Domenica 30 agosto
We left Milano by train after a hearty breakfast, arriving at Como in Italy's Lombardy region, just before 11am - luckily Penny looked out the window just as the train was pulling into the Como S G (San Giovanni) Stazione, giving us just enough time to grab our luggage and get off the train before it took us further on!
We then had to wait for nearly 2 hours for the bus to beautiful Bellagio, but it was well worth it for the views of lago di Como along the way and our destination - Bellagio - the Pearl of Lario.
We then had to wait for nearly 2 hours for the bus to beautiful Bellagio, but it was well worth it for the views of lago di Como along the way and our destination - Bellagio - the Pearl of Lario.
At Como
A quick view of Lake Como from the bus as we sped by on those crazy roads where vehicles going in opposite directions get stuck and have to back up to let one through with only millimetres to spare!
We arrived in beautiful Bellagio after the 40 minute bus trip from Como -we had no help from the driver with our luggage storage underneath!
The buildings with restaurants lining the lake shore
Awnings down to protect from the hot afternoon sun!
After being in cities for 2 weeks, it's so refreshing to see the water - to look out across the lake to see the many layers of blue mountains covered in forest and rocky escarpements!
Bellagio is a busy little port - with ferries (including the car ferry) coming and going all day!
Then we spent about 15 minutes trying to find our accommodation for 4 nights at
Hotel Centrale on Salita Plinio.
Hotel Centrale on Salita Plinio.
I found it interesting to read that Bellagio was well known to the Romans: Plini the Younger, who recorded the eruption of Vesuvius, lived in villas named 'Comedie' and 'Tregedie' in Bellagio during the 1st century AD!
The attractive mustard-coloured walls and green shutters of Hotel Centrale,
with its lovely shady pine tree in the courtyard.
The view (of lago di Como - just) from our window!
After settling in to our room, we explored the many narrow cobble stone walkways and streets on the village centre known as the 'borgo' with its steps and small squares, shops and coloured buildings .......
Glimpses of the lake looking back down down narrow the lanes, the salita.
Out hotel in Salita Plinio
One of the numerous aqua fontana
Old stone walls and steps
a little greengrocery store
....... and of course the lovely Romanesque church - Chiesa de San Giacomo dating from the XI Century, so it's almost 1000 years old!. The church bells ring the hour and half hour and give a special ring at 8 each morning - lovely!
We had a lovely dinner on the terrace al fresco at Antico Pozzo - a trattoria selling local food and pizza
Penny's Spaghetti Antico Pozzo
My delicious cus cus and vegetable insalata.
Afterwards, I had a refreshing limonate granita!
Down the the harbour for some sunset shots, hopefully!
A view of pretty Bellagio taken later that day as the sun was setting.
Pennyìs beautiful shot of Bellagio's lake front terrace a couple of days later while it was raining in the morning ....
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