Our plan for the morning was to drive about 15 miles to the north to visit the well-known Villa Carlotta. This seemed like a reasonable trip that would fit into a morning's excursion.
Villa Carlotta: discover an oasis of art and nature
Lush, verdant outdoor spaces matched by glorious interiors and artworks make Villa Carlotta a true paradise for anyone seeking to experience the elegance Lake Como is famous for. Let’s discover together the villa’s most exciting activities.
Wander through the enchanted botanical garden
A universe of colors, visions and scents. Villa Carlotta is surrounded by 70,000 square meters of gardens, inhabited by some of the most beautiful vegetal species of the world.
The park is divided in different areas: the Italian Garden, a timeless classic of Lake Como, finds its perfect harmony in geometry and variety, from statues, terraces and stairs, to the soul-lifting richness of its floral elements: camellias, roses and the picturesque citrus tunnels.
LCE tip: the best season to visit Villa Carlotta, needless to say, is spring! For the occasion, the villa wears her fanciest dress, colored by blooming of camellias, rhododendrons and other flowers. Plus, during spring, the climate is just perfect , and you’ll be able to enjoy Lake Como without the hustle and bustle of the summer months.
The gaudy colors of the playful Hydrangeae seduce the visitors of the Romantic Gardens, rapturing their hearts with the intense personality of the azaleas, the pièce de résistance of Villa Carlotta’s gardens. The park, however, is also a triumph of wilderness: tropical plants (patchouli, ficus, cinnamon, etc.) and a bamboo garden thrive on the eastern side of the park, while the mysterious valley of ferns homages Lake Como’s natural beauty.
The drive to Tremezzo was relatively easy, although the road along the lake is incredibly narrow. The real challenge was finding a parking space. Most tourists in this area arrive by bus.......and very few rent cars. We really lucked out due to the size of our Lancia......and fit into a space in front of a tree!
We were surprised, however, by the number of visitors arriving at the same time. The line to get a ticket took about 10 minutes.
Both the gardens and the museum were very impressive. We really enjoyed the paths through the 'giardini.'
BACK TO RELAIS VILLA VITTORIA FOR PRANZO
ANOTHER WEDDING!
AND A RELAXING AFTERNOON WANDERING AROUND LAGLIO
We had a quiet (napping) start to the afternoon after our lunch at the pool level. Later in the afternoon we decided to take the rather secretive path down to a small lake-side portion of Laglio. It is difficult to describe this secretive portion of the town. It is very small.....only a dozen buildings or so, which are hidden from the main street and passages above. It is accessed by a tunnel passageway right next to the hotel.
We had a wonderful experience exploring this unique part of the town. We saw children and adults fishing.......and a totally amazing scenario of elder townspeople playing cards in a small 'piazzetta' on the edge of the lake. This was all quite amazing as a visual experience for us. I hope the photos portray how unique this experience was. We think the adults were playing bridge......talking about 'hands'.......but were amazed at how emotional they were getting!
FOLLOWED BY A SWIM IN THE POOL!
AN EARLY EVENING SHOWER.........BUT THE SUN QUICKLY EMERGED AGAIN
AND WE HEADED OFF TO DINNER ON THE TERRACE......BUT THE RAIN ADVANCED AGAIN!
We started outside, but migrated back to a covered space in the dining room with sliding doors!
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