2018 - UK & Italy (Part 2 - The Italian Lakes)
A few days at Lake Como.
Saturday 25 August 2018 - Tuesday 28 August 2018
View
2018 UK & Italian Lakes
on nzhamsta's travel map.
Saturday 25 August
A quick and easy check in Gatwick for our flight to Milan. But, you guessed it, the fight was delayed by 2 hours (issues in Geneva was the reason). Managed to get into a lounge which was nice and quite except for what looked like a stag party hooking into the booze at 9:00am.
The flight itself was fine.
Train from Milan Malpensa to Saronno and then to Como Lago,
Bus from Como to Menaggio for an hour or so along a very scenic and winding lake front road. Arrived at about 6:30pm, overcast but warm.
A short walk to get our bearings and a nice dinner in restaurant in the back streets.
Our hotel in Menaggio.
Sunday 26 August
A late start and then a nice brekkie in the main square (Piazza Garibaldi). The weather had cleared and the sun was out.
The waterfront in Menaggio.
The main piazza in Menaggio.
Menaggio.
There is a large network of ferries that run backwards and forwards across the lake connecting all the major towns and villages. We caught the boat to Bellagio via Varenna.
Looking north along the lake.
Most of Menaggio.
Coming into Bellagio.
We walked around this most beautiful town looking at interesting churches, steep stairs up the hill and lots of shops.
The church in Belaggio.
A tired tourist in Bellagio.
Found a very good rooftop cafe that served a decent craft beer (brewed in Milan). Very nice indeed.
Looking towards Bellagio.
Back to Menaggio, coffee and cake in the piazza.
Hung and the waterfront in Menaggio.
Monday 27 August
We caught the slow boat down to Como. This took about 2 hours and stops everywhere.
One of the many villages on the lake.
A palace on the lake front.
Looking south along the western arm of Lake Como.
A small palace on the lake front.
A large hotel coming into Como.
Us at Como.
The cathedral in Como.
Como cathedral.
The ferry port in Como (and an odd statue).
Back on the bus, afternoon nap and pizza and salad at a different restuarant in town.
Tuesday 28 August
Caught the boat over to Varenna to sort out the train tickets to Verona.
There is a coastal pathway to the next village and one of the few beaches on the lake.
The Varenna waterfront.
An arty photo of Lake Como.
A passageway in Varenna.
The lakeside walkway from Varenna.
The restaurant at the hotel had a very good reputation, to the extent that you had to book a table. Very good pasta and salad for dinner.
In all, a relaxing and scenic few days at the lake.
