bellagio, only at the northern end of Lake Maggiore. A very pretty place. The next town, Ascona, is lovely, too.