Saturday 10 October 2009

LAKE COMO - Mandello del Lario

Lake Como is the third largest lake in Italy and is shaped like an inverted Y with Como on the south west point, Lecco on the south east point and Colico at the top.



From central Milan, trains run to Como and from there it is easy to use the water taxis to towns and villages all over the lake, but as we were approaching from Orio al Serio (the Ryanair hub) which is about an hour east of Milan, we decided to follow the eastern prong.



Mandello del Lario was the lake village of my imagination – faded painted houses, vibrant red begonias and pretty blue creepers, and even the odd fresco on the outside of a house! It also had an old fashioned boat dock off a little piazza which was like stepping back in time.



The other side of the village is a large park which was much better maintained than the public gardens in Milan. From here visitors can access the lake from a little ‘beach’ of shingle surrounded by palm trees.



Lake Como is also known as Lago del Lario from which the town takes it’s name, and I could have happily spent a few more days here wandering through the little cobbled streets and just drinking in the peaceful atmosphere.



it wasn’t until I bought a more detailed guide book that I realised we’d missed the church and the remote sanctuary of Santa Maria with a bell tower and beautiful cloister – maybe next time!

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