Como Lago…an invitation to an amazing villa with even more amazing new friends!!! I’m in!!

My friend invited me as her family (sister and brother in law) host guests in an old gorgeous villa on Como Lago. Lake Como is always wonderful and with a few days, well it could only mean a fabulous adventure!

Read more: Como Lago…an invitation to an amazing villa with even more amazing new friends!!! I’m in!!

My friend Carol is a bit more organized in her packing schedule. Me? I grab the first 3 pairs of black pants and 4 black shirts/sweaters! A raincoat, maybe some socks and ‘stuff’ and off I go! An early morning taxi to the Orte Scalo train station. A fast train to Florence then onto Milan. A train change at Milano Aeroporto to our Lake Como train. A quick taxi to the Villa Gallitea and we are now a group of 10 people. Most are Carol‘s family. Boston people. Oh the Boston accent, dialogue…so hilarious!! They are wicked fun!!!

The Villa is lovely with quite an interesting history. Right on the water. Beautiful views. Basically all we have to do is decide on the day’s activities and meals! There are cooks and maids so feeling pampered. We have so many cool activities and it is amazing. Yes I have been there before…but not for more than a day or two, so this will be a wonderful extended trip and I am so appreciative of how lovely and fun these people are to include me.

Fascinating to make new friends and just having interesting conversations (okay a few times I didn’t know for sure what they were saying but they were very gracious and glad to repeat)! And we laugh. ?

Lake Como is the largest and deepest lake in Italy. Mussolini was shot here along with his mistress. Their bodies transported to Milan and hung there. It was not a pretty site and there are photos of it…but I digress. The history of Como during WWII is that the area was never bombed, too close to Switzerland. Beautiful architecture on the lake. Homes and huge villas are on the sides of mountains and amazingly beautiful.

Como Lago is loaded with tourists, and many are Italian. May is a rainy month for Italy but even so, we umbrella ?? our way through it in great awe. The boats ?? and sea planes are plentiful. Ferry boats, fast boats and slow boats. Just over a large mountain is Switzerland. Of course, during a Walking Tour, someone wondered if George Clooney is here and apparently he is. If we have a chance meeting…my lips are sealed!! Carol has decided to finally tell him they are through…although if we see him by some slim chance, she might have another kind of conversation….

Como is a lovely Citta! (city). Lots of shopping, plenty of cafés and restaurants…and beautiful buildings. But back to these very fun Bostonians!! They are related so interesting stories going way back!! Reminded me of my monster.com days and business travels to my colleagues in Boston. Seems all Boston folks have a great sense of humor!! And that accent..I tried not to mimic them, but a few glasses of wine and no one cared, we laughed every day.

Como is in the Lombardy region and it’s specialties are risotto and polenta. My friends took the funicular to the top of the mountain across the lake. Charming small village up there and incredible views. I did it a few years ago so I’m content to sit at the cafe, (adjacent to the funicular) have a ‘decaffeinato’ cappuccino and people watch!

A Walking Tour of the city and surrounding areas was amazing. With thousands of years of history, every place in Italy has stories. Como did not disappoint. We did a Wine Tasting w Lunch which was lovely. A Boat Tour up the lake for hours was astounding. Yes there is a photo of George’s villa should you ever need to surprise him…although no boats are allowed within 300 meters of his home.

I had such a wonderful time with the Bostonians…funny, hysterically funny, and fun loving. Most of them were related so even more fun to hear their stories of old…and now I have added to the hysterically funny stories…I think. This they don’t know…Carole with an E…kindly agreed to help me make a Roman dinner for the group. We went to the local grocery store and began to shop…(like I can really create an actual Roman dinner is debatable). They had never had Cacio e Pepe. Ahhhhh, one of my favorites and I made in the US…so of course I can recreate it!! We needed wine..Carole was relentless in finding some absolutely fabulous ones, I was on a Caesar Salad hunt, then a cheese hunt (Pecorino Reggiano) and dressing for the salad, Gelato for dessert…pasta…we had the cart full. No worries, we weren’t that far from the store. We can get a taxi back to the Villa. You’d think, but no. Nada. What??? The store called. They were quite sorry so what were we to do? Clearly the bags were too many and too heavy. Shhhhhhh – we hijacked a grocery cart…yes we did. And no feelings of guilt but we did move pretty fast!!! It got back to the store somehow. There was another incident but I have promised not to share having to do with a tree and a big green bush!

A very huge thank you to Joe and Cindy for their kind and generous offer to have me, it was a great time! And to my buddy Carol (without an E), thank you for inviting me. xoxoxooxox

So many photos, just could not add them all…yes the dinner of Cacio e Pepe went well. Whew!!! Couldn’t have done it without Carole and Carol, and Richie!! Big grazie…

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