Sirmione has always felt slightly apart — a slender peninsula reaching into Lake Garda, dotted with Roman ruins, cypress trees, and grand Italian villas. Near its tip, this newly listed waterfront home — offered through Italy Sotheby’s International Realty (price upon application) — spans nearly two acres of private parkland, with a dock that extends into the stillest part of the lake.

Set behind gates, the property comprises a main villa, a lakeside annex with guest accommodation (in total, 10 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms), a gatekeeper’s house, and a greenhouse, with a pool and tennis court tucked discreetly into the grounds.

The house is defined by a wide loggia facing the water, its symmetrical lines softened by climbing greenery and mature trees. Inside, expansive reception rooms frame lake views and open onto terraces, while private quarters above are connected by an elevator, with the added benefit of independent external access to the sleeping quarters on the upper floors. The lower level holds service rooms and cellars, echoing the old-world rhythm of Italian lake houses designed for long summers and visiting guests.

The estate feels entirely self-contained — every path and perspective eventually leading back to the water, the defining element of life here and the reason such properties have become so coveted.

The garden extends all the way to the lake, accessible from a cancello sul lago — the ornamental wrought-iron gate where the garden seems to dissolve directly into the water. The dock and private waterfront access is held under a long-term concession — a detail that quietly separates true lakefront properties from the rest, granting official authorization for private use of the shoreline.

The listing arrives as Lake Garda continues to outpace other European second-home markets, driven by a shift in how the wealthy are choosing to live. Since Italy introduced its flat-tax regime in 2017, a growing number of high-net-worth individuals — from the UK, Switzerland, Northern Europe, and increasingly the U.S. — have made the move permanent, drawn by both fiscal incentives and the country’s slower, design-driven lifestyle. Milan, less than two hours away, has quietly evolved into one of Europe’s most dynamic finance and fashion hubs, and its renewed prosperity is reshaping the country’s property map.

While Lake Como remains Milan’s “backyard” — close, social, and famously cinematic — Lake Garda has become its counterbalance: larger, more private, and increasingly international. Set slightly farther east between Milan and Verona, it attracts buyers seeking space, water access, and discretion over visibility.

Unlike the theatrical drama of Como or the old-world grandeur of Maggiore, Garda’s appeal lies in its balance. The southern and southwestern shores — from Sirmione to Salò — offer privacy without isolation, heritage without pretense, and direct access to the lake that’s now nearly impossible to replicate. For buyers seeking both stability and escape, this stretch of water represents the new Italian ideal: lived-in, understated, and designed for longevity.

This villa, with its private dock and generous grounds, fits neatly into that current. It isn’t a showpiece but a place meant to be lived in — where mornings begin on the loggia, light moves slowly across the water, and the horizon feels close enough to touch.