An idyllic day in Lago di Como: Pasta class, beautiful villas & Bellagio | SIMPLY SLOW TRAVELER

Welcome back to another day in Lago di Como. If you have not seen my previous video from my recent stay in this region, you can check it out on the description box below. This time I am starting in the beautiful town of Bellagio, right in the middle of the lake. This is a very picturesque town, widely known for its narrow streets going up the hill, with cobbled stairways sided by pastel-colored buildings, with stores, restaurants and cafes, and with beautiful views to the west side of the lake. I suggest coming here early in the morning, which is always better if you sleep in or around the town. The light at this time of the day is just beautiful, and this way you avoid the many tourists that start arriving by boat and by road from 9 or 10 am. Bellagio is not a very large town, and after a couple of hours exploring it, I suggest going either to the gardens of Villa Melzi, which you see here in the distance along the lake margin, or do as I chose, and go visiting the neighboring village of Besgalo, just as the first groups of tourists started arriving. After climbing all the way to the top of Bellagio, and right in front of the city hall, you will find the stone stairway in between the vegetation, which takes you across the hill to the east side, leaving Bellagio behind. As you start climbing back down, you start having more beautiful views of the Leko branch of the lake, and the picturesque corners of this small fishing village hunched over the lake, as if ready to dive into its calm waters. Sitting for a few long minutes by the old fishing port, just admiring the morning views, with the boats gently floating at bay, and the carefree ducks and swans swimming by, was one of my absolute favorite moments of the whole day. After this inspiring moment of relaxation, it was time to head to our next stop. Not far from Bellagio, stays the small town of Neso, with its famous waterfall and devil's bridge at the bottom of the village. The walk down and then back up is a bit strenuous, but the picture-perfect scenery at the is totally worth it. This is another very famous spot, and while the access is not the easiest, it tends to get several people around, especially in the afternoon, so I recommend going in the morning time. By the end of the morning, and as the skies got cloudy, we went for a cooking class with amazing views to the lake, even despite the changing weather. Very near, the Grand Hotel Tremezo, which I also covered in a previous video, this was one of the most amazing cooking classes I have had so far in Italy. Our hostess and teacher was the nicest, and made the whole process of pasta making look so intuitive, sharing so many practical tips that I learned a lot, even after having already a few of these classes under my belt. We prepared two types of dough, one with regular flour and eggs, and another one with semolina flour and water. After following our guidance, we then proceeded to roll the pasta into the different optimal thicknesses used with the different pasta shapes we were going to make. One such pasta dish, that looks so beautiful on the plate, and is very easy and quick to make, is this long single sort of raviolo that is rolled on itself and creates this beautiful flower looking shape once finished. We then also learned and tried our luck with making simple cavatelli, cavatelli rigate and orecchiette, the latter being quite tricky and requiring a lot of experience to get right. While the pasta cooked, we were treated to delicious starters with fresh fish from the lake and a fresh tomato and basil burrata paired with Chianti wine. We then had our own creations for mains and finished with the freshly prepared tiramisu. You can check all the details for this cooking class as well as my other favorite experiences to enjoy the best of Lago di Como on my digital travel guide to the streamy region of Italy. After some three hours cooking and eating delicious pasta, and as the sky started to clear again, we drove north to the small town of Menaggio. Not as picturesque as Bellagio or Varenna, it is still worth the visit and especially walking alongside its lakefront promenade, admiring the views and the boats going back and forth between the margins. I also suggest having an ice cream at the Fabrica del Gelato and eating it while wandering around the town center. With wide open views to Bellagio glowing under the sun that had come back out for the rest of the afternoon, you will find the imposing Villa Carlotta and its lush gardens. Another iconic Lake Como villa with over 300 years of history, it takes its name from one of its former residents, Charlotte of Prussia, who was gifted the property as a wedding present. It was then, in 1850, that it took the name Villa Carlotta. With a rich history of renovations, additions and enrichment of its botanical garden, the villa is today a museum, showcasing some of the artworks that were bought by its different owners along the centuries, such as paintings and a wide collection of remarkable statues. On the upper floor, you can find furnished rooms from Princess Charlotte's era, including her own bedroom and personal belongings. On the outside, you will find a botanical garden with around 20 acres in size. It is divided into different sections, such as the Italian Garden, the Romantic Garden or the Bamboo Garden. From early spring to mid-summer, there will always be different flowers in bloom at different times, making the visit worth pretty much any time you choose to go. Here and there, you will find sitting areas under the shade of the leafy canopies, with views to the lake, or even a small waterfall and stream running through the middle of the property, providing a very fresh atmosphere and lively sun track to your visit. It is well worth spending a couple of hours in Villa Carlotta and enjoying this lush and beautiful scenery and the magnificent views of the lake, especially if you go in a hot summer afternoon. At early evening, we went having dinner very near Villa Carlotta at the restaurant Bell Il. This is a very traditional and unpretentious local restaurant, with very delicious food and with more beautiful views to the lake and Bellagio from the front terrace. We had a nice light meal, just as the night started falling on the landscape, and then it was time to head back to Bellagio. I hope you enjoyed coming with me for another day around Lake Como, and don't forget to subscribe to never miss more videos of Lake Como and other beautiful places in Europe.