Italy: Bellagio & Como
© Photos from the albums of Lisa Anderson
Located in the Lake Como region, Bellagio is a fantastic city to visit for a day or to stay for a few nights. Nestled into the mountain, there are lots of little shops and boutiques, many places to get a prosciutto pizza or a cone of gelato, and great people watching. Most of Bellagio is on a hill and there are old stone steps to climb to get from the water to the top where many of the shops are located. The town of Bellagio is easily accessible by boat from many nearby towns in the Lake Como region, and it's an interesting drive as well. If you drive from a nearby town, expect very tight roads, a few curves, and wonderful scenery. You have a view of the Lake almost the entire way and it's neat to go through the different little villages. Definitely rent a small car if at all possible. Bellagio has a lot of charm and is easy to hit in one day.
The town of Como is near Bellagio and likely on your boat or driving route and can easily be incorporated. This town is bigger and more bustling and more spread out as well. There are more options as far as shopping and sightseeing, but harder to navigate on foot than Bellagio. Como also has a cable car that takes you to the top of the mountain and several duomos to visit as well. The duomos and churches are open to the public and you can stop in to view their stained glass, look at their beautiful domed ceilings, say a prayer, see a parishioner for confessions, or light a candle of remembrance.
