LAKE COMO

ourlodging
Hotel Lungolago Lecco

distancewalked
6 Miles

Our drive to Lecco, on Lake Como, was broken up with a lunch stop in Peschiera del Garda. We entered through the Porta Brescia, a stone gateway in the old city walls and strolled around this lovely little port town, indulging in perhaps the best gelato of our tour.

Lake Como, when viewed on a map, looks like an upside down "Y", or possibly a runner in full stride! It's one of Europe's deepest lakes and when viewed in real life, it is highlighted by cobalt blue waters and charming, multicolored villages. The backdrop from every angle includes tree-topped foothills and rugged mountains. It's no wonder over a million tourists visit every year.

day5

We arrived in Peschiera del Garda late morning and immediately admired its scenery. It sits on Lake Garda and also has the Mincio River running through it. One of the river branches serves as a moat around the ramparts. Another branch serves as a canal which hosts hotels, shops and restaurants along its shores, and interesting water fowl swimming its waters. While some of our group enjoyed an outside lunch along the pavilion, Kevin and I settled on a decadent Sicilian salted caramel gelato at La Romana del 1947 on the opposite shore. These "points of interest" stops along the journey are much anticipated bonuses on every Rick Steves' tour.

We visited the Roman ruins and took time for a group picture as we departed toward the bus.

Unexpected Points of Interest are the Best!

We journeyed onward to Lecco and got our first look at Lake Como. It didn't take long to drop our bags in our hotel room, then we headed out to view the surrounding area, as Kevin and I usually do. Sarah arranged an Aperitivo Italiano (pre-dinner small bites) at Hemingway, a nearby restaurant. Kevin noticed the beer glass adhered to the "small" classification. My limoncello spritz was more generous in size, thank you very much! Our table conversation was accented with many laughs which helped develop more bonds of friendship.

While many in our group had their appetite satisfied, ours was not. What can I say? We stopped for pizza on the way back to the hotel. While we intended to share a pizza, this particular establishment did not allow sharing. I hope that trend doesn't make its way to the USA!

LECCO

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LAKE COMO'S BELLAGIO AND VARENNA

today'shighlight
Hiking to Castello di Vezio

distancewalked
10 Miles

day6

Today we took a small bus to Bellagio, where we could stay and explore or take a ferry to Varenna. We joined Kevin's buddy and his wife to Varenna on the ferry. The morning was overcast but that didn't hinder the spectacular views on the lake, especially as we pulled into the dock in Varenna. The four of us set out on a hike up to the Castello di Vezio. It took us some time to find the hiking trail. It was really just a rustic, narrow path that more than once appeared to have ended. We continued to climb the steep incline and eventually the path widened into a more manageable trail with some beautiful overlooks.

Leaving Bellagio on the ferry.	Approaching Varenna on the ferry.
A tranquil arch scene.	Looks like we missed a party.
I'm awestruck by the beauty.	A view along the way.

Kevin maneuvering the early part of the climb.

Castle Views and Lunch with Friends

When we reached the top, we ran into another couple from our group and the six of us wandered the grounds of the castle. By now the clouds had lifted and all the amazing landscape hues fought for our attention. The castle was decorated for Halloween and I think some of the witches from the Dolomites made an appearance here!

The path we found to return to town was much more manicured than our path up, though the cobblestones were uneven making you mindful of every step. We all ate lunch along the lake at Vün del bar. The fish soup was fresh and delicious.

We ran out of time to see the other town attractions but we certainly didn't feel cheated. Varenna was delightful, especially when explored with new friends!

A relaxing view in Bellagio.

After lunch in Varenna, we caught the boat back to Bellagio and soaked up the sunshine while relaxing near the water. We were surprised to find a memorial to John F. Kennedy and discovered he visited Lake Como in June, 1963. He claimed it was "the most beautiful lake in the world!"

When we arrived back in Lecco, we walked around taking more pictures and decided to try an Italian Mexican dinner. The style was a bit different than we get at home, but the flavor was delicious with just the right amount of heat. The mango margarita could pass as a smoothie!