Page 54 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

baroque cathedral. A
SEAPLANES ON THE LAKE great deal more interest-
ing is the Basilica di
For a touch of Hollywood glamour, check out Aero Santa Maria Maggiore
Club Como (%031 57 44 95; www.aeroclubcomo.com; (Piazza Duomo; h9am-
Viale Masia 44; 30min flight from €140), which has been 12.30pm & 2.30-6pm Apr-Oct,
sending seaplanes out over the lakes since 1930. shorter hours Nov-Mar) next
The 30-minute flight to Bellagio from Como costs door. To its whirl of fres-
€140 for two people. Longer excursions over Lake coed, Romanesque apses,
Maggiore are also possible. In summer you need to begun in 1137, Gothic
reserve at least three days in advance. touches were added as
was the Renaissance
Cappella Colleoni (Piazza
the palace in 1847 as a family in the 17th cen- Duomo; h9am-12.30pm &
wedding present from tury. In both cases, you 2-6.30pm Mar-Oct, 9am-
her mother. can stroll through the 12.30pm & 2-4.30pm Tue-Sun
verdant gardens admir-
The Drive » As with the trip to Nov-Feb), the mausoleum-
Tremezzo, the best way to travel ing magnolias, camellias cum-chapel of the famous
to Varenna is by passenger and exotic yuccas. mercenary commander,
ferry either from Tremezzo or The Drive » Departing Bellagio, Bartolomeo Colleoni
Bellagio.
pick up the SS583, but this (1696–1770). Demolish-
time head southeast towards ing an entire apse of
Lecco down the other ‘leg’ the basilica, he commis-
ITALY 2 THE GRAcEFUL ITALIAN LAKES
8 Varenna of Lago di Como. As with the sioned Giovanni Antonio
Wander the flower-laden stretch from Como to Bellagio, Amadeo to create a tomb
pathway from Piazzale the road hugs the lake, offering that is now considered a
Martiri della Libertà spectacular views the whole masterpiece of Lombard
20km to Lecco. Once you reach
to the gardens of Villa Lecco head south out of town art with its exuberant
Cipressi (%0341 83 01 13; down Via Industriale and pick up rococo frescoes by Giam-
www.hotelvillacipressi.it; Via the SS342 for the final 40km to battista Tiepolo.
IV Novembre 22; adult/child Bergamo. Also like Venice,
€4/2; h10am-6pm Mar- Bergamo has a grand
Oct), now a luxury hotel art academy. Recently
(singles €140 to €160, 9 Bergamo reopened after a seven
doubles €170 to €230), Although Milan’s sky- year renovation, the
and, 100m further south, scrapers are visible on Accademia Carrara
Villa Monastero (%0341 a clear day, historically (%035 23 43 96; www.
29 54 50; www.villamonastero. Bergamo was more close- lacarrara.it; Piazza Carrara 82;
eu; Via IV Novembre; villa & ly associated with Venice adult/reduced €10/8; h10am-
gardens adult/reduced €8/4, (Venezia). Hence the 7pm) is both school and
gardens only €5/2; hgardens elegant Venetian-style museum, its stunning
9.30am-7pm year-round, villa architecture of Piazza collection of 1800 Renais-
10am-6pm Fri-Sun Mar-May Vecchia, appreciated sance paintings amassed
& Oct, 2-6pm Wed, 9.30am- by Le Corbusier for its by local scholar Count
7pm Thu-Sun Jun, Jul & Sep, beautiful and harmoni- Giacomo Carrara.
9.30am-7pm Aug, 11am-5pm ous arrangement.
Nov), a former convent Behind this secular 54 p53
turned into a vast core sits the Piazza del
residence by the Mornico Duomo with its modest

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