THE JEWISH CHRONICLE THE JEWISH CHRONICLE 58 LIFE THEJC.COM 11 SEPTEMBER 2020 11 SEPTEMBER 2020 THEJC.COM LIFE 59 EDITED BY CATHY WINSTON TRAVEL EXPLORE [email protected] PHOTO: KATE WICKERS/GRAND HOTEL TREMEZZO Living la dolce vita Kate Wickers heads to Lake Como for Italian glamour without the crowds here are some des- After a harbourside lunch in low- Como perfume), the illusion is who bequeathed the house to the the region’s most popular dish, riso the glamour and fun of the Italian ed of all. “Last season you couldn’t The Grand tinations when a key Torno (one of Como’s oldest that you’re staying in the private Italian equivalent of the National con il pesce persico (rice with perch riviera of this era, it’s not difficult walk on the streets because of the Hotel splurge on a con- cliff-hugging villages), we arrive home of wealthy friends. The sepa- Trust. The gardens are famous for fillets, flavoured with sage). to conjure up an image of Sophia number of people, much better to Tremezzo, vertible rental car is at Bellagio, with its waterfront of rate sitting room is perfect for our the huge umbrella canopies of its A round trip hike to the cappel- Loren sipping a Campari under its be on the water,” Mich Gandola, and its worth every penny, fin-de-siècle hotels in custard yel- 14-year-old son, Freddie, to sleep sycamores, and the villa has hosted letta degli alpini, or chapel of the orange and white striped umbrel- owner of Bellagio Watersports tells beach to grand Villa Melzi, with gardens ing under Claudio’s guidance, but This is the surely la dolce vita. and Lake Como is lows and powdery pinks. There’s in. In front of my canopied four- many famous weddings, including Alpine, takes around two hours las or imagine Cary Grant diving me as we’re kayaking from Pescallo club inspired by English gardener Capa- it’s fun to pretend. Catch it while you can. The one. We pick ours just enough time for an apple-pie poster, huge oak-framed windows Liam Gallagher and Nicole Apple- and begins in Tremezzo. We pass into the pool, which is sunk into a — a laidback fishing village over the (right), bility Brown. We carry a backpack I sit gazing back to a lake that, in illusion is up — an Opel Cas- flavour ice-cream (a nod to the give floor-to-ceiling views over the that you’re ton’s, as well as being used as a through the mediaeval hamlets of floating pontoon within the lake. hill from Bellagio. We journey up make of swimming gear everywhere we our wake, is as frothy as a cappuc- cada — at Milan Malpensa airport English and American tourists who lake to where, by night, Bellagio staying in location in both Casino Royale and Balogno with its narrow, cobbled I barely read a page of my novel to the Triangolo Lariano where the a great go, never knowing when the yearn- cino, as we cut a nifty 50 knots to GETTING THERE Tand immediately drop the roof to first holidayed here), before catch- twinkles. the private Star Wars. alleys and pretty porticoed houses, as I can’t drag my eyes from the Como and Lecco branches of the base from ing for a dip in Como’s lovely water Varenna. Picture-perfect at any time, zip along the lakeside from Como ing the car ferry over to Tremezzo, While we’re breakfasting on home of From here you can also spy and Volesio whose stately homes lake; a succession of ferries, pleas- lake meet, which Mich refers to as which to will grip us. Today, it’s in front of 7pm is the golden hour and the pret- V Doubles at Grand Hotel to Bellagio. our base for exploring. sweet cannoli filled with creamy wealthy the romantic Villa La Cassinella date back to the 17th century, and ure cruisers and speed boats criss- his lake. The only sound is the flap explore Hotel Villa Serbelloni, the town’s ty pastel-hued houses that spread Tremezzo, sleeping up to two Not quite a Maserati, but with I’m a romantic traveller, pre- pistachio ricotta on the hotel’s friends (rumoured to be owned by Richard were once owned by rich merchant crossing the water. We wave as the of a startled heron’s wings as we Lake grandest though rather faded upwards from the port to the 16th adults and one child, cost from the wind in our faces we feel won- ferring a journal to a laptop, and lovely terrace, Freddie spies our Branson) built in 1920, with mossy families. It is blissfully quiet, with vessels slow for those aboard to row past a zig-zag of craggy cliffs, Como, lodgings. We swim out to a diving century ruins of a castle on the hill £497, including breakfast. derfully uninhibited after hours of a book to a Kindle. Grand Hotel 42ft yacht slipping into the hotel’s lawns reaching down to the lake — only the smell of wild thyme to take snaps of the hotel and 17th where Mich pauses to hold up a including board, its steps slippery with lake are luminous in the setting sun. grandhoteltremezzo.com wearing a facemask, and it’s excit- Tremezzo, a belle époque palace marina, booked for half a day’s it appears as soft and dreamy as an accompany us as we climb the century Villa Carlotta — one of flask. “Aperitif?” he asks. Varenna weed, feeling what the Italians call In the old harbour, a horseshoe EasyJet flies from Luton, ing to think that we are following built in 1910, delivers this luxuri- sailing with Bellagio Sailing. After impressionist painting in the haze stony paths, past farmhouses and Como’s most celebrated and pho- As we sip Bellini cocktails, bob- (top), spensierato, carefree. of simple restaurants and bars Gatwick, Bristol, Edinburgh and in the glamorous treadmarks of ous nostalgia in spades. We’re temperatures have been taken and of the morning sun. over small streams to the simple togenic grand houses with eight bing on the waves, I realise life Villa As a birthday present for my hus- are filled with those enjoying sun- Manchester to Milan Malpensa George Clooney, who owns an 18th given silk facemasks on arrival, hand sanitiser applied, we clamber We catch a breeze, the sails are stone chapel; the views over to acres of botanical gardens — that hasn’t felt this good for months. Cassinella band, Neil, I charter a sleek black downers, as the sun dips below the from £38.98 return. easyjet.com century villa nearby. to be worn while walking around aboard. hoisted, and a beautiful silence Bellagio, Mount San Primo and sits next door. The toast of “Salute! Your Health!” (left) E26 speedboat for a private cruise, Alps of Switzerland to the west. Sailing, kayaking & speedboat Slender and forked, the lake the family-owned hotel, which is a First stop is the Lavedo Peninsula transcends — just the gentle Comacina Island are worth all the The world has changed since has never sounded more heartfelt. and Villa locally crafted by Cranchi, one of Cats prowl in steep stone-stepped excursions available from stretches 29 miles long and 2.5 lovely touch. and Villa Balbianello, built by Car- thwack of sail against wind, and gushing tributes we can muster Wordsworth wrote of Lake Como Back in Bellagio, we wander on Balbian- Lake Como’s few surviving boat- alleys, while hole-in-the-wall gela- Bellagio Sailing (bellagiosailing. miles at its widest point but it’s There are silver trinket boxes, dinal Angelo Durini in 1787, most the splash of water as we sail over while catching our breath. that it is “a treasure that earth the pretty oleander-lined water- ello (far builders, of which there were once terias serve up homemade ice- com), Bellagio Watersports the mid-section that is considered porcelain urns and books in our recently the home of eccentric the deepest section of the lake near The views from Grand Hotel keeps to itself”, with growing con- front, past a stylish retro lido, right) many. “Want to drive?” Claudio Val- creams and elderly residents sit on (bellagiowatersports.com) most scenic, with views to make suite. Aside from the bespoke toi- Italian explorer Guido Monzino, to the village of Nesso. Here, fisher- Tremezzo’s new 50s-inspired beach cerns regarding overtourism, par- from where sunbathers can relax, secchi, of Il Medeghino boat tours soft cushions to enjoy the evening and Il Medeghino boat tours you gasp at each twist in the road. letries (including a bottle of Aqua the first Italian to conquer Everest, men cast nets for perch, used for club are almost as good. Capturing ticularly at Bellagio, the most visit- lunch and take dips into the lake, asks Freddie. He’s really just steer- breeze. (lakecomoboattour.it).