Nesso on Lake Como, Italy
We’ve settled in to our home in the tiny village of Nesso along the banks of Lake Como in northern Italy. Our new Airbnb house is a hit with modern amenities, strong Wifi, great showers and a washing machine.
I usually pack underwear and socks for a week (everything else I can wear more than once). Since we’ve been on the road now for almost a week, we’ve welcomed the opportunity to catch up on laundry.
We’ve deciphered the washing machine controls and successfully run several loads. Electricity is metered heavily in Italy so there are no dryers. Everything is hung to dry (providing the classic Italian scene of wash hanging on lines).
The village of Nesso is not a big tourist stop. It’s on the twisty lake road between the larger towns of Como and Bellagio. For this reason, it provides us a more authentic taste of Italian life here in the Lombardy region of Italy.
Nesso is famous for its Roman bridge, the Ponte Della Civera. I hiked down to lake level for a closer look. The torrent of water coming down off the mountain enters the lake in a thunderous waterfall and runs under the bridge. It’s quite captivating and I had it all to myself this afternoon.
We decided to drive north along the lake to the town of Bellagio, located on a promontory surrounded by water and mountains. Along the way, there were small (and I mean SMALL) parking areas along the road to soak in the views.
Bellagio was warm and colorful in the late September sun. The lake’s ferry service does a booming business here with tourists and locals criss-crossing the water to various towns.
Each village along the lake has a small port accessed by ancient stone paths winding down through the houses clinging to the mountains. Each house seems to be stacked on the one below. There are small public fountains and Virgin Mary grottos scattered along the pathways.
We bought food in an Italian grocery store yesterday. This is my favorite way to eat with small samples of a wide range of meats, cheeses, olives and fruit. The wine here is excellent (no surprise) and amazingly inexpensive. I’m not sure we’ve spent more than $5 on any bottle.
We plan on visiting Milan, Bergamo and crossing the border into Switzerland during the days we have remaining at Lake Como. Trying hard not to rub it in but the weather has been perfect: warm and sunny with a cool breeze.
Buona sera!
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