Lapping it up at Lake Como

GO FEEDBACK: Want a sun holiday with culture or a foodie break with activity? Forget its staid reputation, Lake Como is your only man, says CIARA NORTON

OFTEN FORGOTTEN for its larger cousin, Lake Garda, Lake Como in Lombardy is a world away from the resorts, campsites and theme parks of Garda. It is this air of exclusivity that has ensured Como’s reign as one of the region’s most enduring and untouched holiday destinations.

Which is not to say that Como isn’t popular: it is. Thousands of tourists visit the lake every spring and summer, many to challenge themselves on the cycling, walking and hiking routes around the lake, more to enjoy leisurely days of lakeside wandering, shopping, eating and drinking.

Leisure is what Como does best. Activity is concentrated in the towns in the middle of the lake: Varenna, Menaggio, Bellaggio, Cadenabbia, Tremezzo and then in the main town, Como. The villages and towns dotted around the lake have yet to wholly succumb to the 24-seven world of tourism.

Shops close at midday and, if you’re lucky, they reopen in the evening. Bars and restaurants are slow to come to terms with the Irish holiday-maker’s desire to drink past 10pm. On a recent trip I was asked to pay the bill – in the nicest fashion, of course – so that the owner could attend a family dinner. It was 8pm.

Which is not to say that come nightfall you’ll be tucked into your bed by the Carabinieri; explore the side streets and alleys of each town and you’ll find bars opening late, restaurants buzzing with life and locals gesticulating wildly about the latest soccer results.

This sense of discovery is what makes holidaying in the region magical. Though your days will be leisurely you will find they include hopping ferries across the lake to visit other towns, each spot on the lake offering something different: a bar that serves the best Spritz Aperol or a great and inexpensive jewellers.

Foodies, oenophiles and folk who enjoy a slice of pizza with their pinot grigio will not be disappointed either. Pizza and pasta abound, as do regional dishes including fish from the lake, local cheese and a Milanese import: breaded veal cutlets. Pizzoccheri, a buckwheat pasta served with cheese, potatoes, spinach and a lot of butter is a delicious mountain dish served in many restaurants that calls to mind the region’s Alpine proximity – St Moritz is only up the road.

To get a taste of the region you can do a one-day cooking course in Perledo, a small town high above Varenna. Il Caminetto restaurant is run by Moreno and Rossella who also offer one-day courses teaching small groups the basics of Italian cooking. Alongside endless coffee, red wine and the products of the cooking you get a taste of the region’s culinary quirks.

Wine lovers will find much in Bellaggio, one of the lake’s most popular destinations. Located on one of the many winding streets that climb upwards from the lakeshore, Enoteca Principessa has a modern wine tasting credit card system and a huge variety of bottles, ranging in price from less than €10 to over €1,000. Guided by the store’s assistant you can work your way through local white wines, fresh local reds and the big three of Italian red wine: Brunello, Barolo and Amarone. If you find a wine you love the store can ship it home for you, a common service around the lake.

Adults are not the only ones who will find the attractions of Lake Como irresistible. Though the lake is not home to the same level of child-friendly activity as Lake Garda, many of the villages and town have their own lakeside lido where children can swim to their heart’s content during the summer. In Menaggio the lido is a new development and features volleyball courts, lake and pool swimming, man-made beach, pizzeria and bar serving home-brewed beers. During the summer Menaggio’s lido also hosts live music and children’s entertainment.

Kids will also enjoy the brightly coloured train on wheels that connects Menaggio to Lenno. This miniature train is a great way to see the lake and its attractions, including Villa Carlotta and Villa del Balbianello. Villa Carlotta, on the lakefront in the town of Tremezzo, is home to spectacular gardens in which, on a sunny day, a person could quite easily lose themselves. Perched high in the gardens, the fern valley was a personal favourite.

Villa del Balbianello is in Lenno and is a must-see for garden enthusiasts. The villa is reached by walking from Lenno’s lakefront or on a water taxi and you can book guided tours around the villa and its gardens.

Travel around Lake Como via bus and ferry is efficient and a rented car is not a requirement. Accommodation has always been expensive and this does not look likely to change as the region’s popularity increases. Hotels often charge for their location and view, rather than their amenities – many have few of these. The most cost-efficient way to stay in Como is via an expanding network of self-catering apartments, many of them located in prime positions on the lakefront.

With flights from Ireland servicing airports in Milan, Como has never been easier to get to. Though it has suffered in the past from a staid reputation, the lake now offers the best of many worlds: a sun holiday with culture or a foodie holiday with activity. The combinations are endless, picking one is the tough part.