It’s safe to say that my husband and I enjoy more off-the-beaten-paths in Europe and especially in Italy rather than the big bustling cities of Rome or Florence. So as we expected, we fell in love with Lake Como. It’s everything you could dream of Italy being….all in one place! Pizza, pasta, wine, beautiful villages, stunning architecture, serene lake…. Lake Como has it going on!
We stayed in Bellagio at the Antico Pozzo which was a small apartment. It did have some views of the water but they were limited. It had a full kitchen; though, we preferred to eat out at the local restaurants. It was clean and comfortable and perfectly located.
Bellagio
The villages of Lake Como come with many steps! Much like Cinque Terre so come prepared with comfortable shoes, sans stilettos!
The most memorable thing we did was attending a small cooking class with Chef Luigi Gandolo at Salice Blu. Luigi arranges for a pick up at your hotel for transport to the restaurant. We opted for a walk as it was a beautiful day and not too far from our hotel. This was an exceptional experience and Chef Luigi is very up and coming in the culinary world. We learned how to make pasta and various specialty Italian dishes and desserts. As we were prepping for that evening’s meal, we were able to sample various courses for our lunch after the lesson was completed. Salice Blu uses the freshest of ingredients. We visited their personal garden in the back and learned about how it is maintained and which seasonal herbs are used in their dishes. My husband and I both enjoyed the experience and would recommend it. Chef Luigi can be reached at info@ristorante-saliceblu-bellagio.it
Cooking Class at Salice Blu
Salice Blu cooking class
Before dinner, we opted for drinks at Aperitivo et al
If you only choose one villa to visit (like us), strongly consider Villa del Balbianello in Lenno! This is the kind of villa that will make you want to live forever at Lake Como. The beautiful villa has been used in several movies including Star Wars and James Bond, Casino Royale. It is truly enchanting!
Lenno
Other recommendations made to us:
Cava Turacciolo– “we spent hours a few hours here with wine and meats/cheeses.”
Tour Villa Monastero
And don’t forget to look for George Clooney! 😉
Cheers!
The Shabby Suitcase 