Lago di Como - Como City and Arrival in Menaggio

We left Milan on Monday morning, taking a regional train up to the city of Como, at the base of Lake Como.

We had decided not to stay in Como City, but rather in one of the smaller towns a bit further up the lake. But we had a few hours to explore here because check-in wasn't until 3pm. We stored our luggage near the train station and set off to see the sights of Como. We weren't the only tourists in town; we shared the Piazza del Duomo with several large bus tour groups all admiring views of the cathedral. (Yes, in Italian it is called the "Duomo di Como".)

This area of the lake was originally inhabited by Celtic tribes until they were conquered by the Romans; in the first century BC the Roman conquerors founded the town of Como. The author and natural historian Pliny the Elder and his nephew Pliny the Younger were both born in this city. Como has been an important commercial center throughout the ages, and there are many traces of that history to be found while walking through town. There are ruins of Roman baths that can be seen within the lower level of a modern parking garage, and picturesque Piazza San Fedele is encircled by several medieval half-timbered brick buildings that still house shops and cafes today.

Before lunch we stood in line in the hot sun for almost an hour to purchase tickets on the passenger-only fast ferry to Menaggio. Fast ferry tickets have to be purchased in advance. But we later learned that we could have probably just hopped on a car ferry or a slow ferry, paid onboard the boat, and arrived only twenty minutes later. Lesson learned! We enjoyed a leisurely lunch and admired the waterfront before queueing up to board the packed ferry.

We were so thrilled to check into our Airbnb. Our host, Gianluca, and his son met us at the door to help bring up our suitcases, and the apartment was absolutely charming. His wife had even baked us a fruit tart to welcome us! 

But best of all was the amazing view out the windows. We are just a stones' throw from the lakeshore and we will definitely enjoy having breakfast and coffee every morning looking out at this scene:

From the bedroom windows we can look down at the quiet Piazza Tommaso Grossi. There are many restaurants and cafes within walking distance, so we will certainly be well-fed.

After checking in, we took a short stroll around town to have a look around. Menaggio is very pedestrian-friendly -- you can get most anywhere just by walking, although of course there's always the option of renting a Vespa if you're going a further distance. 

To be honest, the thought of driving these windy mountain passes is intimidating to me. For now we are planning to just use the well-organized bus and ferry system to get around the lake while we're here, since there isn't a rail line on this side of the lake. There are also e-bikes and private boats for rent, so we might also decide to give one of those a try.

We will be based here in Menaggio for the next four weeks, so hopefully there will be plenty of time to explore the little towns along Lake Como, do some hiking in the hills, and even do a few day trips to other parts of the Lombardy region. But for our first night, we just relaxed, unpacked, and enjoyed a fabulous dinner with a view...

...followed by a short stroll over to admire Piazza Garibaldi (the town's main square) at night.