Therese's Adventures in Italy: Back to Lake Como
I recently took my daughter, Marie, to Lake Como, Italy for the first time. It's a very special place to me, both because I lived there with my sister in my early 20's, and it's the place that inspired us to start Alora Ambiance together.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Over the years Marie listened to my many stories about when I lived near Lake Como and all the fun memories Ann and I made together. But there's truly nothing like seeing the lake for yourself. It wasn't long after we arrived at our apartment with this view overlooking the lake that she said to me "Mom, I can't believe you lived here!"
If you've been to Lake Como then you know just how beautiful the setting is. And if you have not been, I recommend you make it part of any Italian itinerary you might be planning in the future. You won't regret it!
I was there a couple years ago when I turned 50, but it was extra special this time sharing the beauty with my daughter. Having lived there, our itinerary was a mix of living like a local and being a tourist. Here are some highlights and my top recommendations!
My Top Lake Como Recommendations
1. Rent an apartment
Like our recent family trip to Paris, I opted to rent an apartment because I wanted to pretend I was living there again! A beautiful view was top of my must-have's list, but so was being in the area I lived with my sister. I ended up finding a lovely apartment via Airbnb in Carate Urio, the small village just north of Moltrasio, where Ann and I had lived. It was the perfect distance up from the lake to appreciate the breathtaking views, but still close enough to the water to easily catch a boat!
2. Enjoy the local dishes
It's always a must to eat traditional local dishes when we travel, especially in Italy, but Marie and I really lucked out when we found out about a local summer festival happening the night we arrived. Ironically the cab driver who told us about the festival was from Carate Urio and remembered "i Americani", meaning my sister and her husband, who lived there nearly 30 years ago. Local dishes made by local Italians - deciding where to eat dinner was a no brainer!
Lake Como is the in the Lombardy region of Italy which is in the northern part just below the Italian Alps. Food in this area is typically richer and heartier and includes polenta and gorgonzola - both faves for Marie and I! Seeing the giant stirring pot of polenta was quite something!
We had a hard time not ordering one of everything, and of course the Italians love that two American gals were indulging in all they'd prepared. The locally-made salami was out of this world as were the roasted potatoes. I'd forgotten how good they were, but remembered when the ladies reminded me that they are roasted in duck fat!
3. Shop for groceries
I love shopping for food in Italy. It's always a highlight and a great way for me to use my Italian. There was a lovely deli just down the road from our apartment and along the lake, so we grabbed more gorgonzola(!) and another Lombardian specialty meat, bresaola, and enjoyed a picnic lunch with an incredible view! Read about more of my Italian food favorites here.
We also enjoyed our fair share of lakeside gelato treats!
And always made time for our afternoon caffè at the local bar!
4. Get on the water
Renting a private boat was easy and worth the splurge! There are a fair amount of rental companies to choose from, but I was very happy with Il Medeghino. Claudio was a terrific driver and was more than willing to accommodate my request to get picked up in one spot and dropped off in another.
We opted for a 3 hour tour which was perfect and allowed us to go up and see the famous town of Bellagio. It sits beautifully on the point where the lower lake splits into two branches with Lake Como continuing to the southwest and Lake Lecco to the southeast. Bellagio is pretty touristy (rightfully so!), so we skipped a visit through the town, but it's something I'd recommend if you visit.
For Marie and I, simply taking in the incredible views was all we wanted to do. We couldn't get enough of each charmingly terraced village and beautifully manicured villa that lines the shore of both sides of the lake!
"Mom, I could get used to this!" -Marie
Another great way to get on the lake is by taking the ferry boats that travel up and down the lake. They stop at villages along the way where you can get off to grab a bite to eat, wonder the streets, or sit and take in the views.
Marie and I took the ferry into Como on our last night there. We found it easy to navigate the schedules and tickets are affordable. When I lived here, this was the way I used to go to Como for my Italian lessons!
5. Visit the town of Como
I absolutely recommend visiting Como. The view from Piazza Cavour looking up the lake is terrific. Marie and I wondered the regal streets, enjoyed another gelato, and ended the afternoon with an aperitivo along the lake. It was a perfect!
6. Wander through a village (or two!)
The thing I was most looking forward to on this visit was wondering through Moltrasio, the village where my sister and I lived together for two years. I'm grateful I had time to do it twice! The first time was on an early morning walk by myself while Marie slept. Seeing the sun rise over the lake was magical!
And the second time was later on that day when we both walked from our apartment down that all-too-familiar road Ann and I used to run each day into Moltrasio. Every time we ran this road, Ann and I would talk about how lucky we were to be living there, and how we'd never forget this special time in our lives. And we have not, a special memory comes up nearly every time we chat.
It was about an hour long walk filled with many of the things I remembered and loved including the views, grand villas, scent of lush gardens, colors of the buildings in the center of Moltrasio, curious locals, and best of all, our old villetta at Via Besana 2. 
It was a wonderful visit to Lake Como with Marie, and I'm looking forward to coming back again this fall. This time with my hubby, Ryan, as we capture more of this magnificence to tell the story of "Como", a new scent launching next year celebrating 25 years since Alora was born. A combination of the beauty, landscape and tranquility of Lake Como - it will be an unforgettable scent, just like this setting.
I always love hearing from you so please send any questions about our itinerary my way. Or, if you've been to Lake Como, please share your favorite memories with me. Grazie!
Each week I am reminded of how much I want to visit Italy. The yearning is real, and even more so after reading your blog.
What a perfect recollection of your journey. I can almost smell and taste it!
Now I’m going to go bug my husband again about booking our trip! 🇮🇹 ❤️☕️🥖
Thank you! 😊
The stories and photos are absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing such a special time with your daughter with us.
Thank you for sharing the memories, sights and genius recommendations from your trip with Marie. What glorious new memories the two of you created! Seeing the ‘birthplace’ of alora made me love your creation even more!
I love eating your adventure stories( well, ALL your stories :) )!
This was a wonderful
Description of the same place I visited with my son 5 years ago
It’s a pure heaven . One must go at least once in a lifetime.
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