Our next stop on our Italian part of the tour is Lake Como and the township of Como itself. First we need to get there so its back to working our way through the various options and finally deciding on a fast train trip from Venice to Milan then a transfer to a standard train to Como. In the end its a good experience but consumes half of the day before we arrive in Como mid afternoon.

We have a brilliant tip for accommodation from friends which delivers us to a beautiful apartment in the heart of the area. What it lacks in lake views it more than makes up for in charm and proximity to the town centre. It’s again a loft style apartment but, as opposed to Modena, there is plenty of head height to move around and it has modern finishes and fixtures in lieu of the older styles we have seen to date.

There are two amazing doors, one in the bedroom and the other in the living area, that essentially become a pivoting wall of glass that opens onto a part glass / part wooden deck area with views up into the surrounding hills and of the funicular. I can see Stacey and I trying to have something like this built into our next renovation project.

We enjoy a late lunch in the adjoining piazza and then a stroll along the lake. There is a serene feeling here where the lake seems to calm the lifestyle of the area. Our intent tomorrow is to take a ferry ride up to the township of Bellagio So for tonight we take it easy with a few quiet drinks at a local bar before heading back to the apartment.

During the early hours of the morning, let’s say 1:24am to be precise, a cold front moves through the area and whips up some cold gusty winds that remind us of living on top of the ridge at Oceanview. The noise is akin to a plane roaring overhead but the morning breaks to a beautiful crystal clear day.

We board the slow ferry from Como to Bellagio and enjoy about one and a half hours of cruising the lake while looking at its surrounds. Some of the views are truely breathtaking as the lake opens up to views of mountain ranges. What a series of backdrops that need to be experienced to understand the sights. It’s best for me to just show you the pictures as I am quickly running out of words to use.

We have lunch and a gelato in Bellagio while looking at the lake and crowd gazing before heading back to Como via the Hydrofoil which cuts the travel time in half.

Stacey leaned over to me during the boat ride back to Como and whispered, “I could live here.” She is right, there is a certain attraction for making this place your home, although affordability may be an issue. But if its good enough for George and Amal, then it’s good enough for us, just paying for it may be a challenge.

We will definitely be coming back again. Maybe during a different season to experience snow on the backdrop of mountains.

More touring the region tomorrow.