Day 1 & 2
Varenna and Lake Como
We took the train from Naples through Milan to Varenna the day before the tour started (fortunately missing the train strike the next day in Milan). The trains are a great way to see the Italian countryside and we got to spend an extra day at the lake before joining up with the tour.
Varenna
Clockwise from top left: Our villa hotel and its gardens; Varenna and the mountains surrounding the lake; one of the many side streets in Varenna leading down to the water; the view from the hotel terrace where we met the tour group.
Exploring Lake Como
Our first day in Lake Como we spent hiking some of the trails above Varenna, to Castle Vezio and Fiumelatte. The next day, we headed out on the ferry to Lenno and the Villa del Balbianello. Our stay at Lake Como wrapped with an excellent local dinner with the tour group.
Clockwise from top left: View from the ferry of Villa del Balbianello in Lenno; Castel Vezio above Varenna; the view back towards Varenna from the castle; Fiumelatte, so named because the water looks milky.
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