I did it. I climbed to the top of the dome in St. Peter’s Basilica. Given my claustrophobia, and the fact that the 321 stairs were barely wide enough for one person as they twisted up corkscrew-style (at the very top, there is a rope to help you up the final set of stairs), it was quite a feat.
From the Colosseum to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill to ancient temples and churches only recently excavated, today was a day to imagine life in ancient Rome. My first stop of day was the Colosseum, where I had a guided tour of the Underground, Arena, and Third Ring. The tour started on the arena level where we could imagine thousands of people watching everything from gladiator contests to public executions. From there, we headed to the Underground to see the corridors, tunnels, and elevators used to transport animals up to the arena floor. Our final stop was the third ring (“mid-class seats”) to see the view spectators had of the entire Colosseum.
Bongiorno from the Eternal City! I feel like I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Rome, so I’ll reserve judgement about how much I like it until I have more to base it on. Suffice it to say, I’ve enjoyed my first day and a half, and I have a feeling it will only get better from here.
The last day in Italy. If you had told me when I woke up this morning that by this afternoon I would be ready to head home, I wouldn’t have believed it. But after my “farewell tour” of Varenna this morning, and a trip across the lake to Menaggio, I’m ready for home.
Switzerland. Not Zermatt or Lucerne, but Italian-influenced Lugano, on the shores of Lake Lugano. This was my 12th country, which doesn’t seem all that impressive given how much I love to travel. I’ll have to work on that. 😉 When I started planning this trip, and realized how close Lake Como is to Switzerland, I knew I would have to spend a day there. From Varenna, you can take the ferry across the lake to Menaggio, where you catch a bus to Lugano, a little less than an hour away. I had to set out early to catch a ferry to Menaggio that would get me there in time to make the 8:30AM bus to Lugano. No ten hours of sleep for me last night, but that’s okay.
I’m just going to put it out there that today was not my favorite day of vacation. I mean, it was still Italy, so how bad could it be, but cities are not my thing and that’s where I spent the majority of my day. But let’s rewind to this morning, when I still had high hopes for the day. It must be the fresh Italian air… last night was the second night in a row that I slept for almost 10 hours. Or maybe I’m still recovering from jet lag. Either way, the sleep has been glorious. I’m not an alarm clock person at all; I can’t even remember the last time I woke up to my alarm. So when my phone alarm went off this morning, I nearly screamed as I bolted out of bed to turn it off! But it was all good because I was about to embark on my journey to Bergamo.
Today it was off to the western shore of Lake Como to explore Lenno and Tremezzo. Both are relatively small villages, but lack the character and charm of Varenna and Bellagio. The attraction to both villages is the villas. Just outside of Lenno is Villa Balbianello and located in Tremezzo is Villa Carlotta. I took the boat first to Lenno to visit Villa Balbianello. I was looking forward to walking through the town as Tuesday is market day in Lenno. Unfortunately, the market was a mishmash of everything from underwear to shoes to cleaning products. There were a couple of stands selling fruits and veggies, but it wasn’t what I was expecting.
Off to Bellagio! I know what you’re thinking… “But Laura, isn’t Bellagio in Las Vegas?” Why yes it is, and the resort was inspired by the town of Bellagio on Lake Como in Italy. Bellagio is at the northern tip of the Bellagio Peninsula, which separates the two southern legs of Lake Como, and was the location for today’s adventure. Ferries ply the waters of Lake Como during the daylight hours, carrying passengers and cars to villages around the lake. Along with Bellagio and Menaggio, Varenna makes up the mid-lake triad and boats regularly travel between the three towns. I boarded the 9:23 boat, and a mesmerizing 15 minutes later I was walking the streets of Bellagio. I say mesmerizing because from the boat you can see every part of the lake with the majestic Italian Alps rising to the north.
I love Italy. I know I say that about a lot of places I visit, but it is absolutely stunning here. And I know I’m not visiting any of the big cities like Rome or Venice, but this suits my style much better. Tiny villages where you only have to turn a corner to be away from anything even resembling a crowd. Cobblestone streets just barely wide enough for two people to pass. Italian villas tucked into hillsides. Delicious food. Who needs the sun in a place as beautiful as this?
Car, plane, bus, train…. it was worth every minute of the 18 hours it took to get to this week’s vacation destination: Varenna, Italy. Seriously. I am typing this as I sit on the outdoor patio at Bar Il Molo overlooking gorgeous Lake Como and gorging feasting on my first authentic Italian pizza.
Traveling with Laura 