Ethan Anthony

Bellagio, on Lago di Como

From Paris we flew to Milan and then drove to Como. My High School Junior summer trip to Italy began with a direct flight to Milan and an overnight at Lago Maggiore. It was culture shock, straight from small town America to the luxe sophistication of the Italian Lakes. So this visit to Como was a reprise of those feelings 50 years and many many trips to Italy later. Como quickly broke through the everyday.

After a one hour plus drive from Milan, the traghetto (car ferry) takes us across the lake from Cadenabbia to Bellagio. The ride is about twenty minutes and avoids a congested drive from Como in the summer.
Walking up the hill from the parking lot. Roads in the center of Bellagio are narrow and there is little room to park. Our apartment Il Borgo Monocali is in the center of town.
The day we arrived the clouds became progressively darker until we could see the rain across the lake. Eventually it caught up with us.
I’ll Vecchio Borgo provided shelter from the rain and sustenance to recuperate from a busy travel day.
The view down via Giuseppe Garibaldi toward the church from our table at Il Vecchio Borgo.
After the rain, the streets were empty and spotless.
Our apartment reserved through Booking.com was perfect,, reasonable, well equipped and spotless.
Next morning we awoke to a beautiful warm day. Everyone was remarking how we had just missed the worst heat wave in memory. We didn’t need the AC in our apartment.
My dinner companion
The following night at Il Ristorante Terraza Barchetta starving after a full day of wandering and again seeking shelter from the storm.

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