Our return trip home from Berlin was via Rome and we had allowed ourselves a few extra days in the Italian peninsula dropping by Milan, Florence and Rome. Having spent some time in these cities previously we concentrated our limited time revisiting old favourite haunts and, where time permitted, trying out a few new places.
Lake Como had been on the to-do list for years and although this would require at least a few days to see the area properly, we couldn’t resist the opportunity for a quick day trip from Milan there when the weather presented itself nicely.
Lake Como is well serviced by train from Milan to the Como Township where it’s then a short walk to the ferry terminal to various points around the Lake. We opted to drop off at the Bellagio. The town is situated quite centrally on Lake Como at the point where the lake divides into two ‘branches’ towards the south-east and south-west and is often referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Lake’, partly because of its beauty and partly because of this position between the two branches of the lake. Bellagio is however just one of many stunning beautiful villages along the lake but will provide a good taste for the region which has an incredible amount to offer.
There was time for a few hours of relaxed shopping, walks along the waterfront promenade, the gardens, up the hill and across to the stunning shoreline on the other side, visiting a number of historic sites before lunch overlooking the water. We picked up a self-guided walking map of the town which was perfect for our limited time available and which was easy to follow.
After lunch, rather than take the ferry back to Como we opted to take one of the scheduled bus services back and this something we would definitely recommend for day-trippers. Seated up high on the bus coach, the road back along the high shoreline offers spectacular views of the lake and an opportunity to get close-up to the many smaller intimate villages along the road back.
Back at Como for the 1-hour fast train ride back and we were back in Milan by mid-afternoon in time for our next city tour!
Easy-peazy and a perfect day-trip out of Milan. Next time however we will visit for at least several days with the hope of bumping into George and Amal Clooney!
If you would like more information about this destination please contact me.
