Within walking distance are the town of Ossuccio (with shops and restaurants) and the village of Sala Comacina (with ferries to Comacina Island). There is also a Greenway scenic walkway connecting many local towns and villages. The town of Lenno is about a five minute drive and has a supermarket.
Tremezzo (Villa Carlotta and a hydrofoil stop), is about a ten minute drive. Bellagio is reached by direct ferry from Cadenabbia (about a 15 minute drive, with parking there).
Warm summers and mild winters give these southern lakesides a gorgeously fragrant covering of azaleas, oleanders, citrus and olive trees. Exotic lush green gardens dotted with palm trees shade the water’s edge. Como, Maggiore and Garda are the principal lakes, all dramatically beautiful and distinctively Italian but each has its own inbuilt originality and charm.
The tiny ports on Lake Como with their jewel-coloured fishing boats, lined up after the morning’s catch, are a sight to behold. But the town of Como has much, much more to offer, including a stunning 14th century cathedral surrounded by quaint arcaded streets. Bellagio is beautifully picturesque and a rightly favored resort, on a magnificent wooded site between Lakes Como and Lecco.
The nearby villages of Pescallo, Oliviero, Taronico and awesome scenery – opposite the 2400m high Grigne Massif – is the ideal setting for the terraced gardens and statues of the Villa Carlotta, located in the village. If it’s a little art and architechture that interests you, why not try the abbey of Abbey of Pionza, set as if it were floating, on a promontory near Olgiasca, a graceful 11th century monastery that has the prettiest Romanesque cloisters to be found anywhere. Or, nearer Como, on the outskirts of Tomo’s attractive port, the 14th century church of San Giovanni has one of the finest Renaissance doorways.
The crystal clear waters of Lake Maggiore are jade green to the north and a deep blue to the south. The famous Isole Borromee – a cluster of delightful small islands – boasts a barouque palace, romantic terraced gardens of rare plants, fountains, peacocks and statues all set in an amazing landscape, towered over by blue mountains. Facing these islands is the wide promenade of Stresa, busy with boat trips to all parts of the lake. For a panoramic view of the lake and mountains, take the cable car up to the 1491 m Mount Mottarone. Along the western shore, the tranquil resorts of Baveno, Pallanza and Cannobio are unspoilt, peaceful and delightfully decked with flowers. For garden lovers, the
Villa Taranto is a renowned haven for azaleas, heathers, rhododendrons, camellias, dahlias and maples. While on the eastern side, from Lavena Mombello a cable-car will take you to the summit of the Sasso del Ferrro mountain, so high that the entire lake district is spread out before you - a great way to start and plan your exploration of these lakes or maybe to save until your last day here - a spectacular conclusion to a memorable holiday.
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