LOMBARDIA – Lombardy is a region in the north of Italy known for its industry and finance, of course, but also for its art and extraordinary landscapes, starting with the picturesque lakes and its mountains, Valcamonica and Valtellina in primis.LAKE COMOThe landscape of Lake Como combines mountains, forests, flower-filled parks and clear waters overlooked by dreamy villas and villages to explore. The best way to visit? By boat. A boat taxi system connects all the main resorts on the two branches of the lake. In the center is Bellagio, the pearl of the Lario.
BELLAGIO – Bellagio might be the most iconic destination on Lake Como. The picturesque village is home to scenic cobbled lanes and stairways lined with charming boutiques, gelato shops, cafes and restaurants – Salita Serbelloni is the most famous passageway. Bellagio is small enough to visit as a day trip, but its location between the lake’s two branches makes it the ideal home base for exploring the surrounding region.
COMO is the largest settlement on Lake Como, the city where most visitors arrive by train. It’s perfectly lovely, and has the most options in terms of lodging, food and shopping, but its location on the southern tip of the lake isn’t the ideal location for exploring the region.Como is the “City of Silk”, where you can find the Como Silk Museum that is the only museum in the world able to show the visitor the entire production process, from silkworm to colorful yarns, from hand printing to fashion collections.GET AROUND LAKE COMOThe most scenic way to see Lake Como is by boat. The three options for getting around on the water are the public ferry, self-drive boat rental and boat rental with a captain. I’ll quickly breakdown all the options below.
- FERRY– The ferry system is frequent with lines that connect the most popular villages and towns on the lake including Bellagio, Cadenabbia, Como, Lenno, Menaggio, Nesso, Tremezzina, Varenna and dozens more. Ferry tickets can be purchased at the small jetty kiosks, no need to book in advance.BOAT RENTAL (SELF-DRIVE)– It’s possible to rent a boat on Lake Como, even if you do not have a boat license. These boats are small and fairly straight forward to operate. The self-drive option gives you the most freedom to explore the lake. Rental prices range from €75 to €350 (excluding fuel), depending on the length of time.PRIVATE BOAT (W/CAPTAIN)– Private boat rental with a captain is the most expensive option for exploring Lake Como. Prices vary based on length of time and type of boat (the iconic wood panel boats are more expensive).
MILANO much more than the world’s fashion capitalMilan is a lively and dynamic city, where history and modernity live in perfect balance. Milan is a cosmopolitan metropolis and is considered one of the world’s fashion and design capitals. It is also a strategic financial centre at the international level, so much so that the Italian stock exchange is based here.Let’s not forget its luxury cuisine, from traditional to fusion cuisine, from exhibitions to live shows, best enjoyed after savouring a classic aperitif.The first thing to do when you arrive is to visit Milan’s quintessential central monument: the Duomo, you need to visit also, the Castello Sforzesco or the Arco della Pace. Other top attractions such as the San Siro stadium, the Teatro alla Scala, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Brera Art Gallery, and Da Vinci’s painting of ‚The Last Supper‚ are sights that you should not miss.make sure you try out these essential dishes:
- You can’t visit Milan without eating the famous risotto alla milanese, with its unique saffron-infused yellow colour, traditionally served with ossobuco, braised veal shank completes with bone and marrow.
- Milano and cotoletta alla milaneseare a perfect match. Meat lovers must try the mondeghili, tasty meatballs made with beef, and the cassoeula, a stew made with pork and vegetables.
