Next Stop … Italy

Over the years we have traveled to numerous places, so many restaurants & hotels.  Friends have often requested recommendations and I was not very good at making notes of these places; however, with this next trip, I will keep you apprised of our adventures.

This summer we will be flying in to Milan, and then on to Venice for 3 nights at the Hotel Metropole.  We don’t have much planned yet, thinking of doing a wine/cicchetti tour. I would like to buy another mask (bought 2 when we were there in 2012).

We will then head to Bellagio on Lake Como. This is our favorite place in Italy.  Pete and I will be there a number of nights.  We are staying at the Borgo Le Terrazze.  Just a note for anyone planning on going, make sure you get your reservations early, we waited too late.  We like to stay in downtown Bellagio. It is a small village, so fewer options.  We enjoy walking everywhere and taking the ferries to the different towns and villages on the Lake.  The hotel we are staying at is 2 mi from downtown; however, they do have a shuttle and the walk to town is beautiful.  Nothing planned here yet, but will maybe try a cooking class at one of the old villas.  The views, the food, and the atmosphere is just the best for us.

Next, we are off to Porto Venere.  We wanted to see Cinque Terre again.  Five fishing villages along the Coastal Area of northwest Italy, but south of Portofino.  On our previous trip in 2015, we stayed in Rapello, north of Cinque Terre.  We loved the hike along the coastline, the incredible views and food.  This time we are staying south of Cinque Terre, at Grand Hotel Porto Venere.  Besides the hiking, we may do a wine tour and a cooking class.  We really like to not plan too much and just explore ourselves.

** My next post will focus on travel accessories; i.e., packing cubes, travel pillows, and portable chargers