Help Getting Acquainted with Lake Como and Tuscany

Posted by Daniel on 02/16/20 08:48 PM

Ciao Amici!

My wife and I are planning our third visit to Italy in early October. We will have approximately one week between Lake Como and Tuscany (before moving on to other places in Italy). Assuming two days in Lake Como and approximately five days in Tuscany, we would greatly appreciate recommendations for restaurants and must see places/experiences/vistas. We are also interested in knowing where in Tuscany and Lake Como it makes the most logistical sense to stay overnight.

We have already covered Florence on previous trips so no need to factor it in any recommendations.

Grazie!

Posted by Suki

02/16/20 09:47 PM

11147 posts

Lake Como- we have stayed in Bellagio four times. It is on a peninsula so you don’t heR traffic or the trains.
Tuscany- We have stayed in many locations but our favorite area is Chianti between Siena and Florence- Greve, Panzano,Castellina and Radda are all worth a look.

Posted by MaryPat

Irving

02/16/20 10:14 PM

2945 posts

Varenna is where you want to sleep on Lake Como. The best people to get restaurant recommendations from are locals. RSE guidebooks will steer you in the right direction too. Don't ignore the option to picnic since there are many fine spots to prop down an oversized scarf, open a bottle of wine and enjoy fine dining with food you picked up along the way. Personally, I don't believe you can get a bad meal in IT which I've been to seven times. Overpriced yes, but bad no unless you're in Venice.
Consider renting a car in Varenna and driving to Siena, another gem to stay in. I've been there three times and enjoyed it immensely, espeically after the day-trippers left. You can stop in one of the restaurants that line the square for a lemoncello so you can prop yourself down in II Campo Square and people watch while sipping your night cap.
When departing Siena drive the Sienese Crests to see its many hilly landscapes and manicured villas perched high above. Don't be in a hurry to start your day because my first hour consisted of fog (I was there in Nov). Good day trips are Pienza's old town and Montepulciano.

Posted by April

Portland, OR

02/16/20 10:26 PM

1090 posts

Agree that Bellagio is the place you want to be in Lake Como. The mid lake area is all accessible by ferry. Ricknicks all tend to stay in Varenna so you will see a lot of blue and gold guidebooks around town, way more so than locals.

In Tuscany, you can’t really go wrong. Pick a hill town and you won’t be disappointed.

Posted by Dan

London, UK

02/19/20 11:09 AM

17 posts

I'd second the Siena recommendation from Mary - it's a great city to stay in and it's also well placed for exploring further. Go south and you can visit the Valdorcia - Bagno Vignoni, Monte Oliveto Maggiore, Pienza - you could even drive up the dormant volcano of Mont'Amiata.

Go north-west and you can drive up the Elsa valley, along the old pilgrimage route from Northern Europe to Rome. Visit Abbadia a Isola (it was an abbey on an island 1000 years ago), Monetriggioni, Colle val d'elsa, Casole, even Poggibonsi (ugly on the outside, but with a sweet centre and a great Fortress on the hill).

North is the Chianti - Gaiole, Radda, Greve etcetc - and vineyards.

While going west will take you to Rosia, Torri, Orgia - tiny little villages with good restaurants. Or through the valley past Rosia, past the medieval "Ponte della Pia" and towards the roofless Abbey of San Galgano.

What's not to like : )