Where in the World are the Wendells: Northern Italy: Lake Como, the Dolomites, Verona, Milan, Turin, Genoa, Bergamo

Lake Como: Bellagio and Varenna

Bellagio Waterfront

View from Bellagio

Bellagio street

We chose to stay in Bellagio to explore the Lake Como region, as it is situated in the central lake area with good ferry access to all other towns on the lake. From Zurich, we took the scenic train through the Alps to Como San Giovanni station, then it’s a 15-minute walk to the harbor, through a beautiful town square with lots of cafes. Boats to Bellagio run hourly but sell out quickly (tickets can only be purchased day of travel). There are no trains servicing Bellagio, but there are two boat services: passenger boats that go to numerous Lake Como towns running hourly but limited hours; car ferries to Varenna that run frequently and late into the evening (Varenna does have train service, the station is a 10 minute walk uphill from the town). On the return trip to Como, we took the C130 bus, the bus stop is across the parking lot from the ferry terminal. That bus sold tickets on board, but when we tried to transfer to a local bus in Como, it required tickets to be purchased at the bus station (or Tobac shop). We opted for a taxi, but learned that you must find a taxi stand by looking for the orange “Taxi” sign and “taxi” marked on the pavement.

Arriving in Bellagio, the Hotel du Lac is immediately across from the pier. It’s a very nice hotel with a terrace bar (great lunch) and a rooftop bar, both overlooking Lake Como. Our room had a balcony with chairs and a table, overlooking the lake – great place to relax! Wandering up the steep-stepped Salita (alleys) there are dozens of restaurants and shops. In the maze of Salitas we stumbled upon the Basilica of San Giacomo, built in the 11th century. It has incredible frescoes painted above the altar and side chapels. Finally, we walked less than 10 minutes to Punta Spartivento, which is at the end of the peninsula on which Bellagio is located. It’s the meeting point of the two lakes, and provides beautiful views of Varenna and the mountains surrounding Lake Como. At the point is Restaurante La Punta, with amazing views.

Varenna

Varenna waterfront

Varenna view

Varenna harbor

From Bellagio, you can take the boat or car ferry to Varenna (the car ferry runs much more frequently). It's an inexpensive 15-minute ride, very scenic. The port area is cute but very small; to get to the scenic town center you need to walk the elevated path along the water (turning right as you leave the boat), which takes you to the old town which is awesome!

San Giorgio church

Piazza San Giorgio

Following the main “street” takes you past the Hotel du Lac (sister property of our Bellagio hotel), where we enjoyed drinks on their quiet lake-side terrace. Continuing on, we walked uphill to Piazza San Giorgio, which is one of the cutest squares we’ve seen in Italy. San Giorgio Church, dating from the 13th century, dominates the square, and has a beautiful Romanesque interior. Also on the square is the 11th century Baptistry which has beautiful frescoes on the interior (rarely open – we were fortunate to see it). We had lunch at Ristorante del Sole, good food and cheap wine with a perfect table on the square.

Bolzano (Bozen in German)

Wax figure of Otzi

Bolzano - Waltherplatz

Bolzano is a great home base for exploring the Dolomites. The old town center is very cute, with lots of sidewalk cafes on Waltherplatz (main square). The cathedral is beautiful, and is reminiscent of the St Stephen’s in Vienna. Via dei Portici was the main (only) street in medieval Bolzano, and is lined with shops. The biggest attraction in Bolzano is the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology which displays the Neolithic mummy Ötzi the Iceman. We stayed at the Parkhotel Mondschein, which has a beautiful garden bar/restaurant, and is located right on the restaurant-lined Via dei Bottai; we liked the hotel, but the rooms are quite dated.

View from Compatsch

Drive to Compatsch

Schlern

Saltria

Schlern

The Alpe de Siusi is the largest mountain meadow in Europe, and it is ringed by massive mountains, some of which are the crenelated towers of limestone rock that the Dolomites are famous for. The vistas in all directions are amazing. The main “town” is Compatsch (Compaccio), which is a cluster of hotels and ski/hiking shops with a TI and WC. The main parking lot (P2) costs 15 Euro per day, but you might find free 2-hour parking just beyond P2 near the TI. Most trails leave from this point, make sure to get a map at the TI (which was closed when we were there). Another great vista is about 10 minutes (or 45 minute easy hike) further down the road towards Saltria.

Castelrotto

Castelrotto painted house

View of Castelrotto

The main town in the Alpe di Suisi is Castelrotto, a tiny community with an impressive belltower in the main square, and beautiful painted buildings surrounding the square. We visited in shoulder season (April through mid-May), after ski season and before summer hiking season, so nearly everything was closed. November is also a shoulder season, so I would recommend not visiting during these times, or at least not staying in Castelrotto (Bolzano is large enough to be vibrant even during these times). We had lunch at Saalstuben near the underground parking; enjoying venison soup, cabbage salad with bacon, and spinach ravioli.

Drive to Sella Pass

Sella Pass

The Dolomite sites are dependent upon weather. We stayed three nights in the hopes of having one clear day – while each day was clear in town, the mountains had varying clouds. Both Rick Steves and Lonely Planet have a Dolomite Loop Drive that are nearly identical three-hour drives. We began the drive in Castelrotto after already seeing Alpa di Suisi, heading to Ortisei, Santa Cristina, Selva Val Gardena, and Selva. The road then winds up the mountain to Sella Pass (about 7300 feet). The views on the drive and at the pass are stunning. Between Alpa di Suisi and Sella Pass, I think the Dolomites are one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. The return trip to Bolzano/Castelrotto is pretty but anticlimactic after the incredibly scenic drive to Sella Pass.

Sella Pass

View across Sella Pass

We had two good dinners highlighting local South Tyrolean cuisine: Weisses Rossi Bozen where we enjoyed Bauernplatte (farmer’s platter), and Canederli (delicious baseball-size dumplings); Batzen Hausl, the oldest tavern in Bozen with a great selection of their own beers and good food. Good pizza and nice atmosphere at Alto Pizza.

Verona

Verona is one of the most picturesque towns that we have seen in Italy. It has amazing Roman ruins, and beautiful buildings from the 12th through 16th century. But it is famous for being the home of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet (Giulieta), and hence attracts hoards of tourists to visit Giulieta’s house and iconic balcony (these tourists apparently forget that this is merely fiction). Despite the tourists, Verona is an amazing place.

Arriving at the Ponta Nuova train station, we took the bus to Piazza Bra, the main public square; the buses are easy, just tap your phone or credit card when you enter (you can even choose to pay for more than one passenger). Piazza Bra is located along a beautiful street lined with 16th century residences (now shops), but the big attraction is the nearly intact Roman Arena which is now used as an events venue. The famous annual Verdi Opera Festival takes place in this incredible space.

View from Arena

Piazza Bra

Arena

Porta Borsari

After visiting the Arena, we wandered down Via Oberdan to the beautiful Porta Borsari, a Roman toll gate to the ancient city (Borsari roughly translates to toll). The nearby Café Portoni has great food on a quiet plaza. Walking under Porta Borsari, we enter the old Roman city and walk down Corsa Porta Borsari full of shops and cafes. A quick detour to the right is Enoteca Oreste, a great wine bar that was sadly closed the day we visited.

Piazza Erbe

Roman fountain

Piazza Erbe

Corsa Porta Borsari

City gate

Corsa Porta Borsari eventually leads to Piazza Erbe – when you turn the corner into the square, the view is stunning! Beautiful 14th and 15th century buildings line the square, many with frescoed facades. A Roman statue stands in the fountain, and a Venetian lion sits atop a column, both are reminders of the empires Verona once belonged to. Piazza Erbe is just a perfect example of a medieval public square! For those looking for Juliet’s balcony, it’s just a block southeast of the square.

Piazza dei Signori

Dante and Tammy

Just a block east of the square is Piazza dei Signori, with a statue of Dante Alighieri in the center (he sought asylum in Verona after being expelled from Florence). Piazza dei Signori is surrounded by the incredible 14th century Scaligeri (ruling family) residence, and 15th century Venetian buildings. It’s an impressive square, and much quieter than Piazza Erbe. Just a few steps east are the impressive tombs of the Scaligeri family.

Saint Anastasia hunchback

Saint Anastasia

View from Ponte Pietra

Church of St Anastasia

Verona Duomo

As we near the Adige River, we visited the Church of Saint Anastasia, an impressive 13th century cathedral with beautiful artwork, including the 1438 fresco of St. George and the Princess of Trebizond. The hunchback supporting a holy water basin is unique. The nearby Ponte Pietra bridge over the river dates from Roman times (but was rebuilt after being bombed in World War II). Finally, we visited the impressive 12th century Duomo and Baptistry. It’s amazing to tour this religious complex, with excavation sites exposing the 4th century walls that originally occupied this space. The big draw to the church is Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin from the 16th century.

Bergamo

Porto Nuova with
Citta Alta in distance

Partisan memorial

It's an easy 50 minute train ride to Bergamo from Milan, and a perfect day trip to escape the big city and enjoy a small mountain town. Lonely Planet has a walking tour that covers the main sites in Bergamo. The new town inside Porto Nuova (less than ten minutes walk from the station) has several interesting buildings, including the Teatro Donisetti and the Church of Saint Bartolomeo and Stefano. The courtyard surrounded by the Quadriportica is really pretty. A monument to the partisans who were killed during WWII is quite moving.

Santa Maria Maggiore

Piazza Vecchia

Roman walls

Caffe del Tasso

Santa Maria Maggiore
ceiling frescoes

Walking to the old town (Citta Alta) requires a funicular ride or a ten minute hike up to the higher town. It's worth the journey! Once you reach the top, you pass through the Venetian gate and the Roman era walls into the old town. Although it dates from Roman times, the buildings are mostly medieval and Renaissance. Via Gombito is lined with shops, and the quaint Osteria al Donezetti where we stopped for drinks was very popular. Via Gombito ends at the beautiful Piazza Vecchia which is surrounded by cafes. One of the cafes is Caffè del Tasso, which dates from 1476! We enjoyed local Bergamo specialties: ravioli with pancetta, and cheesy polenta with braised beef. Just off the square, the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is incredible - the walls and ceiling are covered in frescoes and gold, really over-the-top ornamentation.

Genoa (Genova)

Strada Nuova

Since the 3rd century BC, Genoa has been a major trading center, growing to prominence in the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. Crusades and explorations departed from Genoa, and the merchant class grew exceedingly wealthy. That wealth is on full display along Strada Nuova, several blocks of immense and ornate palaces of the wealthy, many of which have been converted to museums. It was the most interesting place we visited in Genoa.

Caruggi

The waterfront area is not very interesting, except for the Neptune galleon on display. Inland from the waterfront, the narrow streets, small piazzas, and many churches make for an interesting walk. Navigation through the winding streets is a bit challenging (especially from the train station to the waterfront), but Google Maps did a pretty good job in the medieval core of the city (called the caruggi). Genoa was not as atmospheric as we expected, but it was a Sunday and most stores and restaurants were closed.

San Lorenzo

Porta Soprana

San Matteo

The Cathedral of San Lorenzo is located along (you guessed it) Via San Lorenzo which leads from the waterfront into the caruggi. It’s a beautiful black-and-white marble church, like several others in Genoa. Beyond San Lorenzo is Porta Soprana, a gate in the walls surrounding Genoa built in 1155. Nearby Piazza de Ferrari, the main square in Genoa, is surrounded by impressive buildings including the Teatro Carlo Felice and the curved Piazza della Borsa (the former stock exchange). We had lunch at a café on the piazza, sampling the local specialties of pesto and focaccia. From Piazza de Ferrari, we delved into the winding streets, first stopping at Chiesa di San Matteo, on the tiny Piazza San Matteo, then onto Piazza Campetto. Both were quite scenic. We wrapped up our visit by walking the length of Strada Nuova, impressed by the stunning palaces.

Turin (Torino)

Taking the train from Bologna, we chose to get off at Torino Porta Susa and start our walk there. The walk ended at the main train station, Porta Nuova, where we boarded the train back to Bologna.

Caffe al Bicerin

Caffè Al Bicerin (since 1763), where we ordered the delicious Bicerin coffee with chocolate and creme, invented here, served with delicious biscotti. The Sanctuary of the Holy Virgin of Consolation is a small church across from the coffee shop, worth a stop to see the side altar on the right.

San Giovani

Shroud of Turin

Porta Palatine

The Porta Palatine is a gate in the former Roman wall dating from first century BC. Near the gate is Duomo di San Giovanni with the famous Shroud of Turin. The shroud is held inside a twelve-foot box to protect it, and is rarely on public display.

Palazzo Reale

Via Maria Vittoria

Palazzo Reale was home to the ruling House of Savoy. Piazzo Castello stretches in front of Palazzo Reale, and is surrounded by grand buildings including Palazzo Madama (closed for renovations).

Piazza San Carlo

Piazza Statuto

Turin is known for its beautiful squares, and we tried to visit most of them. Piazza Statuto displays an interesting statue, the sprawling Piazza Vittorio Veneto along the Po River, and Piazza San Carlo on Via Roma (main street through Turin) with its equestrian statue and twin churches. The iconic Mole Antonelliana is a unique structures that dominates the skyline and is in nearly every image of Turin. Lunch at the casual but highly-rated Poormanger, where their specialty is potatoes stuffed with various local ingredients; Tammy got the Greci, I had N'duja.

Milan

Milan is a big city with tremendous history, one of the most famous cathedrals in the world, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, and interesting neighborhoods to explore. We stayed at the Westin Palace Hotel near Piazza d'Repubblica, with a convenient metro stop near the hotel, and a cute neighborhood just steps to the east around Giardini (park) Giovani Falcone with lots of restaurants. We enjoyed a nice dinner at L'Antro della Sibilla, where I ordered the Super Diavolo pizza with salami and N'duja For our visit, we followed Rick Steves’ walking tours.

Milan Duomo

Duomo nave

Duomo roof

Our walk started at Piazza Duomo, the heart of Milan. The Duomo is absolutely incredible, with multiple sites inside and out. Unique among cathedrals, it appears to have more ornamentation outside than inside! The exterior is entirely marble, covered with over 1000 statues, including those on top of the pinnacles that soar into the air. The inside is incredible, with massive tree-like pillars supporting the massive roof that spans 500 feet from front to back, and 2000 statues appearing to be everywhere. The altar, the stained-glass windows (some of which survived WWII bombing), and the side chapels are all impressive.

Ancient Baptistry

We then descended into an archeological area under the church, where nearly two thousand years of ruins from prior churches have been excavated. The most interesting was the ancient baptistry where Milan’s patron Saint Ambrose baptized Augustine of Hippo in 387 AD. The final stop on the Duomo tour is ascending steps to the roof, where you can walk among the pinnacles with amazing views of Milan. The whole experience of visiting the Duomo is like no other church we’ve seen.

Pinacoteca Handmaid

Leonardo da Vinci

Pinacoteca staircase

We also visited the nearby Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, an art museum that has a rare Leonardo da Vinci painting and the Codex Atlantus compilation of his drawings. Also noteworthy was the “cartoon” (drawing used as a stencil for a painting) drawn by Raphael for his famous School of Athens fresco in the Vatican Museum. The building itself is impressive, with a beautiful tiled staircase, and stained glass windows that appear to include the Handmaid’s Tale! To visit the Duomo and Pinacoteca, purchase tickets as far in advance as possible at this link. We chose the “Combo Stairs + Pinacoteca Ambrosiano” package, which gives access to everything in the cathedral, plus the art museum and the Duomo Museum (closed Wednesdays).

Galleria V. Emanuelle II

Across Piazza del Duomo is the famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II, which is an amazing site. The beautiful facades, the glass roof, and incredible marble tile floor (especially under the dome) are incredible. The Bar Camparino is the home of Campari, and has been an institution in Milan for over 100 year; they invented the aperitivo which is afternoon drinks with a light snack (we enjoyed that local custom everywhere we went in Italy).

As you walk through the Galleria from the Duomo, you emerge into Piazza de La Scala, with a monument to Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his most productive 20 years in Milan. Just past this is the famous La Scala Opera House and Museum.

San Stefano bones

San Stefano
(look closely)

Just a short walk southeast of the Duomo is Santo Stefano, a small church with one of the strangest sites we’ve seen in a church. The Santuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa traces its origins back to 1210, when the church cemetery ran out of space and a chamber was built to collect and store the bones of the deceased. The interior walls are almost entirely covered in human skulls and bones, arranged to form crosses in the niches. The ceiling was frescoed in 1695 with the Triumph of Souls, depicting angels and saints. The adjacent church was added in 1269.

Palazza della Regione

Just west of Piazza del Duomo Piazza dei Mercanti, which was the political center of Milan in the 13th century. The piazza is surrounded by Palazzo della Regione which was once the town hall, along with Venetian-influenced buildings from the 15th century.

Quadrilatero (just a couple blocks northeast of La Scala) around Palazzo Scotti and Bagatti Valsecchi Museum, and along Via Montenapoleone, is the center of Milan’s fashion district with all the high-end shops. It’s a good place for window shopping if you are into that.

Fiori Chiara, Brera

Brera neighborhood, surrounding the Brera Gallery, especially along Via Fiori Chiara, is lined with restaurants and bars. We stopped at Jamaica for a Spritz aperitivo in the afternoon. The next time we visit Brera, we will wait in line at Osteria da Fortunata. The place is incredibly popular, and the pasta is made while you watch.

Naviglio Grande

South of the Duomo lies the neighborhood around the Naviglio Grande (Grand Canal), where restaurants line the canal. We enjoyed aperitivo at one of the bars, then had a delicious and cheap meal at Pizzeria Spaghetteria La Magolfa, a couple blocks from the canal.

Sforza Castle

Michelangelo Pieta

On our last day, we spent our time west of the Duomo. First we walked Via Dante, which is the main pedestrian shopping street. Just off the street is the American Bookstore, with new and used English language books. Via Dante ends at the Sforza Castle, which is an immense structure that houses a couple museums, one of which displays Michelangelo’s last sculpture the Pieta Rondanini. Michelangelo died before completing the sculpture, which makes the unfinished piece even more evocative – it makes quite an impression.

L.O.V.E

Nearby, a modern sculpture creates a completely different emotion: the statue is entitled L.O.V.E., but it is a giant hand giving the middle finger. Located in the heart of the financial district, and placed there during the height of the financial crisis of 2008, the artist intended this to represent the 1% giving the finger to the 99%. Eighteen years later it is still relevant.

San Maurizio

Basiliac di San Ambrogio

The Basilica of Saint Ambrogio is a 12th century Romanesque church that houses the remains of the Milan’s 4th century patron Saint Amrogio. The Church of San Maurizio is truly incredible. The interior is completely frescoed by Bernardino Luini around 1500, including the Hall of Nuns, where the cloistered nuns could attend mass without mingling with the other parishioners.

Last Supper

Last Supper close-up

Santa Maria della Grazie

The culmination of our trip to Milan was visiting Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper. It is located in the dining hall of Santa Maria della Grazie church, built by the Dominican Order. As we learned, it is typical in Dominican monasteries to decorate one wall of the dining hall with a picture of the last supper, and the opposite wall with a picture of the crucifixion of Jesus. The ruling Sforza family commissioned Leonardo for the Last Supper, which he worked on from 1492-1498. We were surprised how large the painting is, covering the entire wall of a large hall, and how vibrant the colors are after a 21-year restoration competed in 1999.

Restaurants and bars in Milan

Near our hotel, we had drinks at Moebius, a trendy bar attached to a Michelin star restaurant. Motta cafe (since1928) overlooking Piazza del Duomo, next to Galleria Victoro Emmanuelle was very good, with great views. Dinner at Maestro Tortello, near our hotel, was very good.