Another day trip in the Lake Como region, to a small mountain town called Introbio. Of “particular interest,” as Italian tourism guides say, is Villa Migliavacca. According to the sign: “Built in the 1920s for the Milanese Antonio Migliavacca, pioneer in advancing tourism in Valsassina, it is the work of architect Bottoli, also Milanese. The construction, in neo-Medieval style, is scenically placed in the large garden. It is now the seat of the township and Mountain Community of Introbio.”
Category Archives: Italy travel
Photo Gallery: Erve, March 2008
One beautiful day in March, Enrico and I went up to Erve, a village quite close to where we live in Lecco – as the crow flies. But we had to drive, and then hike. I’m not much of a hiker, so we only walked for about an hour, but that was plenty of time to take photos (and also some video, but I haven’t done anything with that yet).
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Gallery: Bergamo’s Historic Villas
From our visit to Bergamo and its historic villas.
Lecco to Bellagio by Boat: A Beautiful Day on Lake Como
The ferry runs from Lecco (on Lake Como’s southeastern tip) only from spring to fall. The slow boat to Bellagio (one and a half hours) is the best way to see this branch of the lake. With its steep, craggy mountainsides plunging down into the water, it’s reminiscent of a Norwegian fjord.
The boat hops back and forth across the lake, stopping first at Mandello.
Along the way you see gorgeous lakeside villas (no, not George Clooney’s!):
Enjoy the fresh air, sparkling water…
…and warm sunshine…
…arriving in good time for lunch in Bellagio.
Guests of Conti Sertoli Salis: Part 3, Wine!
When we finished seeing the palazzo, we had a little stroll in the garden, in which an intricate, manicured geometric hedge is winningly juxtaposed with overgrown and out-of-control everything else. My favorite photo of the day is above – autumn red vines draping down a stone plaque. The boast of the garden is a glorious, ancient cedar of Lebanon. I wish I owned a tree like that one.
^ a tromp l’oeil gazebo built into a wall in the garden
Then we were invited inside for the wine tasting. A large party of retirees occupied the canua (a semi-underground kitchen/taverna) usually used for tasting, and they didn’t look like leaving anytime soon, so we had to improvise. Pancrazio helped carry a table and chairs from another part of the palazzo…
…and we sat in an anteroom full of antique winemaking implements.
We had:
- Torre della Sirena – white
- Il Saloncello
- Canua (a sfursat)
…and two others that I don’t now remember – I’m a very disorganized wine reporter! “I don’t know anything about art, but I know what I like.” I liked these. And I was very pleased to be given six bottles of the Canua to take home as wages for my translation.
There was also bread, cheese, and salame – had we known to expect that, we could have skipped lunch (though that would have been a pity to miss).
The Sertoli Salis winery is well worth a visit, both as a historical site and, of course, a place to try and buy some great wine. Tours can be arranged in English.
