The day started with the discovery of the perfect breakfast in Bellagio. 📍Mr. Panino, a small sandwich shop near the pier, had the perfect panini sandwich. Warm throughout with a crispy crust but still soft bread with the meat having time to render a little. Fast, fresh and delicious. They also sold the lemon butter cookie which ingredients are pretty much: butter, flour, salt, lemon. A sweet conclusion to that breakfast.
We had breakfast on the peer while waiting for our ferry to cross the lake to Tremezzo, a five minutes walk to our destination: 📍Villa Carlotta. It was named after Carlotta, the daughter of Princess Marianna, who received it as a wedding gift in 1850. It was built 160 years earlier (in 1690) and confiscated by the Italian government during WWI, then later managed by a public trust. Having belonged to an art collector for a while, the villa itself is interesting to visit but the real star of the show, and the reason we went there in the first place, is the botanical gardens featuring over 500 species of plants surrounding the villa.
We had planned for an easy day. Even if we did have to get up early (well, 10:15) to be sure to make it on a boat and back, it meant we were back in Bellagio for 15:00, just in time to settle down at one of the port terraces and have coffee, water and a Hugo Spritz while we watch the town empty. This confirms that the lakes are much more enjoyable for people who get up in the morning or don’t mind moving every other day. We’re unlikely to ever be the former, but if we were ever to comeback, we would definitely be the latter.
Having learned our lesson by missing out on dinner yesterday; we lined up for a dinner table at 18:45 (the restaurant opens at 19:00) and were seated at one of the last tables available at 📍Trattoria San Giacomo. We’re very happy that we have dinner reservations for the next week done.
Places
Mr. Panino · Salita Grandi, 1, 22021 Bellagio CO, Italy
★★★★★ · Sandwich shop
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Villa Carlotta · Via Statale, 5605, 22016 Tremezzina CO, Italy
★★★★★ · Museum
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Trattoria San Giacomo · Salita Serbelloni, 45, 22021 Bellagio CO, Italy
★★★★☆ · Italian restaurant
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