Alpino Baveno

Lake Como photos here:
http://www.facebook.com/album. php?aid=163676&id=613699523&l=b 0c583d265

Friday caught the train out to Como for a day trip.
Wandering around Como is really nice and can imagine it would be awesome in Summer, as well as being incredibly busy and crowded.
Caught the funiculare up to Brunate and walked up the ...

When I finally found Lake Como (after a train, then a bus, then a ferry and then a very confusing walk) I was surprised that it was so empty. It was raining (I think the rain is following me around Europe) and there was no one about so I was able to do my exploring easily. Lake Como is a very small place with not too many things to ...

... it up and buy a disposable camera. We kept going, it was pretty empty, as most Sunday mornings in Italy are, and walked the extent of the town. There's an island nearby, if you want to know the story behind it click here-http://www.orta.net/eng1/isolasgiu lioe.htm-and by the time we got back to the center the town had woken up and there were people everywhere. I'm glad we got there when we did. There was a path around the lake that we walked, then it was time to ...

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Sue

We transferred from the bus to a boat to do the tour of the Lake. They pointed out the particular houses of royalty and film stars - and how many millions their houses were worth. The views were spectacular, the houses really like castles, and they would have no trouble having privacy, that's for sure! Another wonderfully pleasant surprise! Some have their own cable-cars to get down to the water's edge. (Funicular)

From Dad
To Como

After Lucerne we then had a relatively short drive through the mountains to Como. We went through the longest tunnel in the world, and passed through some very pretty mountain scenery. We stopped near Bellinzona and had a longer rest at Lugarno. These towns are both in the Italian speaking area of Switzerland.

Lugarno was another attractive lakeside town ...

Took the train from Milan to Lake Como - short 1.5 hour trip. The lake is beautiful and there was a speed boat race going on when we arrived. We took the funicular (tram) which has a charming little town at the top and a great view of the lake. We stayed on the south side of the lake (where George lives) and then took a boat north to Bellagio. Quaint town with steep streets filled with great shops. Can understand why George bought a house there!

... people doing the grand tour of italy as it has an amazing art colletion. The villas main highlight though is its huge and beautiful gardens. i mean there are orange arbours, huge beds of flowers, waterfalls, a grotto, millions of ponds and fountains, a rhodedendron walk (sadly not in flower at the time), palm trees, immaculate lawns, a mini rainforest, bonzai trees. Seriously it was insane! it was given to Carlotta (and got its name) by her mother on her marriage ...

... churches, castles, bridges, and historic buildings.

San Salvatore is one of the mountains on Lake Lugano. You can ride to the top in a funnicular, or hike up the steep path. We went the lazy route and saved our energy for walking around on top. From the funnicular station you can walk up a bit further to a small chapel sitting on the peak of the mountain. The chapel has a rooftop terrace with a stunning 360 degree panorama view.
Lugano, Swiss Alps, Switzerland travelingdiva

... are all connected hourly by large passenger boats that run up and down the length of the lake and make it very easy to go from town to town. The boats also connect the lake's three inhabited islands: Isola Madre, Isola Superiore, and Isola Bella to the "mainland". The islands are small and very beautiful. We visited all three islands during our stay.

Isola Madre is an island that is privately owned by an enormously wealthy Italian ...

... were in the Italian part of Switzerland. I’m continually amazed at the diversity within such a small country, so much so that I really don’t know how the 26 largely autonomous Cantons, each distinctly parochial, influenced in part in food and customs by their nearest bordering countries and divided by the use four official national languages, has ever been able to function effectively as a unified confederation since the original Cantons first joined together in 1291 ...