Our first day on the lake

Lake Como is absolutely beautiful. We know that the photos we have taken will not have truly captured the majesty of the mountains that surround the lake or the clarity of the water.  The villages which line the lake are full of character.  I'm really pleased that we decided to come here.  The village we are in is very small - no shops really apart from a little bar/cafe and a pizzeria.  However we got the low down from the owner of the apartment (which is lovely and modern by the way), on how to catch the bus to other villages where there are supermarkets and restaurants etc. Until you do it though, it is very abstract, but after yesterday we feel like pros! 

Of course we had nothing to eat in the house, so after waking up late we got ready and went to the little bar just below our house to purchase bus tickets to Lenno - about half an hour further up the lake.  If the driver was doing the 30 km speed limit, it would take longer, but both drivers hurtled along the road so quickly that we decided the best option was to look away or just focus on the lake.  We were going down narrow streets shared with other buses (!) and around sharp corners.  I know that they would know the road really well, but it was pretty freaky.  I told Claudia that it well and truly satisfied any need I had for an adrenaline rush! It was like being on a roller coaster!

Lenno was a lovely little village and we found a cafe right on the lake to have breakfast/lunch.  There were some very pretentious, loud Americans there who were driving us crazy but apart from that it was very pleasant! Como is obviously a place for the rich and famous and people seem to come back year after year. 

After lunch, we caught the ferry over to Bellagio.  Despite its beauty we were not that impressed.  It was full of tourists and expensive shops.  Everything was over-priced, but of course, people were buying! There wasn't much appeal for us.  We did find a house which was very secluded and private (probably belongs to some Hollywood movie star) which was called Villa Fanny! That gave us a laugh!

We returned to Lenno, bought some groceries and then caught the scary bus home! 

Just outside our apartment

This is where we caught the bus

Outside our apartment door.  Despite its age, our apartment is recently renovated and lovely

Another view from the bus stop

And another

A view from the village of Lenno

Lenno

View from our brekky spot

A traditional Como boat

Lenno

Our ferry

Bellagio

Waiting for the ferry home