Travel & Outdoors Wish YOu Were here Sun-kissed and gorgeous Exploring the towns and villages hugging the (boat tours). The wheel he’s referring to belongs to a sleek black E26 shore of Lake Como in Italy is a wonderful speedboat, crafted by Cranchi, post-lockdown treat, findsKate Wickers boatbuilders on Lake Como for 150 years. Freddie doesn’t need to be ’m standing in Villa Balbianello with map room, smoking den and asked twice. We cut a surprisingly on the Lavedo Peninsula on private museum to house the many smooth 50 knots in a ride along the Lake Como staring at the fur artefacts used in his expeditions, and lake to where cliff-hugging villas under-garments worn by Guido wandering through his home you get perch below verdant mountains. Monzino, who led the first a sense that this was a man born in “That’s Villa Oleandra, George Isuccessful Italian ascent of Mount the wrong era, favouring dog sleds to Clooney’s place,” Claudio tells us, Everest. When he died in 1988 skidoos and fur to thermal. pointing to an enviable 18th century he bequeathed Villa Balbianello Willowy and split in two, the lake villa near the town of Lagio. “The to the Fundo Ambiente Italiano stretches 29 miles in length and 2.5 story goes that he crashed his Harley (Italian National Trust), and the miles at its widest point and it’s the Davidson in front of the house, fell in lavish gardens shaded by immense mid-section that is considered most The Villa del atmosphere of a magnificent private love with it and bought it.” We zip on sycamores have been used as a scenic, so the town of Tremezzo Balbianello home. Our suite has a separate living to 16th century Villa Pliniana where location for films such asCasino makes for the perfect base. I’m overlooking room, perfect for Freddie to sleep in, Rossini composed the heroic opera Royale and Star Wars. The villa, staying in Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como, and in the main bedroom there’s a Tancredi; Napoleon played billiards; which sits on the site of a 13th century one of Italy’s most luxurious family- main; a street in canopied four-poster in front of oak- and Leonardo de Vinci studied the monastery, was built by Cardinal owned hotels, with my husband, Bellagio, above framed floor-to-ceiling windows flow of its irregular waterfall; before Angelo Durini in 1785, who had Neil, and 14-year-old son, Freddie. with views over to where the town arriving at 19th century Villa La secret passageways installed within “Welcome. Make yourself at home,” of Bellagio twinkles at night. We’re Cassinella, rumoured to be owned the walls, one of which ran (rather is the heartfelt cry on our arrival from presented with silk facemasks, a nod by Richard Branson. It’s an exquisite predictably) from his bedroom to Valentina de Santis, who inherited the to Como’s silk-producing history; and place, flanked by soaring cypress the guest suite. “The door couldn’t hotel from her grandmother. Despite in the marble bathroom, I discover trees, all quiet apart from an aproned be opened from the guest room. It its size (90 rooms in total), it has the another gift – a bespoke bottle of maid scurrying over the immaculate was only the cardinal that could Aqua di Como (scent of the lake) mossy lawns. surprise you with a visit,” our guide, perfume, created for the hotel by Gualtiero Marchesi, who died in Daniella, tells me, with a wink. When There’s a canopied four-poster in front Acqua di Parma. 2017, was the first Italian chef to be Monzino acquired the house, he of oak-framed floor-to-ceiling windows “Want to take the wheel?” asks awarded three Michelin stars and he created an indulgent retreat complete Claudio Valsecchi of Il Medeghino opened his restaurant La Terrazza The Scotsman Magazine 39 Travel & OuTdoors at Grand Hotel Tremezzo in 2011. where fishermen cast nets for perch. SHOrT HAUL 48 Hours in Among his signature dishes are Grand Hotel Tremezzo has two dripping di pesce (squid and carpet attractive pools; one secluded in a shells on a canvas of tomato and tropical garden at the rear, and the squid ink), which was inspired by other at TBeach, the hotel’s new 50s Mull the artist Jackson Pollock; and riso, inspired beach club, with its jaunty oro e zafferano (rice and gold with orange and white striped umbrellas Friday, midday saffron) – a bright yellow saffron and pool sunk into a pontoon Check into Shieling Holidays in risotto served on a black plate on the lake. It’s chic and fun, and Craignure (doubles from £60, https:// topped with a square of gold leaf. “Is beautifully captures the glamour of shielingholidays.co.uk). You will see it OK to eat gold?” Freddie sensibly the Italian riviera in its heyday. We it by the water’s edge sailing in from wants to know. “Only if you’re in a sip on Campari and watch the ferries, Oban. No tent pitching needed; you’re fancy restaurant,” I tell him, already pleasure boats and speed boats motor staying in their large ‘Shieling’ tents, enjoying what is, in essence, the most by, while above us the air gently pioneers of Scotland’s glamping delicious risotto. buzzes with small seaplanes giving scene. Last season, Bellagio, widely aerial tours. considered to be one of Italy’s most The poster girl for tourism on Lake 1pm that ends with Mull Cheddar and a beautiful towns, struggled to cope Como is photogenic 18th century Head into Tobermory for a seafood wee campfire dram. with the number of tourists. This Villa Carlotta, with its peaches and feast at Café Fish, with boat-fresh year, in the wake of Covid-19, it’s a cream exterior. It would normally shellfish the star. They have been Saturday, 10am more sedate scene. At the artisan be packed with day-trippers, but struggling to make things work with Calgary is one of the finest beaches gelateria belonging to Hotel there’s only a handful of other tourists Covid-19 regulations, so if they’re not not just on Mull, but in Scotland. Splendide, I order an apple pie ice- about, plus small lizards that scurry open enjoy a king scallop supper from Get there early to have the sands cream (an homage to the American away as we climb the unusual stone the waterfront takeaway van. It’s said to yourself. It may look like the and English tourists who first triple-layered scissor staircase, to be a favourite of Prince Charles. Caribbean, but the landscape is much holidayed in Bellagio in the 1950s), past arbors hanging with citrus older. and wander the pretty oleander- fruits to the villa entrance, which 2pm treed esplanade, past the town’s retro houses a collection of 18th century Stroll along Tobermory’s picturesque 1pm public lido, to the English-inspired art and sculpture. Beyond, there are waterfront, admiring the pastel-hued Fish and chips tempt alongside gardens at Villa Melzi. In August eight acres of botanical gardens to houses. venison burger at Taste of Mull. and September, the lake averages 23 explore, including a hilltop forest of degrees, and I carry our swimming bamboo and a fern grotto guarded by 3pm 2:30pm gear in case we fancy a spontaneous grotesques. Pop into Tobermory Chocolate Mull’s bigger hills can be testing so dip. Today, we swim out in front of As we slide into Varenna’s ferry for delicious hot chocolate and enjoy a more relaxed walk in Aros Hotel Serbelloni (the town’s grandest, terminal at 7pm, the town, which handmade takeaway choccies. Park, a verdant forest oasis on the though rather time-warped, sprawls from the lake to the hilltop fringes of Tobermory. lodgings), to scale the steps of a diving ruins of Castello di Vezio, is bathed 4pm platform. Slippery with fluorescent in amber light. We pass local kids Time for a wee dram at Tobermory 7pm green lake weed, at the top I lose chasing ducks in the stony shallows of Mountains of freedom Distillery. They offer tours and a well- Dine on pub grub within walking my nerve, leaving Freddie to jump the old harbour and cats snoozing on stocked shop. distance of your shieling at the with what Italians call spensierato the scalatinelli (staircase steps) that Craignure Inn. (without a care). lead to the upper areas of the town, as Nicole Whitton tries e-biking and foraging in guaranteed to deliver lifelong View over the Swiss Alps; 5pm At Restaurante Punto, we order we hurry along to the terrace of Hotel memories. It will also deliver thigh Nicole Whitton with an e-bike; a Nip up to the home of the legendary Sunday, 9am a local favourite, perch with rice du Lac – the perfect perch to watch and around the beautiful Swiss resort of Verbier burn and bum ache, but don’t let this lammergeier; foraged edible flowers Mull Cheddar, just outside Rise early for a wee bacon butty al flavoured with sage, which we eat the sun slip seductively away and put you off. The bike provides almost Tobermory. Look out for their fresco. Wander along the shoreline gazing out at the Triangolo Lariano raise a glass of prosecco to toast what estled in the Alpine provides access to a host of activities all the power, which is very much 1950s is a crowd-free way to take in increasingly fine Hebridean Blue too. looking out for otters.