Oct 9, 2017 - Lake Como Gardens

Lake Como Gardens - Our plans for the day are to visit some of the beautiful gardens on Lake Como specifically Villa Carlotta, Villa Monastero, and Villa Cipressi. Villa Carlotta is across the lake from us near Cadenabbia, so requires a boat ride. Thinking we needed to go to Cadenabbia or Tremezzo we ask at the ticket window and discover there is a ferry stop for the Villa. So with tickets in hand we board the ferry and our first stop is across the lake at Menaggio, then it is back to our side of the lake to Bellagio and crossing the lake...

Oct 8, 2017 - On the Lake

The gods smiled on us today as we had no wind and it was picture perfect weather. We got a bit of a slow start after our marathon trek yesterday. Our first stop was to the little markets on the square to replenish the larder and then on to the the bank to replenish my wallet. We checked out the TI to see if there was anything useful and then thought we found a less steep and less stairs route to the waterfront. It didn't work out too well as we ended up first on steps going into the water and not on the promenade and then on a dead end. We...

Oct 7, 2017 - Picturesque Varenna

What an incredibly wonderful day this has been! We finally got a good night’s sleep; jet lag hopefully a thing of the past. The weather could not have been more beautiful. After a blustery night, there was a slight breeze, sunny, and warm. After breakfast and doing some laundry, we head out to discover more of Varenna. Varenna’s old town, where our apartment is located, is unbelievably picturesque - no roads only walking cobblestone lanes, an elegant lakeside walk, pastel homes, quaint shops, small harbor, many old villas, and lots of cafes...

Oct 6, 2017 - Train to Varenna

October 6 - Travel day - Today we must pack our bags and check out of our ‘penthouse’ in Milan. It has been a lovely place to crash at the end of a whirlwind days of touring Milan’s streets. We are checking out at noon so having packed and eating a light breakfast of ‘clean out the refrigerator’ we check out Piazza San Marco just around the corner. The streets are busy with trucks, lighting techs, makeup artists, models etc. doing photo shoots for the upcoming fashion week! Piazza San Marco is home to Basilica San Marco, a quite lovely...

Apr 19, 2016 - Ortisei, Italy

On Sunday, April 17, we left Varenna behind on a rather soggy morning and headed north. We had not been on the road long before the sun was shining. We were soon seeing mountains ahead and there were vineyards clinging to the slopes for as far as we could see at times. We passed small villages, always with a church bell tower rising high, and a castle or two. Our stop for lunch and gas was interesting. It was an Italian "Buckee's," and I was looking forward to a good hamburger. Instead, the fare was HUGE pieces of pizza! Off the autostrada...

Apr 16, 2016 - Varenna on the shores of Lake Como

Yesterday's drive from Ornago was mostly on the Italian version of our interstate highways, called the autostrada. Much of it is toll road with a speed limit of 90 kph (about 54 mph), but the Italian drivers are speeding along much faster than that. We have yet to see a highway patrolman. Jim is learning to compete with the best of them! As we neared Lake Como, we began driving on a very narrow tree-lined road which followed the lake shore, passing elegant 19th-century villas. The lake is surrounded by mountains and dotted with villages...

Oct 5, 2014 - Varenna

Getting to our first stop, Varenna on Lake Como, Italy was a long and tiring journey that involved two flights and two trains (and that was from Van couver). We arrived an hour late to be met at the train station in Varenna by the people we are renting from. Fortunately they waited for us to arrive. Maria and Peitro, a nice couple, drove us the short distance to our small apartment near the main square in Varenna. Nothing is very far here in this quaint town but the buildings are on a hillside and there are lots of steps involved. There are...

Oct 4, 2014 - Varenna

@@@@@@@ Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Italy’s chapter on Lombardy and the Lakes has to say about Varenna: “Villa-studded Varenna, 13km south of the Abbazia di Piona, has a web of cobbled streets crowned by a castle. The gardens of Villa Monastero (a former-convent-turned-private-residence in the 17th century), and Villa Cipressi can both be visited. Magnolias, camel¬lias and yucca trees are among their floral wonders. To get to both villas from Piazzale Martiri della Libertà, the square next to the boat jetty, follow the narrow...

Sep 23, 2014 - Varenna

Internet is very slow and keeps crashing. No pics tonight. Varenna is beautiful and we are having a wonderful time. It is a hillside town on Lake Como - across the lake you can see the Alps! The food is awesome and this is what I thought Italy would be. Venice stands alone - there is nothing else like it that I have found so far. But this area is breathtaking in its beauty. Roads are stone, as are many stairs and walkways. Hilly and steep but so worth the effort! Note: Any guidebook that tells you to pack light and hand wash your clothes...

Jul 22, 2013 - Combat Cooking Class

We got up extra early to beat the heat. Had a nice lakeside breakfast then took a walk. Came back to the hotel around 8:30 to get ready for the Cooking Class. We were picked up at the hotel and taken to the restaurant. The chef had been running the class for 15 or 20 years. He also owned the restaurant. Very interesting and entertaining with hands on if you wanted it. As the day wore on we started to get sleepy! Just like old times in college classes! A nice time was had by all until about 2:30 when one of the women participants started...

Jul 21, 2013 - Lake Como At Last!

So we made our way to Lake Como! Lots of bikes all over the highways to keep you alert. It is this way all over Italy. We pulled in to the village where our hotel is located, Varenna. Our hotel is right on the water close to the lake ferry service. It was a superb room with a balcony overlooking the lake and great air conditioning. After resting and getting cleaned up we took a walk around the village along the cliffside walkways. Had some tasty gelato at lunch time. John bought the absolute WORST tourist souvenir hat possible. Super tacky!...

Sep 23, 2012 - In Varenna

Breakfast on the terrace overlooking a cloudy hazy but lovely lake and mountain view. About 10:10 we set out to see this tiny village. Found the tourist center where they gave us lots of brochures and a map of local sights. We decided to take the 11:23 mid-lake ferry to see more of the lake and villages near us. A young man came up to us while we were standing in the ticket line and asked if we spoke English. He then gave us 2 passes good for a free ride on the ferry today! (He and his wife were leaving town and wanted someone to be able to...