So, first things first. No, we didn’t see George (as in Clooney). Other than that crushing blow, however, Italy’s Lake District is every bit as magical as you would expect.
Though I’ve visited Italy before, I’d never been to Milan or the Lake District. I thought it was well past time for me to remedy that situation, and late autumn seemed like the perfect time with fewer crowds and cooler temps.
I started my trip in Milan, where I did a mad sprint through the city as I waited for my friend to arrive that evening. The next day, though, it was off to Lake Como, the third largest and deepest of all the Italian lakes. Lake Como has been a tourist destination and vacation residence for centuries, and its shores are lined with the villas of European aristocrats, industrialists and yes, film stars. (Sightseeing cruises will give you a closer look at these homes of the rich and famous.)
Our home base on Lake Como was Varenna, which is served by both a train station (the ride from Milan is less than an hour) and a ferry dock.
Varenna was once a sleepy village off the tourist path until travel guru Rick Steves clued the rest of the world in to its charms. It’s quieter than some of the other Lake Como towns such as Bellagio and the city of Como, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spend some time exploring. Eat lunch lakeside and then stroll along the pathway known as The Lovers’ Walk, lined with galleries, boutiques, and gelateria (it’s difficult not to find a gelato shop in Italy!). Spend another morning or afternoon visiting the gardens of both Villa Monastero and Hotel Villa Cipressi.
Villa Monastero was built in the early 13th century as a Cistercian convent dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. You can spend hours strolling through the photo-worthy gardens filled with rare Mediterranean and tropical plants, flowers, and citrus trees. You can also visit the villa, with its furnishings and artwork from the Renaissance to Louis IX.
Just steps away from Villa Monastero is Villa Cipressi with its slender, towering cypress trees, azaleas, rhododendron, magnolias and wisteria. The garden walk features five terraces of centuries-old gardens that reach from the hotel down to the lake.
If you’re a fan of the television show “The Amazing Race,” you will have seen Castello di Vezio in this past summer’s series. The partially ruined castle dates back to the 7th century. If you have the stamina, climb the steep hill — it will take about 45 minutes — to reach the castle, then cross the drawbridge and climb to the top of the tower for a view of Lake Como, the town, and even on to Bellagio.
Just 15 minutes from Varenna by ferry, and just 12 miles from Switzerland, is the town of Menaggio. There aren’t many sights to see, but do have lunch or your daily afternoon gelato in one of the many cafes lining the main square, Piazza Garibaldi, followed by window-shopping and a leisurely stroll along the beautiful lakeside promenade.
From Menaggio you can either ferry back to Varenna or go on to Bellagio, known as the Pearl of Lake Como. For an overview of Bellagio, take the narrated tram tour through town (trust me, you’ll be happy to sit for a while before tackling Bellagio’s steep alleyways). The tram will take you through the historic village, offering a glimpse of attractive villas, scenic views and a stop to get off at the gardens and grounds of the Villa Serbelloni. Now owned by the Rockefeller Foundation and used as a conference center, you can’t visit the villa, but guided tours of the gardens are offered.
Once you’ve gotten the lay of the land, the name of the game in Bellagio is shopping. There aren’t many bargains, but the boutiques set into the cobblestoned lanes are worth a visit even if you’re not planning to buy as you look at the craftsmanship of Italian silks, leather goods and ceramics.
After three nights in Varenna, we moved on to Lake Maggiore, the westernmost of Italy’s Lake District, where we settled in to our rented apartment in Stresa.This elegant lakeside town had its heyday in the 1920s and ’30s when European aristocracy arrived by train and took up residence in the grand hotels (still open for business) with their views of the Borromean Islands.
From Stresa’s ferry departure point, we visited the three Borromean Islands open to the public — Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori — the first two islands famous for their lush gardens, wandering peacocks and palaces. Isola dei Pescatori is a working fishermen’s village but there are lakeside restaurants, an open air market and more gelato!
While I preferred Stresa from the lakeside, if you want a bird’s-eye view of the town and Lake Maggiore, take the two cable cars and then the chair lift to the top of Mount Mottarone. (I chickened out when it came to the chair lift, but all reports from my friend were that it was well worth it.)
Breathtaking scenery, warm and friendly people and daily doses of pasta, Prosecco, and gelato … all in all, there’s just one word to describe this trip — meraviglioso!
For more information, visit discovercomo.com, lagomag.com and turismo.milano.it.
Carol Sorgen is a Baltimore-based freelance writer.
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