Scaligero Castle

The Castello Scaligero in Sirmione is one of Italy's best-preserved moated fortresses, a 14th-century military complex that effectively seals off the narrow peninsula of Sirmione on the southern shore of Lake Garda. Built by the Scaligeri, Verona's dominant medieval dynasty, it served as a naval base controlling southern Garda's waters — the walled inner harbor where warships once docked still survives intact. Drawbridges, battlements, and a tall keep remain largely unaltered, exceptional for a structure of this scale and age, earning it designation as an Italian national monument. Visitors cross the moat drawbridge, walk the fortified walls, and climb the tower for a panorama across the lake.