Alive & Twitching

My wife and I have recently returned from a week’s holiday at Tremezzo on Lake Como. For anyone unfamiliar with the Italian Lakes, they are situated in the very north of Italy, close to the Swiss border. We had stayed in Stresa, on Lake Maggiore, a few years ago and so enjoyed the area that we decided to visit again.

Lake Como is shaped like an inverted “Y”. The town of Como is at the end of the western arm of the lake. Tremezzo is in the central lake area where the eastern and western arms meet the upper lake. Lake Como is 46 km long and its width varies from 4.3 km and 0.43 km.

We visited during the first week of May which was ideal for us in several respects. First, the weather was almost perfect: warm and mainly sunny, without being too hot. (The summer can be very hot and muggy.) We did hear, however, that there had been quite a lot of rain during the week before we arrived. Secondly, it was relatively quiet; summer is the main season. Thirdly, the azaleas were in bloom and so the gardens of the villas which are open to the public were probably at their best. Fourthly, there was still snow on the peaks of the mountains overlooking the lake, which adds to the beauty of the place.

It is the beauty which draws visitors. One of the great pleasures is sitting at a lakeside bar or restaurant, gazing out at the tranquil waters and the snow-capped Alps beyond. Another pleasure is visiting the colourful small towns and villages bordering the lake. Within easy reach of Tremezzo, in the central lake area, are Bellagio, Varenna, Mennagio and Lenno. Moreover, one does not need a car. The best form of transport is the public ferry service.

Tremezzo is a small town, the main attraction of which is Villa Carlotta, a grand 18^th century villa justifiably famous for its gardens. They are said to contain over 500 species of plants, shrubs and trees, including about 500 varieties of azalea.Bellagio is known as “the Pearl of the Lake” and is beautifully situated on a headland that divides the two arms of the lake. It is a pleasant town to stroll around. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and, unlike most of the other places we visited, a fair number of interesting shops. The fall in the value of sterling against the euro, however, makes shopping there expensive for the Brits. A short stroll along the lake takes you to the 19^th century Villa Melzi, which again has delightful gardens.

The town of Mennagio is worth a visit but we went during siesta time, so a lot of places were closed. By contrast, we went to Lenno on a Tuesday morning when there was a large and vibrant street market. A short walk away (or, for the less energetic, a boat ride) is Villa Balbianello, built in the 18^th century, which is situated on a headland and has immaculate, terraced gardens.

My favourite of the central lake locations is Varenna, a very attractive small town that looks particularly enticing as it is approached from the lake. We visited the splendid gardens of Villa Monastero and, if we had had more time, could also have gone to the nearby Villa Cipressi.

Possibly the only disappointment was Como itself, which we visited by the “fast” (and more expensive) ferry. Although it has some magnificent buildings, especially the Duomo (cathedral) and Villa Olmo, we thought the town, the only one of any size on the lake, was rather lacking in atmosphere and had relatively few shops of interest. The most disappointing aspect was the amount of graffiti that disfigured a large proportion of the buildings.

A holiday at Lake Como is suitable both for the energetic, as one can explore so much on foot, and for those who simply want a relaxing time.