Miles: 1486/36 (lazy day)
Coordinates:+45° 48' 48.83", +9° 4' 51.14 (Como)
Today was a lazy day. It was the 15th of August after all (Ferragosto) and most of Como was closed for the day. The ferries were operating a very reduced service -3 return connections.
Having planned to visit Bellagio today we had no options but to take the Valkyrie. The 18 miles from Como to Bellagio are a beautiful stretch of country road-not unlike the Corniches in France. But the spectacle can only be enjoyed by the passengers. There are a few dozen of spots on SS583 that the road works mostly on goodwill: wide enough for just one vehicle and with very limited visibility, the engineers have relied on statistics -it is not the most crowded of roads- to make this work.
After an adrenalin-fuelled drive we eventually reached Bellagio (intact) only to find that there are about 3x more cars than parking spaces..Bellagio is definetely a bijoux town and it trully is the prettiest on Lago di Como. But it has been 'cursed' with hoardes of tourists of all ages arriving -on a normal day- every 30 minutes and crowding its small streets. The best way to experience Bellagio is to get accommodation there - Villa Serbelloni is always the best choice if you want to break the bank- and live the vibe of the town throughout the day -rather than get a tinned 2-3h fix as a passer-by.
Returning from Bellagio at -a very quiet because of the Ferragosto- Como, we had a very pleasant & cosmopolitan lunch. We met with some good friends of ours from London who were driving from Germany to Tuscany and made a pit- stop at Como. What a small world, indeed! Buone vacanze Kai, Britta, Anna, Tom & Max (getting souvenirs is definetely out the questions the way you have packed your car..)!
The rest of the day was spent in quite a lazy fashion, having Spritz apperitivi, strolling around the old town and doing nothing much.
We have to get ready for resuming our driving adventures after all - crossing the Alps heading to beautiful Lindau on the shores of Lake Costanz, at the Swiss/German borders.
We are leaving Italia and the Laghi with saturated senses from the natural beauty of the region, the spirit of the locals and fond memories -perhaps a pound or two extra from the gelati, as well. Our top tip has to be-surprisingly perhaps- Cannobio on the shore of Laco Maggiore and the balcony of room 204 at Cannobio Hotel to be precise. The laid back atmosphere, unspoilt vistas and summer--carefree-ness that reminded us of our childhood holidays, have stood out head and shoulders above all others!
Arrivederci Italia
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