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Bellagio and Beyond

Lisa in Ottawa

500+ Posts
We arrived at our fantastic apartment in the hills of Bellagio after a very long journey. The last part was on hairy tailspin roads with glimpses of Lake Como Below.

Our host was here to greet us and she and several ladies were cleaning apart after previous guests who had just vacated. This place is the best of Airbnb the reason it was created before it got too big. Glenda grew up here as did her father and own 2 apartments in this lovely little comlex. She still stays here when she visits and vacations here. She now rents it out at other times. She does beyond a super job.:)

It is very clean. Has 3 balconies looking in different directions. 1 is tiny and off 1 of the 2 bathrooms so just fun. A lovely kitchen/dining room open concept where the other 2 balconies are located. Very bright. Pine woood.
Up a windy stircase is the large and open bedroom with a futon on a platform, 2 beside lamps an2 little extra beds as well as a large bathroom. SAnd of course our large futon with reaiding lamps. She has provided a lovely welcome pack of cheese, butter, wine crackers. lots of info. Plus she's so sweet. I should probably write this on vac rental reviews but fresh in my mind now.

As I said this is a local neigh bourhood. Bellagio waterfront and chi chi shops a 10 munute wak down the hill. we went yesterday aft and today plan to take a boat around the various islands.
Glenda has identified her fave spots for a drink and warned us prices generally higher below. Yep got a lovely melon for 2.50 but 5 in downtown shop by hotels.

Brr at last minute and after reading the weather report for upteenth time ditched my jeans and sweet jacket so now only have my nylon rain and no long pants just capris and cropped except for light linen. It was so hot at home nd the temp registerd the same but definitely a cool breeze. Am writing this layered in cammie, tshirt, 1 of only 2 long ts and my jacket zipped and buttoned. Just to say never pack just right :bawling:
 
Arrived in Bellagio after a long journey. Ottawa-Toronto-Zurich-Milan. Even th our luggage was tagged priority b/c of Ron's status it was the last out of the chute. Natch. Luckily our driver was waiting and thus began our 1.5 hour twisty turny climb up the mountains with glimpses of lake Como.

Arrived at our apartment to be greeted by delightful owner Glenda. She and several ladies wer busy cleaning so sent us down the hill to the Sports Club for lunch. Very nice. Very local.

Back at the apartment all looked delicious. Very clean and bright. As I mentioned in another post, the best kind of Airbnb. Glenda explained that the family is from Bellagio and they all chip in to help with guests when Glenda away as she lives in Milan. They gather here for family holidays and it is a special place.

After our tour, we walked into the village about 10 minutes. Hilly, cobblestoned fillled with shops. While there are locals of course, it is a very touristic place. As is every town in a beautiful location. It is in the foothills of the alps and of course, on Lake Como. We can see the mountains and lake from one of our 2 balconies. Very green, but cold and breezy in evening. I wore 4!! layers last night.

We returned to our 'hood bought fruit from local farm truck, cheese and yougurt at laiteria( local)

Next day we took a passenger boat to Menaggio, lovely waterfront and Varenna.

We already have our fave cafe in Bellagio recommended by our host. In family for generations.

Had a lovely and very long meal at a sweet restaurant with friends attending same retreat as Ron.

Looks like sun is out. Maybe warm. We have a special boat trip booked that takes us to 1 of many villas. Hoping to do a walk in the area as there is a booklet describing a 2 hour walk.

ciao
 
It;s beautiful here. Sadly, George will not be joining me for proscco on the balcony. I love Italy!! Lots of walking. You would like that Pauline. But very hilly.
 
We spent most of a week in Menaggio many years ago in July, but there was a lot of rain and the lake was flooding! I had pictured a week of sunshine and swimming! The lake was almost over the edge in the town and parts of Como were flooded. Still, a beautiful area and I would like to return to it. We took the boat to Bellagio and loved the town.
 
Keep notes on the walking information and post here when you get home. I would love to know more details. It is hard to find good walking* in Italy but I know there is some, and the signs and maps have improved in the last decade.

* By good walking, I mean well signed footpaths. There are good trails in parks but it isn't always easy to find the walking trails in the countryside. I know they can be found. Some of the marked trails on those Kompass walking maps are along busy roads and that is not pleasant walking. You can walk on the white roads (the small dirt roads) in most places.

What we need is to have some of those walking guides for Italy translated to English.
 
Keep notes on the walking information and post here when you get home. I would love to know more details. It is hard to find good walking* in Italy but I know there is some, and the signs and maps have improved in the last decade.

* By good walking, I mean well signed footpaths. There are good trails in parks but it isn't always easy to find the walking trails in the countryside. I know they can be found. Some of the marked trails on those Kompass walking maps are along busy roads and that is not pleasant walking. You can walk on the white roads (the small dirt roads) in most places.

What we need is to have some of those walking guides for Italy translated to English.
\
Pauline, Sad to disappoint but I was sorta joking. There are no footpaths or country walks like The Cotswolds. It's just that our apartment is above the town and it's very hilly and I have to walk up and down many times a day. mostly along roads. There are some cobbled footpaths between buildings. But it doesn't matter as the views are so beautiful wherever I walk and it almost feels like being in the coutryside.

I see the mountains and Lake Como in every direction. The hills are so green. You know it must rain frequently but so far we've been very lucky. However the inaccurate weather forecast calls for rain everyday. Go figure.

The vegetation is lucious. jasmine perfumes the air.
 
Pauline, Sad to disappoint but I was sorta joking. There are no footpaths or country walks like The Cotswolds..

There's that quirky Canadian sense of humor!

And I was trying to be diplomatic when saying that there is not much hiking in Italy because people frequently tell me there is good hiking (but the people who tell me this are never hikers).
 
There's that quirky Canadian sense of humor!

And I was trying to be diplomatic when saying that there is not much hiking in Italy because people frequently tell me there is good hiking (but the people who tell me this are never hikers).
A lovely walk today on cobbled footpaths, multiple stairs, beside a field and into the tiny hamlet of San Giovanni on Lake Como. Not the Cotswolds but heaven nonethelss. Of course, I could do without the parts of the route that require walking along the higway buzzing with cars and trucks.
Most people come to this area, tour the waterfront, visit the tourist shops and cafes and move on. They don't get to really see the beauty of the place. Yay for Slow Travel. Yay for The Rockefeller Foundation that has given me the chance to stay a while and get to know this area while Ron is on his work retreat.
BTW, The Foundation seems to own a side of the mountain in Bellagio. They have extensive grounds.
 

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