Join George Clooney and the celebrities to a place of bliss
Travel Writer Victoria Sorace
Thirty minutes later, we arrived in the
lobby of our hotel checked in and went straight to dinner (at the hotel).
Dinner is very formal at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo and it does not disappoint. By
comparison this dinner was comparable to dining in one of Melbourne’s finest
restaurants. The waiters here in this hotel (although we found this throughout
Como) are a little stuck in the gallantry of yesteryear and they still
regenerated the old fashioned silver dome over your meal. Amusingly, the waiters
deliver the meals all together; to one’s table and make a song of uno, due, tre,
and lift off the silver domes in unison to the enjoyment of all. The spring
lamb was beautifully crusted in a herb and wine jus and after a delicious main
course and a fair amount of vino, we retired for the evening.
Awakening at 8am the following morning to
the most beautiful sound of village church bells, I jumped out of bed to view
my surrounds. Lago di Como as the Italians say it is ‘one of the most beautiful romantic places on earth’. Once
showered and full from feasting on the tastiest scrambled eggs. I’m not sure
what the italins are making them with, but my word it’s easy to get plump on
the eggs alone (not to mention the copious amounts of pasta). About three
hundred yards from the Hotel, you can walk to the pier and catch the Ferry to
Bellagio. This is the form of the public transport system and a daily ticket
links you to an array of small towns and villages along this picturesque lake.
Lake Como is the third largest lake in Italy and is of glacial origin. It
resides in the region known as Lombardy.
To add to the perfection, Lake Como is less
than an hour from the Swiss Border and there is a definite reason that George
Clooney purchased one of the most gorgeous villas on Lake Como. He states “there is nowhere in the world as beautiful
as Lake Como”. This region has quaint villages where the swimming pools are
built into the Lake and the people live and work in paradise. The hotels
themselves are hard to choose, as they are all superbly built and staffed. A
certain must is a visit for a drink or dinner at Villa D’Este. On the pricey side yes, but this striking hotel sits
in grounds one can never forget. The gardens are simply magnificent and a
panoramic stroll around them with the view of the Lake in the background will
be a memory you will treasure forever. A Campari and Lemonade under the Renaissance
Veranda allows for a soothing indulgence, as one cools down and watches the
activities upon the lake; from wind surfing to skiing and kite sailing.
Bellagio was one of the towns visited and
to commute their using the ferryboats you pass the Villas of the rich and
famous. Disembarking from the water ferry with a pleasant Italian wishing us a
wonderful day, somewhat consoling to know that the Ferry’s depart on the hour
every hour. You won’t be stranded, not that it would be of great travesty.
What’s the most beautiful way to spend a
day? You can jump on and off the water ferry’s to many different quaint towns .
What to eat? The Northern style of pasta is very different to the southern
regions of Italy and beautifully cooked as almost every Italian meal is. The gelato
is magnificent albeit the ice-creams, they present an uncommon creamy taste
from the lush pastures surrounding. The shops are plentiful and every towns,
(i.e. Bellagio) market days are worth attending. Each town has its own Market
days abounding all kinds of trinkets to fine-looking (and tasting) hot donuts
and mouth-watering fruits. One most Donne flat shoes as most of the towns have
cobbled streets, which isn’t conducive to heels.
Not to be missed is a trip to Milan where
one can visit the Duomo. This is the third largest church in Christendom, A
staggering 3,500 statues and has the most amazing Baroque and neo gothic façade
as well as five bronzed doors carved by five different artists! It took five
hundred years to complete and work still continues today. To appreciate this
beautiful building, you must venture on the roof where one can also appreciate
the view of the Swiss Alps. Savor the flavors of the Milanese cuisine and visit
the oldest shopping mall in the world. A Milanese coffee should must and also that dreadful credit card (shocking when you
get home and are greeted by your impending debt) will come in handy, as the
shops garnish must haves.
The Funicular railway is a must in the Town
of Como. It took us an hour of talking our selves into this unbelievable ride.
For five Euros round trip it is value for money. Being afraid of heights and not
for the faint hearted this is a very daunting experience, but thoroughly worth
doing and such a fun ride. If you have an extra ninety minutes the tram is a
fabulous way to see the Lake from above. Also not forgetting The Basilica of
San Fedele, a very peaceful and charming church, in the middle of town is
worthy of a visit.
Each day we ventured to a different part of
the lake to experience the individual, old-world villages and towns ornamenting
the Lake. One day however, we booked a tour to the Town of St Moritz. A private
car picks you up and takes you to your coach. Spending a fabulous day in this
very upmarket breathtaking part of Switzerland. The railway to the top of the
peak is also unbelievable with everyone oohing and ahhring along the way. At
the top the bus meets you and in twenty minutes you are sitting amongst snow
covered peaks in a beautiful Swiss town; dining on potato frittatas and local
made sausages with pints of local lager or wine or mugs of hot chocolate – of
course liquid Lindt.
Lake Como is a central point for so much or
so little. It can be very busy and you can bustle along with the other tourists
from May to September or visit in early October when the tourists have left and
still enjoy the mild weather and the slower pace to really relax. This famous
impressive Utopia is always going to be a destination for the most discerning
traveller and to keep rambling does not do this magnificent part of the world
justice. It does however, remain a constant memory, for me, as I gaze around
the room at work or out of my office window. Lake Como gets a strange hold on
you and one visit will never, ever, be enough.
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