Photo by Luca Casartelli
Many clients and friends have asked me over these many years which place in Italy is my favorite outside of the big tourist cities. Here's a clue!
Como, situated at one end of the Lake Como, is very easy to reach from MXP Milan airport. From Como, there is access to scenic tour boats going all over Lake Como to visit points of interest such as the gardens at Villa Carlotta and Villa Balbianello, the picturesque town of Bellagio and one of Italy's oldest golf courses at Menaggio. Hiking, biking and climbing are available in many areas.
Villa Carlotta, Lake Como
An uncrowded town, Como has a plethora of independent shops, trattorias, lakeside restaurants (the best are Raimondi's at Villa Flori, Numero Nove in the town of Como, and for very special occasions, Navedano), gelaterias (the best one is Gelateria Lariana) and there is also a colorful street market on Tues., Thu., and Sat. (the best day!).
Lakeside view of Villa Flori's Raimondi'Restaurant (ground floor) as seen from the private 2 bedroom lakefront villa adjacent to the hotel.
Most of the shopping area in the center of town is pedestrian making it very safe for families with young children. A lovely walking path curves around the lake to the Volta Museum with well appointed children's playgrounds adjacent to the path. It is also easy to cross the Swiss border and visit the Foxtown Mall, the largest enclosed outlet center in Europe.
Judith D. Baer with Cristina Zucchi, Manager of Albergo Terminus and the Hotel Posta.
There are many hotels in Como but certainly the best staffed and maintained are the Albergo Terminus which faces the lake, and the Hotel Posta in town, opened about 2 years ago as a 3-star, and Hotel Villa Flori, sitting directly on the lake outside of the center of town. The Posta has a very nice ground floor bistro. The 14 rooms are on the small side but well appointed, and offer excellent prices. Villa Flori was closed a totally renovated a few years ago. And the Albergo Terminus has been redoing all of its original rooms.
The lakefront Albergo Terminus with its adjacent "pink palace" where 24 new rooms will be made during winter 2016-2017.
The terrace of room 300 at Albergo Terminus (a junior suite connecting to a single room), is perfect for families or for a very large gathering of friends.
The Albergo Terminus will close for 4 months during winter 2016-2017 for a major renovation as 24 new rooms are added and the entire ground floor of the hotel is renovated. The new rooms will be in what the owners call the "pink palace"which is next to the existing hotel.
The Bar delle Terme rrestaurant also has a spacious outdoor lakeview dining terrace for use in warm weather.
The hotel's Bar delle Terme restaurant is always busy and not only because the atmosphere is inviting and the food is good, but also because the manager is a super guy who knows everyone and happens to be THE George Clooney look alike on Lake Como. He is very gracious about posing for photos with guests who then go home and tell everyone "Look who I met on Lake Como", and everyone thinks they met George Clooney!
George Clooney lookalike Maurizio Gerosa, manager of the Bar Delle Terme restaurant at the Albergo Terminus in Como.