Ah, Lake Como
Visiting Lake Como has always been on my Bucket List. I was so happy to be starting our tour here. Surrounded by mountains Varenna is a little village on the shores of Lake Como. It truly is a classic Europe Through the Backdoor (going old school) or Rick Steves destination. It is quaint with cobbled walkways, narrow alleys and picturesque views around every corner. It was the perfect start to our Italian vacation.
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We arrived in Varenna a few days prior to the start of our Rick Steves Italy in 17 Days tour. We stayed at the quaint Hotel Olivedo run by the kind proprietor Laura. Our first meal was lakeside at the hotel’s restaurant. It was difficult to decide what was better –the pumpkin gnocchi or watching the ferries float across the lake and dock right in front of us. After being up for 36-hours we finally were able to go to bed. At night we left the doors to our terrace open to let in the soft sound of accordion music from a neighboring building fill our room as we drifted off to sleep.
The next day we attended an all-day cooking class at Ristorante Il Caminetto. Chef Moreno Maglia entertained and delighted us with his passion for Italian cooking. Looking back over my entire time in Italy, this class was one of my favorite experiences! Included in class was espresso, antipasti of salami, cheese and crackers followed by pork loin wrapped in prosciutto served with risotto al porcini. Chef Moreno made tortellini stuffed with ricotta mixed with chives, mint and lemon verbena. Topping off our class was the most delicious Limoncello (a lemon-flavored Italian liqueur). Does it get any better than being on the shores of Lake Como enjoying a private cooking class taught by a real Italian chef who prepared the most delicious, fresh Italian food you’ve ever tasted?? Bucket List – Check.
One afternoon we explored the gardens of Villa Monastero. What a beautiful day for a stroll through an Italian garden. It was the first day of our tour before we knew it. On September 13th at 5:30 P.M. it was time to meet our fellow travelers. Another great group of people just like my tour group in Greece back in 2012. Just sayin’, Rick Steves travelers are a pretty cool group of folks! Patricia, our guide, gave a brief overview of Italy noting the important things such as how to order a coffee in Italy. Not being a coffee drinker myself, it sounded complicated. After our meet/greet we enjoyed our first group meal together which is one of my favorite things about a Rick Steves tour. There was lots of laughter and chatter as we began to get to know one another.
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After breakfast Patricia handed out ferry schedules and all-day passes. We had the whole day to explore the little villages around Lake Como. I adore riding ferries so I stayed on for an entire loop Varenna – Bellagio – San Giovanni – Villa Carlotta – Tremezzo – Lenno. Liz and I jumped off in Bellagio and enjoyed lunch before exploring cobblestone alleyways, little stores and restaurants tucked in here and there. I bought a gorgeous blue pashmina!
Unfortunately, there was no George Clooney sighting.
Unfortunately, there was no George Clooney sighting.
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