I left Milan today after another breakfast Italian style, standing at the counter to drink my cappuchino with a pain au chocolat, by a train that continued on to Zurich. It still amazes me that you catch trains here to other countries like we catch local trains! My taxi driver threw a temporary dampener on things, wanting to know why I was going to lake como, it was boring and full of old Brits! It was pouring with rain when I arrived into como, and the cloud cover is to the ground but I can already see it is stunning!!!! Like wow! I caught the local bus that winds around the lake and there are fantastic villas, quaint villages, the lake and mountains everywhere I look.
Ok I am having lunch in a tea room that has steak and egg on the menu for the Brits and I am the only one ordering in Italian, but I am in lake como and it is gorgeous! I ordered porcini risotto and grilled vegetables with wine, and it is hands down the best risotto I have ever had! You can come to Italy and order chips like the couple next to me, or ask what's fresh and good and go on an adventure. My villa is pretty special, I am overlooking bellagio on the other side of the lake, it is a 10min boat ride away. It is so full of charm and although my room is furnished simply with antiques, I have all the modern conveniences, a beautiful balcony, breakfast and 4 course dinner included for under €100 a night. I chose this place due to rave reviews on trip advisor. Ty, one of the owners is a passionate cook and runs a small private restaurant and the menu is set and changes daily. He is cooking specialties from the puglia region tomorrow, old recipes that were his grandmas the next night, then will be foraging and doing a vegetarian menu the day after that. The cloud has lifted for a few minutes and the view is breathtaking, so I am about to explore villa Carlotta and the famous gardens while the weather is my friend.