Who has not dreamt of spending an afternoon touring the gardens of some luxurious villa, wasting the day away on Aperol spritzes, and marveling of the scenery of Lake Como? Then say “Ciao, Bella” to Bellagio, like we did a few months back!
After a couple of wonderful days on Lago Iseo, we next visited the pearl of Lake Como, the famous Bellagio. We made the two hour trek from Iseo in our rented Fiat, where for the final 30 minutes, we clung to the cliff edge on a two lane road with stupendous views. Drives like this are some of what we travel for!
As we approached Bellagio, the number of people in the medieval streets was unnerving. We seemed to be the lone driver in the narrow passage ways, which made us feel like we were running against the bulls in Pamplona! The narrow one way road was used by all pedestrians for foot traffic in the village, between shops and restaurants. We knew our hotel had very limited parking, so we held our breath and said a few Hail Mary’s, in hopes of not having to repeat the trip! With divine luck, we found a parking spot right in front of our hotel, Hotel Metropole Bellagio.
The Metropole Bellagio is the oldest hotel in the village of Bellagio. It is situated right on the shores of Lake Como, and nestled in between two of the ferry stops. We had a lovely corner lake front room with our own private balcony. The room was a pretty shade of yellow with a large armoire, two night stands, a desk and a comfortable double bed. The bathroom was typical European size with a tight shower and sink. The balcony was accessed by floor to ceilings French doors which easily opened for a breeze and view of life on Lake Como.
After checking in, lunch by the lake was in order followed by some light shopping in the village. Bellagio is known for its silk and scarves and ties were on the today’s list. Bellagio was crowded with day trippers, but by late afternoon, it returned to a semi sleepy Italian village, full of glamourous shops and spritzes, showing why it is called the Pearl of Lake Como.
Our first night, we had dinner lakeside at the Metropole’s main restaurant. We had reserved ahead of time and were given the best table on the terrace: a table for two which jetted out from the terrace for privacy. Dinner was wonderful and only outmatched by the view of the lake, with the sun setting behind the mountain range. We followed up dinner by enjoying the roof terrace with some wine and music.
One of the best things about Bellagio, beside the awe inspiring beauty, is its location on Lake Como. With the many ferries traversing Lake Como, it is a wonderful base to explore the other villages. We traveled to Varenna the next morning to visit the beautiful village and explore the stunning gardens of Villa Monastero.
After touring Varenna, we took another ferry to the village of Menaggio, while not as picturesque as Varenna, we enjoyed lunch in the Piazza Garibaldi. The following day, we took a ferry across Lake Como to tour the beautiful and famous Villa Carlotta, which is located next to the lakeside village of Tremezzo. The ease of crossing the lake from village to village is a very real draw of staying in Bellagio.
We spent three wonderful days at the Hotel Metropole Bellagio and in the village itself. The upscale and ritzy shops, restaurants and stunning beauty make Bellagio a perfect base to visit Lake Como. And Bellagio show us why its nickname is a gem: The Pearl of Lake Como.
