Does anyone know anything interesting to do at Lake Como? We are there now it seems that there is nothing else to do. We have already done the boat ride and that's about it. We have had two bad days, and now it is so warm I want to go swimming, it just doesn't seem like the weather was terrible yesterday. I'd be really happy for your ideas because it's such beautiful weather I don't want to waste it.

Please do not tell me that.I can't believe that one of the most beauitful lakes in all of Italy,is boring and its only a boat ride?! I leave in 3 weeks to Lake Como. There is so much to do in Lake Como. Get your Guide book out. I do not know what the weather is like, but if its nice take the boat to Menaggio and get off and take a bus to Lugano Switzerland.

The most romantic city in Lake Como is, Varenna. Take a boat and spend the day there. There are trails where you can hike around. There is an old Monistary, I think?.

I am staying at lake Como, Lezzano with a wonderful family, the link is below. Ask the Hotel where your staying for where there is an open air market. Find a good Cafe. There are all kinds of shops in Varenna, and Bellagio.

Take a tour of the castle in Tremezzo (villa balbianello) on the left side of the lake. They used the Castle in The "Star Wars movie". Just think it could be your castle for the day and you could star in your own movie. Have fun. I hear that Bellagio has great food.

Here are some links http://www.bellagio.co.nz/
http://www.menaggio.com/
on this site there are things to do
http://www.hotelauroralezzeno.com/default_eng.htm

This message has been edited. Last edited by: CigB,

Drive to St. Moritz and stop in Soglio.

Kelly,
As above but I guess it's too early for the Gelateria Nilus to be open on the lakeside in Varenna ? Here is the link.
There is a lido in Bellagio but I guess it's too early to be open ?
A second vote for Villa Balbianelloit belongs to FAI so you should get a discount with your N Trust cards but you will enjoy the speed boat ride from Salita Comacina.
Is it warm enough to take a picnic onto the lake shores? When I remember where we used to take ours I'll contact you via private messaging.
Have you seen the shops in Bellagio by the way?
There is a good deli next to Residence Limonera and some lovely silk shops. I am wondering if you could get a day ticket into the Grand Hotel Serbelloni to use their indoor pool. I will make enquiries for you, as this service is available for guests of Residence Limonera, it's a bit of a long shot but I'll make a general enquiry about any pools in the area.
Perhaps you could ask the same question at the Tourist Information Centre in Domaso ?
We once enjoyed day trip from Bellagio to Bergamo where there is a lovely medieval centre in the high town which you reach by a Funiculare. There is super art gallery and when the sun came out in the afternoon we enjoyed a picnic in the large park with wonderful views.
Wendy

You have me worried, we are spending two weeks in Domaso in July. We are an active family who love to hike and explore. Also we are hoping that there will be many interesting towns in the area for daytrips . Did we misjudge our time at Lake Como or is it that the weather is a factor in your limited activities. Geez, I'm a little concerned.

Hi Kelly,
Check out your private messaging for access to a swimming pool in Bellagio!!
Wendy

[QUOTE]Originally posted by wendyash:
Hi Kelly,
Check out your private messaging for access to a swimming pool in Bellagio!!
Wendy[/QUOTE

Wendy, this sounds great... Could you email with on how to access the swimming pool as well. This sounds great!

Done!

I have had the same concerns about the weather in Venice and what to bring. I have been checking this site Weather Underground and it looks like its finally warming up in Italy and Venice, But I still would do the layering thing so if its cool in morning and warm in the afternoon you can take off a a jacket, sweater, or sweat shirt.
Fixed url - marta

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Marta,

Perhaps future respondents could keep in mind that Kelly's a young traveller and offer advice suited to a pre-teen's interests?

Wish I had recent experience in northern Italy to offer...
Geralyn

Hi Kelly,

Why don't you search on Domaso on the board. I know that Gio had a long thread about things to do and he is from Domaso. Are any of the options for water activities such as kayaking open this early in the season? There are also supposed to be some options for mountain biking. I also bet there are some hikes you can get your parents to take you on.

Hi Kelly! Do you have your rental car yet? There are wonderful towns up in the hills above the lakes to explore. If you don't have the car, you can take buses.

Bad weather in an area where you expect good weather is always disappointing. We booked a week in Menaggio on Lake Como in July 1997 and it rained and rained. The lake was at flood levels. Water was going into the town of Como and flooding building there. In Menaggio the water was an inch from flooding parts of the town. And this was JULY when I had hoped to be swimming.

We took the boat to Bellagio and spent a day there - there are lovely gardens to walk around. We went to a town south of Menaggio and did a very nice hike (I will look up my trip report to see where this was). We did not go to Varenna, across from Bellagio, but that would be a nice town to visit. And we spent a lovely day in Como - lots to see and do there.

Be careful on this next part of your trip to not compare everything to France. You had a wonderful time in France and it will take an effort for you to "change gears" back into traveling. Also, you are now dealing with a new language - that is going to take some getting used to. I will bet that you end up loving Italy as much as you love France!!

Here is the link to my page on Lake Como from our trip:
1997 - Lake Como

Here are my notes about the hike:
>> Drove to Lenno and did a hike up to a sanctuary. Great hike through the town (like a Ticino town), along a cobblestone route with the rosary shrines beside it, to an old church (up 400 meters). Muggy and warm. Then downhill, through another town perched on the side of the hill, through incredibly narrow streets following a Roman highway. Part of the hike goes on a lakeside promenade - the lake has risen over the promenade! A good 2 hour walk.<<

Thank you everyone! We are spending our last day on Lake Como today. We have actually found a lot to do after the bad weather was sent away. I would recommend Lake Lugano. At Lugano they have a funnicular that goes up to Monte San Salvadore. I would really recommend it and Swissminitur near Melide I think. It had all the neat things and towns in Switzerland. My friend Alayna lived in Switzerland for five years, and I found the town she lived in and sent her a picture. The only bad thing: no gelati stand to get gelato from to enjoy. If you go be sure to bring a camera.

Sorry Pat from Michigan. I guess it was just the bad weather. We stayed at the Villa Annamaria in an apartment called DeVita. I would really recommend it. There is a lot of hiking. We bought a hiking map but didn't have time. There is plenty to do. It was just the bad weather. I would suggest Il Timone on the north side of town on the lake to eat. it has great wood fired pizza, and for dinner last night including dessert, two pizzas, veal steak, and broccoli, half liter of wine a soda it was 40 euro, but it is wonderful. Have a great time.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions!

Thank you to everyone who responded to Kelly (mon petit bois... very literally MY little Wood) on this post. The weather definitely improved and is quite warm today, a little hazy. I'm writing this from an internet cafe in Tremezzo overlooking Lake Como on our last day here. We've really had a wonderful time here and I would definitely recommend Domaso. We are very comfortable there and very pleased with Gio's Villa Annamaria. (Will do a review later...) We have found it very easy to get around the lake (probably less than 30 minutes today to get to Tremezzo). On our way to Villa Carlotta now!

Kathy

I hit the thread late, Kelly, but I have yto ask: did you check out Fiumelatte? It's ht eshortest river in italy, barely some 100 meters, and it runs so fast that the water is solid foam. I think it's in the area. When I was your age I dreamed of seeing it, because a river is usually lOOOOOOng, while this is so short that walking its whole length takes one minute.

quote:

I hit the thread late, Kelly, but I have yto ask: did you check out Fiumelatte?

Fiumelatte is just south of Varenna....you can see the river from the main road to Lecco as it cascades from its source. There is a way to visit the source (we couldn't find the right road above the town last year). It is dry all winter but from the end of March to the end of October, it is a raging torrent. Nice walking paths in the hills above the village and a ruined castle.....

The Fiumelate was just a trickle when we saw it one June but it was a pleasant enough walk once you got off the road.
Then a lovely lake side view from a seat at Gelateria Nilus made for a pleasant afternoon.
Have fun in Venice!

Wendy
PS Kelly have you checked yor private messages?

Kaydee and LePetitBois, I'm anxious to hear more about your time in Domaso. We also are going to stay at the Villa Annamaria. My sister and her family will be staying in DeVita and Our Family in the Affresco. Any advice and suggestions would be appreciate.

Pat, I will be posting an update to my blog re. our week in Domaso near the end of this week. By the end of our time there Kelly had voted our time at the Villa Annamaria in Domaso in her "top 5" of all the places we've been on our trip since last June. Hopefully we can give you a few suggestions. (We did not, unfortunately, get to see the Fiumelate!)

Kathy

Kathy,

Don't lose any sleep about missing the Fiumelatte..!
It is just as Jim's picture shows if you are there are after the rains or just a trickle in a dry spell, so that's enough to get the general idea.
Please can Kelly check her private messages?!
Wendy

Wendy
I'm sorry, but I haven't been on the com. for a while. I also can't respond to the messages because I am not a paid member of SlowTravel. Sorry that we missed the chance to go swimming. Next time we visit the area, we'll be sure not to miss it.

thank you again everyone for your suggestions. We're in Venice now and it's great!

What happened to Gio? He all of a sudden vanished from the boards. He was such a wonderful source of information about the area and so helpful with any and all questions. I received so much help from him on my last trip to Como that I stopped in Domaso to meet and thank him. Gio gave us a tour of his lovely Villa Annamaria; his enthusiasm for the lake and knowledge of the area is invaluable. I can't imagine that anyone would be disappointed staying at his stunning villa. Simply traveling to Domaso to meet Gio was a fantastic adventure. If it weren’t for him we probably would not have gone that far north and missed out on seeing some wonderful sights.