The daily diary of a wandering restaurateur
May 31 - Around Lake Como
The Villa Carlotta was originally built for a countess and has since become a museum. The rooms were not the most extravagant we have seen but the ceilings were particularly interesting. Here is a corner of one of them.
The gardens are extensive and cover several acres. Some of it is formal but the part I found most interesting is that large sections of it are essentially covered. Beneath what looks like hedges from above are cool walkways under leafy shade. There are even several rock grottos that are wonderfully cool in the heat of the day. Very clever, these Italians.
Bellagio from the water. It seems like a larger town than Varenna -- or at least the commercial part of it is larger -- but Varenna has houses farther up the hill. Bellagio sits in the center of Lake Como at the junction of the two lower legs of the inverted Y (if you remember the lesson from yesterday!)
There is a lovely walk along the water from the ferry dock and our hotel to the main part of town. Varenna is a pocket-sized town with some modest commercial activity along the waterfront ... and two gelato stands!
© 2003 Restaurant Doctor
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