Lovely Lake Como but No George

There are few places that moved me like Lake Como. It is simply stunning. It’s a three-fingered lake that totals 25 miles in length but is only 2.5 miles at the widest part – basically, it’s long and thin. Created by glaciers and up to 1200’ deep, it is surrounded by mountains that separate Italy from Switzerland (and where Mussolini was captured and killed as he tried to escape over the border). The lake provides constant humidity so that the air hangs heavy with moisture. That moisture makes the mountains appear as layers of blue haze. Each succeeding mountain becomes a little more pale blue and misty. In the early mornings, the sun turns the new sky behind the mountains a pale pink that gradually gives way to blue again. It’s like a classical Renaissance landscape painting and, indeed, this area has been the subject of paintings for centuries. I’ve been in mountain ranges that soar above you and create feelings of majesty and grandeur. Instead, these mountains, while majestic and grand, created, for me, a feeling of peace and comfort. You simply want to sit, relax and let the day flow by. Which is exactly what we did….well, almost.


Mike and I, Maggie and Enser stayed in Bellagio, one of several pretty, little communities that ring the lake. Bellagio, built on the hillside so that the shops tumble down along the steep stairways, was filled with wonderful shops and restaurants and we took full advantage. All around the town flowers were blooming. Hydrangeas from pink and blue to deep purples, were in full bloom. In addition to growing plants to sell all over Italy, we discovered that the Como area is known for its silks. In fact, Missoni and Versace have manufacturing facilities just outside of town. Consequently, there was no shortage of shops selling beautiful silks – scarves, in particular. After shopping in Verona, I’d sworn off any more purchases but that was before a gorgeous blue silk and cashmere scarf nearly leapt out of the shop window into my bag screaming, “Take me home! Take me home!” What could I do? Thankfully, Maggie was as captivated by the shops as I. It was fun to have a partner to “oooo” and “ahhh” with!

The beauty of the lake draws you to it. There are boats ready to accommodate that urge. One day we took a public ferry across the lake to Tremezzo where we visited Villa Carlotta, one of the many luxurious villas situated on the lake front. Villa Carlotta was lovely but the gardens were even more impressive. The gardens were developed by a connoisseur of plants and featured a wide variety from cactus to tropicals and with brightly flowering bedding plants interspersed. There was even an arbor of orange and lemon trees with fruit hanging over your head. The four of us took turns taking each others’ picture with fruit, fountains, grottos, flowers and mountains! After a soothing lunch at a waterfront restaurant, we boarded the ferry and enjoyed a leisurely ride through other villages back to Bellagio.

Another day we took a boat tour along the lake front with a guide who told us about the various villas. Needless to say, the villas are stunning with their warm orange-colored stucco walls, shutters and graceful twin staircases to the water. Most are still privately owned by well-to-do people from Milan. The villas serve as their summer home. One villa had been built by the Pirelli family. Tire sales must have been good! We passed by one particular three-story villa that had recently sold. It was attractive but not of the caliber of some. It sold for $10,000,000……per floor!

One of the most stunning villas was owned by Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines. The villa is surrounded by classic Cyprus trees that act as towering pillars framing the house. There was a pool and several smaller buildings for the staff. The property can only be reached by water so privacy is assured. It’s a rental property. In case you’re interested, it goes for $250,000 per week.

On the same tour, we visited Villa del Balbianello. It sits on the tip of a spit of land near Lenno. The lake is visible from all sides, and the villa fits into a slope so that it extends more than three floors. The grounds, of course, are stunning with Cyprus trees, umbrella trees, and plane (sycamore) trees along with beautiful lawns and more flowering hydrangea. The house includes a loggia with views to either side of the lake. It’s like a movie set – which is why several recent movies were filmed here. This is where James Bond (Daniel Craig) recovered in his hospital stay in Casino Royale. The loggia was also used in Star Wars in one of the scenes with Anakin and Natalie Portman’s character (Sorry, Star Wars fans. That’s the best I can do!). The last owner was an Italian explorer whose family owned a large department store chain in Milan. The villa was filled with his maps, charts, books and memorabilia from his North Pole exploration and his summit of Mt. Everest. His dog sled was on display in the attic! Maggie particularly loved his collection of etchings of Lake Como. If she straggled from the rest of the tour group, she could be found gazing with longing at the wall full of etchings.

Of course, no trip to see villas on Lake Como is complete without George – you know – The George. Enser very handily Googled info about George which is how we discovered that George Cluny’s villa is near the town of Como – a long distance from Bellagio. Nonetheless, people continually look for his place. So much so that a similar villa in Tremezzo put up a sign on the waterfront reading, “No George!” That sign is as close as we got to a George sighting.

Boating was a fun pastime but we mostly enjoyed sitting by the pool and enjoying the many amenities of our hotel, Hotel Belvedere. The staff was amazing and accommodated every possible need. From the pool and the lounge chairs, we could look out over the lake to the hazy, blue mountains where we watched a float plane practice take offs and landings. The sun could be very hot, but with a dip in the pool, shade and the light breeze it was heaven. A glass of white wine poolside didn’t hurt. There was also a sauna as part of the spa. As I discovered vividly, the saunas are co-ed and there is no expectation for clothing. Oops! There were people here from all over the world. We visited with folks from the US, England, Australia and overheard deep Scottish brogue. Enser struck up a conversation with one of the pool attendants who had visited Baltimore. The poor guy had been lost in Baltimore and made three trips around the beltway in his rental car. It took him seven hours to find his hotel!

The only thing that took us that long was the drive home. Mike was a great driver and seemed to never get tired but maybe a little frustrated with the GPS navigation system took us the wrong way. Maggie and I both love maps so between us we got it sorted out. Lucky for Mike there were TWO women to give him driving directions!


It was hard to leave Lake Como but it was also great to return home to France. Since returning, we’ve discovered that Maggie is a washing maven. Before Mike got out of bed this morning and before I returned from my walk, Maggie was up washing their clothes AND ours! She had the clothes hanging on the line before we knew it. I had to literally race her to the clothes line to put out the next load. It seems that we both like the smell of sun-dried clothes. And every time I look up Enser is sweeping the patio again.

Speaking of Maggie and Enser – we’ve had an excellent visit with them (even without the extra cleaning!). We’ve had wonderful meals on the patio filled with discussions of medicine, world and US politics, and family. Sharing our travels of the last week through Verona and the opera to Lake Como and Bellagio will be an experience that none of us will forget and created a bond that can’t be replaced. The weather, the food, the wine, the shopping, and exploring new towns brought us together with the help of good conversation and sharing life’s experiences – even if we didn’t see George.