Stresa, Lago Maggiore, Monte Motterone

Lago Maggiore 

Spending six days in Stresa, on the western coast of Lago Maggiore, was a real delight. I landed there on the 14th of August, the eve of Ferragosto, the biggest Italian holiday of the summer, if not the year. On Ferragosto, everything in Italy grinds to a halt, and Italians go on vacation,  which often lasts the entire week.

A view from the balcony of my hotel room in Stresa

I had never been around for Ferragosto before, but I'd been warned: Stresa would be crowded with Italians that Thursday, and most of the following weekend. Fortunately, the worst crowds only lasted a day, and I did my best to avoid them. But the accompanying musical entertainment in nearby Piazza Cadorna was fun.

A tourist couple doing the tango in Piazza Cadorna.

The next day, I headed over to the Lido, where a funivia goes up Monte Motterone, where there are magnificent panoramic views of the lakes.

View from Monte Motterone

 There are three stages to the ride: two separate sections on the funivia (a hanging cable car), then a ride on a seggiovia (chair lift). It was a fun ride, both up and down the 1500 meter mountain. I was up there for several hours, taking photos of the 360° panoramic views, waiting for clouds to dissipate to get better views.

There was a bobsled ride at the summit, but I wasn't inclined to try it, and the long lines of people waiting to use it were an effective deterrent. On the way down, I got off the funivia at Alpino, and walked to a "Botanical Garden", which was not worth the 10-minute walk to find it or the 4 euro entrance fee, as the plants were dry and sad-looking. But it was quiet there, so I sat and enjoyed the view of the lake, getting some great photos of the expanse below me.

(Note:Unfortunately, in May of 2021, a cabin of the very cable car that I rode from Stresa to Monte Motterone crashed and fell into a wooded area of the mountainside, near the summit, killing 14 of 15 people that it was carrying. The ride was closed down and is no longer available.) 

Coming down on the funivia.

Riding the seggiovia.

The main attraction in Stresa was visiting the Borromeo Islands,  which I'll cover in a separate post. However, there was more to do in Stresa.  Several resort hotels boast large, beautiful gardens, and the long stretch of lungolago (walking path by the lake) is a lovely way to spend an hour.

Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees: made famous by Hemingway. The hotel was used as a hospital for recovering war veterans like Hemingway, following WWII. He returned later to visit the hotel,
and the room can still be reserved, for a hefty price.

 Another fun adventure from Stresa is the Lago Maggiore Express, which includes a three-hour relaxing boat ride on the lake to Locarno, Switzerland. Lago Maggiore is the second largest lake in Italy, and the largest in southern Switzerland, so the lake and its shoreline are divided between Italy and Switzerland. After an hour stay in Locarno, there's a panoramic train ride through mountain passes to Domodossola, Italy, then a regional train back to Stresa.  It was a lovely way to spend the day, with wonderful views of the lake and nearby mountains.

On the Lago Maggiore Express

Of course, the Borromeo Islands are the main attraction in Stresa, and they'll be featured in a future post.

Dozza, The Festival of Painted Walls

I recently went with friends to the small village of Dozza, about 30km east of Bologna. Every two years the village hosts a unique festival, inviting national and international artists to create permanent paintings on the walls of the houses. The Biennale will happen this year from Sept. 9 - 14, but one can go there any time to view the art works.

Entitled "The Angel of Dozza."

Doors and windows are often cleverly incorporated into the paintings.

The festival began in 1960, and there are still some paintings from that time period. Some of the older paintings have been refurbished in recent years to restore design and color.

We spent several hours perusing the art along the winding cobblestone streets of the village, which led uphill to a castle.

Rocca di Dozza dates back to the 15th century, when Caterina Sforza rebuilt areas of former Bolognese fortresses, dating back to 1250. We didn't take time to go in and visit the museum, which charges a 5 euro fee to enter. What was once the dungeon of the castle is now a Regional Enoteca, or wine cellar.

The Rocca di Dozza

A local ristorante is highlighted in this painting.

Perusing the art in Dozza.

The short drive from Bologna was well worth the journey to visit this unique village.

Bergamo

We spent a rainy day in Bergamo on our way from Milan to Florence last year. We'd arrived in Milan by train from Paris and were eager to get settled in a smaller town, so headed 25 miles northeast to Bergamo. The quaint old town, nestled in the surrounding hills, is characterized by its cobblestone streets and the Venetian walls, once part of a defensive system, that encircle it. If you arrive by train in Bergamo, you need to take a bus from the train station to the funicular on the other side of town in order to get from the lower modern city to the old town, or Città Alta, a UNESCO heritage site.

In the line for the funicular that takes you up to the old town. 

We stayed in a BandB run by two brothers on the top floor of this tower.

It was furnished like a museum, and had been in the family for 500 years. 

This is a sundial on the side of the tower where we stayed. 

Piazza Vecchia

Capella Colleoni next to the larger Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

Where women once gathered to wash clothes. Set in a lovely square, untouched by time.

Two clock towers that generate a lot of interest in Bergamo. 

Some local ravioli-like specialties, including  Casoncelli and Scarpinotti, shaped like tiny handmade shoes.
I had Scarpinotti di Parre, a famous local dish. The pasta was filled with cheese and herbs, in a sage butter sauce. 

A local famous pastry that we meant to try, but never got around to.  This bird nest cake is made with a light sponge cake filled with hazelnut cream, then rolled in yellow fondant. It's topped with a cluster of baby birds, made of marzipan and chocolate. Looks pretty rich!

I've heard that Bergamo has more to offer, but we were there for a short time, and it was rainy, so we didn't have much time to explore. 

Sperlonga

The beach at Sperlonga

Here are some scenes from Sperlonga, a small seaside town, halfway between Rome and Naples, that I visited last year. To get there, I took the train from Rome to Fondi, then a bus to Sperlonga, about 10 miles west of Fondi. Sperlonga is favored by Italians in the area, but unknown to most Americans.

A view of the village from the beach: it's a good climb to reach the centro storico (old town).

I spent part of every day at a nearby beach. A section of it was free, and it was a great place to walk, swim, and sunbathe. The beach was a short walk from the B&B where I stayed, which was nice, but pricey.

Bougainvillea covered the walls of many buildings in the centro storico. 

I trekked up and down the various paths to the centro storico: some were easier than others. The old town was mostly geared to tourist trade, and was often empty during the day, but livened up in the evening. On the weekend there was a band playing in a small piazza, as more tourists came to town for shopping and dinner.

Another view of the village from below.

Since Sperlonga juts out into the sea, there are different views from the three sides of the village.

This beach is to the south of the old town.

A view of the north beach from the centro storico.

Torre Truglia.

Torre Truglia was built in 1532 to defend the area against attacks from the sea. Built on the foundation of a pre-existing Roman watchtower, it was then destroyed two years later by Ottoman pirates, rebuilt in 1611, then attacked again by the same pirates in 1623. Between 1879 and 1969 it was used by the Guardia di Finanza, but now belongs to a Marine Education Center. When I visited it, there was nothing to see inside but an old man serving as a caretaker, listening to a transistor radio.

I had some of the best meals I've ever eaten in Italy during my stay...fresh fish creations that were not only tasty, but beautifully presented. And the prices were surprisingly reasonable.  Like Ischia, I could easily return to Sperlonga, again and again.

From Ristorante Altro: Tortelloni asparagi con gamberi. (Asparagus tortelloni with shrimp.)
Scrumptious! I ate several times at this restaurant.

Calamaro stuffed with spinach in a blackberry cream, with black rice. The chef at Altro invented this dish and brought it to me himself. One of the best meals I've eaten in my life!

From Da Martini sul Ponte: Seared tuna encrusted with pistachio and sesame seeds. Yum!