Lake Como: 30x30 Outfit 10

Skirt: TJ Maxx (Patagonia) / Top: Thrifted in Paris (Jus d'Orange) / Shoes: Privo / Necklace, Earrings: AE / Hat: J Crew

We spent the next several days exploring the beautiful Alpine lake in the background here. On this day, we drove from our apartment in Domaso to Menaggio, where we took a ferry to Bellagio, known as the Pearl of Lake Como. Bellagio is located on a peninsula that forms the intersection of the upside down Y shaped lake. The Bellagio hotel in Vegas is designed to aesthetically intimate the aura of this darling commune.

The shoreline is dotted with fancy restaurants and hotels, some with boat entrances, offering lovely Alpine views.

We took the cobbled pedestrian road that winds up a rather steep hill, lined with luxury and artisan shops.

Bellagio is famous for silk, and the Husband got himself a new tie. He surprised me, choosing a jolly turquoise after I unsuccessfully tried my darnedest to persuade him towards paisley. I need to sneak a photo of him in it.

At the top of the hill we stopped for gelato. I got coconut this time. Crushed coconut whipped with sugar and air to a creamy concoction with juicy bits. Divine. Oh, how I wish they made it this well in the U.S. We also checked out the old Bellagio cathedral, know for it's frescoes, and came across this charming stone home decorated with Italian flags. At one point, Italian homes were taxed based on the amount of land they occupied, so rather than build out, they built up. Thus you see lots of tall, skinny homes in Italy.

Next we took another ferry to Varenna, another charming little town, and our gateway to the old Castello di Vezio which lies atop the hillside above Varenna {not seen, here.}

We took quite the tour of the countryside, missing the signs to the castle and getting a few miles off track before finally meeting a nice man picking up recycling who gave us a ride to the castle. The trek was well worth it. Vezio is a teeny, tiny, quaint little hamlet of stone houses and a castle perched atop a hill. The shots up top were taken at an overlook with a watch tower in the background. 

Vezio's castle is from the 7th century and you walk through a delightful olive grove to get to it, with more spectacular views of Lake Como and the surrounding Alps and Lombardy region. 

They evidently have a haunted castle for Halloween and leave their decorations up all year. We came across quite a few of these types of creatures...

The castle itself is mostly in ruins, though you can explore the courtyard...

...and go up into one of the towers via a drawbridge, where you're greeted by this fine sir...

...and relish in even more amazing views from the top of the tower.

At the end of the day we took the ferry back to Menaggio, then went to look for a bridge to jump off. The Husband was dying to do some cliff diving around here {it's a bit of an addiction} and he'd found this video on YouTube and this one from the nearby Lake Lecco. Turned out that both were pretty far from where we were, so we decided to stroll around Mennagio instead and find a place to eat. Mennagio is a medieval village in the Alpine foothills with a a beautiful 19th century piazza along the lake. We passed grand villas and found lovely places to eat with excellent views...

...but they were pricy so we went back to our trusty pizzeria in Domaso and tried their pasta this time. Garden setting, perfumed flowers, caprese, fresh gnocchi, linguine with garlic and pepper oil, and lasagne. Delightful.

That night we played Keltis again and also Ticket to Ride. I made peaches & cream with fresh cream I got in Normandy. The dairy products here taste so amazing. Maybe it's because it's from free range cattle and local dairies. Maybe it's because they prepare it differently. Their cream and even some milk doesn't have to be refrigerated till opened. Whatever the reason, it's absolutely scrumptious. Especially poured over fresh, perfectly ripened peaches. I can't believe I didn't take a picture, though it's probably best I didn't. Then my current craving would reach unsustainable levels.

P.S. The Husband was quite amused by some of the translations we came across today. Particularly this sign at the castle {they have a Birds of Prey show that we missed} and Step A for laundry instructions.