Italy (Winter 2023) - Milan & Lake Como (Day 4)
Lake Como
Headed to Lake Como on the 4th day. It was an easy morning since we were staying right by the train station. No we didn’t see George Clooney. I heard he is selling his Lake Como house anyway.
Lake Como kind of reminds me of Lake Tahoe in a way but much closer to Milan than Tahoe is to the Bay Area. The towns were also very small so the summer crowds must be intense. I was glad that I was there in the offseason for that reason although there were a lot of shops and restaurants that were closed in December.
The climate here is mixed as you see pine trees mixed in with palm trees. A lot of stone walkways here which reminded me of Spain.
Train from Milan to Varenna
I think I recall that they did check our train ticket on the way up to the lake but I’m pretty sure no one checked it on the way back. Unless you had to go past a physical gate to get on a train, the whole ticket checking thing was pretty much a crapshoot on this Europe trip. It was a cold day but they cranked up the heat on the train so had to take the jacket off to keep from sweating during the ride.
Walk to the harbor in Varenna and waiting for the boat
On the water, headed to Bellagio
Bellagio
This town is really not that big with tight narrow streets that people actually drive on. I can’t imagine the mayhem during the high travel season. This place must just be packed with people shoulder to shoulder when the weather is warm.
I can see the charm but I’m glad that I get to enjoy it in the off-season. There are a lot of shops and restaurants that are closed during this time of year but I feel you can enjoy the scenery more in this setting and it is a much more relaxing experience here at this time despite the chilly weather.
La Dolce Vita - Bellagio
We had to eat somewhere and this place looked inviting. The dining room was very modern in contrast to everything you see on the outside here.
It was the first time I encountered the “coperto” charge on this trip. I knew that it happens in Portugal where they bring you a plate of bread and olives and stuff and you can refuse it so you don’t get charged. I wasn’t expecting the additional €3 per person charge but whatever. I think it was for the bread and chili oil they brought but not sure. Anyway, I learned that some high end places will do this and I guess it’s no surprise you find it in Bellagio.
We had one dish that was the local fish and a pizza. The place was empty when we sat down and was full by the time we ended lunch.
Salita Cappuccini - Bellagio
At the south end of the main touristy area, there is a small path that you can take down to the water on the east side of the peninsula and gives you some lake views.
Punta Spartivento - Bellagio
On the north end of Bellagio, there is a small park and an observation deck that you can walk to over the water that provides lake view vistas looking north.
Apertivo et al - Bellagio
This was probably my favorite spot. We had some time to kill while waiting for the next ferry so headed to this spot. It is located at the top of the famous Salita Serbelloni street. It feels like you are in a wine cellar with the low vaulted stone ceilings. I’m not even much of a wine guy but I liked this place.
The tasting pour sizes were a lot bigger than expected but luckily we had an hour. You get some snacks as well in a laid back atmosphere. They also had a food menu.
Boat ride back to Varenna
Varenna
We had some time after getting back to Varenna before boarding the train back to Milan so we strolled into the old town area. There is a popular passage along the water that you walk to get to the center of town.
The town itself was sleepy in the off-season. Some stores and restaurants were open but many were closed that day. It made for a nice peaceful way to spend the rest of the afternoon.
Quattro Platani - Varenna
I actually didn’t know the name of this place until I looked it up on Google Maps. I don’t recall a sign anyway with the name. It was a little bar/cafe on the way back to the Varenna train station.
It was a good place to take a coffee break before boarding the train. I also tried the Braulio amaro for the first time there - thumbs up on the flavor. When I got a second shot the shopkeeper jokingly asked me if I wanted the bottle.
White Rabbit - Milan
Back in Milan, we returned to the hipster Isola neighborhood to find this speakeasy. Getting in was a bit of a bother but using Google translate I finally got it done. The password changes by the month. You have to email them for the question and look up the answer. For this particular month it was when Prohibition started in the US. When I gave them the year, they said I needed the exact date. Um - ok - so had to google that while I waited.
They make you wait a bit also because they fire up a dry ice machine by the bar for atmosphere. In this case it was so smoky I could barely see where I was going. We eventually got seated upstairs and you get a pouch with the drink menu on individual cards. You also get aperitivo snacks as well. The first drink has prosciutto as a garnish.
Kilburn - Milan
To end the night we explored the Corso Buenos Aires district a bit. The area is a major shopping area and along with it there are lots of bars and restaurants. This cocktail bar is in the south end of that district.
It is a fancy place with prices to match but a great place to end the night. The bar had a New York City vibe to it.
Corso Buenos Aires
According to Wikipedia - this shopping district is the highest concentration of clothing stores in Europe.