The last half of our stay was jammed packed with activity and visitors, which limited my blogging.  I’m here to make amends.

We left Siena, and drove 4.5 hours north to Bellano.  Bellano is a smallish city in the central region of Lago di Como.  Unlike it’s more famous neighbors, Bellagio and Varenna, there is less tourist buildup in Bellano.  (Although I would guess that it is still packed with tourists come mid-summer.)

We rented another epic apartment through Airbnb, but this time with friends in tow.  Years ago, we became friends with a Swedish couple.  We decided to have a reunion on il Lago.

 

Although the meteorologists had threatened rain, we were greeted with sunshine and warm weather.  On our first day, we boarded a ferry to Bellagio for some exploring.

Day Two involved another fun boat ride, this time to Villa Carlotta.  While Villa Carlotta boasts a lovely museum, we were there for the botanical gardens.  The azaleas and spring flowers were in bloom, and the kids ran through acres of wooded trails, bamboo groves, and eye-popping garden beds.

We wrapped up the day at a lovely lakeside playground and restaurant.

Bambino liked the gelato.

Our last day included a hike to the Orrido di Bellano, a powerful waterfall that is used to supply hydroelectric power to the region.

We finished the day in our “hometown” of Varese.  We revisited the gardens at Estense, had an apertivo in the piazza, and ate at our favorite pizzeria.  Italian friends joined us for dinner, and Bambino loved telling their eleven year-old son stories of his adventures.

It amazes me that it’s been two years since our last visit.  A lot has changed, but we love visiting Varese.  I’m looking forward to going back.

Still, I can’t be too depressed about the end of a wonderful trip when adventures close to home beckon.  Until next time.