Days 1-2: Varenna | rick-steves-italy-1

Where are we?

"O My Beloved Father",

a soprano aria from the

Puccini opera GIANNI SCHICCHI,

was first sung in 1918.

O Mio Babbino Caro -

00:0000:00

Following a brief one hour train ride, we arrived mid-afternoon in VARENNA. With luggage in hand, we took the short, scenic walk to our lake front hotel, Villa Cipressi. It didn't take us long to get settled in our room and begin exploring our surroundings. The views of Lake Como from the hotel were breathtaking! Hotel guests are permitted to tour the terraced Villa gardens for free while others pay a small fee.

At a late afternoon get-acquainted meeting we met our companions and tour guide, Mary Carlson. Introductions and a "How Well Do You Know Your Italian History" game followed. After much laughter and good-natured ribbing, we knew this was a group we would really bond with.

Mary gave us an early evening tour of the quaint town and the promenade (passarella) pointing out historic sites, restaurants and places where we might purchase necessities...GELATO! A delicious "on your own" dinner at a cozy restaurant, a check of Mary's tour schedule posted at the hotel desk and we were ready to retire looking forward

to our tour of Lake Como the next day.

DAY 1

DAY 2

The day was ours! Although no scheduled plans had been made, we were encouraged to use our included ferry pass to explore various Lake Como villages and waterways. The

ferry made stops enroute to its final stop in Lenno where several of us wanted to see the famed Villa del Balbianello. Walking access to this beautiful estate is limited to only several days of the week mid-March to mid-November. Built in the 18th. century for a cardinal, its last owner, explorer Guido Monzino, left his villa, art collection and expedition momentos to the state.

During the return ferry trip we disembarked in Bellagio with our comrades for a leisurely lunch. It seemed hard to believe that while it's late September and the leaves were beginning to turn back home, we were sitting here with a lake view, blue skies and 80 degree weather!

Reluctant to leave, we spent our last evening in Varenna enjoying a delicious dinner and spectacular sunset view at Ristorante La Vista.