← 2022 Italy & France

Lake Como

Como itself sets the tone on a rainy afternoon, umbrellas out along the old streets and the Cathedral's rose window catching what light there is. Around the lake, Bellagio holds its own postcard corners: the Basilica di San Giacomo's bell tower squeezed against its Romanesque facade, a narrow archway framing the water below, and a cobblestone stairway street glowing under lamplight after dark. Just outside town, Villa Melzi d'Eril's gardens run along the shore beneath a promenade of pollarded plane trees, a cherub fountain rising from a bed of water lilies, and a stone path winding past maples and rhododendrons. Across the water, Villa Carlotta answers with its own set pieces — a weathered triton fountain, a rose-draped staircase, terraced flower beds, a hilltop villa glimpsed through the greenery, and citrus ripening on the branch. The trip ends in Varenna, where a footbridge named for a former mayor leads onto the town's famous red-railed walkway, hugging the cliff just above the water.

A rainy street in Como with umbrellas out — A rainy street in Como, umbrellas out

The rose window facade of the Como Cathedral

The bell tower of the Basilica di San Giacomo in Bellagio — The bell tower of the Basilica di San Giacomo, Bellagio

A narrow archway leading down to the water in Bellagio — A narrow archway leading down to the water, Bellagio

A steep cobblestone stairway street lit up at night in Bellagio — A cobblestone stairway street, lit up at night

Villa Melzi d'Eril framed by a row of plane trees in Bellagio — Villa Melzi d'Eril, framed by a row of plane trees

The plane tree promenade along the lakeshore at Villa Melzi d'Eril — The plane tree promenade along the lakeshore

A cherub fountain amid water lilies in the gardens of Villa Melzi d'Eril — A cherub fountain amid water lilies

A stone path winding through Villa Melzi d'Eril's gardens — A stone path winding through the gardens

Flowers in bloom with the mountains of Lake Como beyond — Flowers in bloom, the lake's mountains beyond

A weathered triton fountain statue in the gardens of Villa Carlotta — A weathered triton fountain in the gardens of Villa Carlotta

A rose-draped staircase leading up to Villa Carlotta

Terraced flower beds in the gardens of Villa Carlotta — Terraced flower beds at Villa Carlotta

A hilltop villa above Villa Carlotta's grounds, framed by greenery — A hilltop villa above Villa Carlotta's grounds

Citrus fruit ripening on a tree in Villa Carlotta's gardens — Citrus fruit ripening in Villa Carlotta's gardens

A plaque honoring Giorgio Monico, mayor of Varenna, on the footbridge that bears his name

The red-railed lakeside walkway in Varenna

← 2022 Italy & France