I LANDED IN A FAIRYTALE ON LAKE GARDA: the town of Sirmione. The spell was cast from the moment the cab glided over a drawbridge, under an archway that had been the town’s gate, and then appeared the perfectly preserved thirteenth-century Scaliger Castle, adorned with turrets and banners. Happy tourists milled about enjoying super-sized gelato cones. It was the perfect beginning to enchanting days in this tiny treasure-of-a-peninsula, that can leisurely be strolled from top-to-bottom, in about twenty minutes.

Along that stroll, you’re surrounded by sweet antique shops, peaceful parks, and flower-festooned villas, including one where the legendary opera diva Maria Callas took peaceful refuge, during the height of her career in the 1950s.

At the tip of the peninsula, you’ll discover where ancient Romans once feasted and partied: remains of a first-century AD villa, that’s the most extensive Roman ruins in northern Italy. As you admire mesmerizing sparkling lake views, backed by mountains, you’ll understand the words of the lyrical poet Catullus, who praised this vacation spot in verse thousands of years ago: “Sirmio, you jewel of all peninsulas…”

To make the bliss complete, the sulphorous Boiola hot spring is funneled into Sirmione spa establishments and hotels. These healing, mineral rich waters that bubble up from the lake, were enjoyed by the imperial Romans and Renaissance nobility, and then seemed to have disappeared. In 1889, a brave Venetian diver took a plunge into the lake with a pick to search for the legendary spring. Following hot bubbles, he struck just the right spot, causing a dramatic gush to the lake’s surface, applause from onlookers, and the diver’s proclamation: “It’s not water, it’s fire!” The discovery inspired the town’s spa business and grew Sirmione into a popular European tourist destination.

Taking the waters here is a joy, and especially beneficial to those with respiratory or skin problems. Of the many places to soak, here are two favorites:

• Aquaria Thermal Spa: Pretty gardens and gracious palm trees surround this contemporary-styled complex, where you can bliss out in pools set lakeside, settle into relaxing rooms with tranquil views, and indulge in an excellent range of treatments. It’s open evenings, and wonderful to experience at sunset.
• Hotel Sirmione: Opened in 1890, right after the rediscovery of the Boiola spring, this 4-star is ideal for immersing yourself in Old World tradition. Rooms come with terraces and castle views, there are jazz concerts in the cocktail lounge, and with a half-board deal, you get charming waiters at the Dar Poeti serving such specialties as risotto and lake fish. You’re free to pad around in your robe all day, soak in the indoor and outdoor thermal pools, and enjoy massages and facial treatments in the hotel spa.

Spa Info: www.termedisirmione.com

TIP: Sirmione continues to honor diva Maria Callas with concerts of arias performed in their Santa Maria medieval church or full productions at their Palazzo Congressi. For event info: www.sirmionebs.it