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BELLAGIO |
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Cradled by cypress-spiked hills on the tip of the triangle
separating Como's two "legs", BELLAGIO has been called the most
beautiful town in Italy. With a promenade planted with oleanders and
limes, fin-de-siècle hotels painted shades of butterscotch, peach and
cream, and a hilly old centre of steep cobbled streets and alleyways -
to say nothing of its tremendous location - it's certainly a contender.
The lake is clean enough to swim in here, which you can do from the Lido
(Easter-Oct daily 8am-midnight) at the end of the promenade, or if you
can't stand the piped music, do as the local kids do and have a dip at
the tiny harbour less than 1km out of town in the other direction;
follow the signs to the Ristorante La Punta . The gardens of the Villa
Melzi behind (April-Oct daily 9am-6.30pm; L5000/¬2.58) are no great
shakes, but it's well worth making the effort to book onto a guided tour
around the gorgeous gardens of the Villa Serbelloni , splendidly sited
on a hill above the town. Built on the site of one of Pliny the
Younger's villas, it is now owned by the Rockefeller Foundation, and is
perhaps the best place to appreciate Bellagio's genteel English air. It
was once a favourite haunt of European monarchs, and it's not hard to
imagine them strolling among the grottoes and statues of the extravagant
garden and gushing over the views of the two branches of the lake. The
sumptuously frescoed interior is closed to visitors, but there are
guided tours around the gardens (April-Oct Tues-Sun 11am & 4pm; book at
the tourist office; L6000/¬3.10). At the foot of the hill is a classy
hotel, also called Villa Serbelloni (tel 031.950.216, fax 031.951.529,
www.villaserbelloni.it ; over L400,000/¬206.58), whose guests numbered
Churchill, recovering from the war in late 1945, and John F. Kennedy.
Bellagio's tourist office , on Piazza della Chiesa (Easter-Oct daily
9am-noon & 3-6pm; Nov-Easter Mon & Wed-Sat same hours; tel 031.950.204,
www.fromitaly.net/bellagio ), is a helpful source of information. If
you're staying , the least expensive rooms are at the Suisse , Piazza
Mazzini 8 (tel 031.950.335; L60,000-90,000/¬30.99-46.48), a slightly
down-at-heel hotel on the lakefront, boasting a fine restaurant.
Alternatively try the Giardinetto , Via Roncati 12 (tel 031.950.168;
L60,000-90,000/¬30.99-46.48; March-Oct), with a garden where you can
picnic, or Il Perlo Panoramico (tel 031.950.229;
L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98; March-Oct), with views of the lake. If you
have your own transport, you could opt for La Pergola (tel 031.950.263,
fax 031.950.253; L150,000-200,000/¬77.47-103.29), set in a stunning
location in Pescallo, just over the hill to the Lecco arm of the lake -
and with a good restaurant.
Bellagio's restaurants range from cheap snack bars to pricey
establishments that cater to the beautiful people. For snacks and light
meals, try La Lanterna at Salita Serbelloni 15 (closed Thurs), an
animated hangout that serves pasta, omelettes and sandwiches. For an
excellent pizza, head for La Grotta , Salita Cernaia 14 (closed Mon),
clearly signposted from the lakefront. A cheap, full meal can be had at
the Bistro del Ritorno , Via E. Vitali 8, which does a good-value menu,
but if money's no object, splash out at Bilacus , on Salita Serbelloni,
which is reckoned to be the town's best restaurant. Another good bet is
La Punta (tel 031.951.888; you'll need to book at weekends and in high
season), which serves excellent food at good prices and offers lovely
views over the lake. The best places for ice cream are Il Sorbetto at
the top of Salita Serbelloni, and the Gelateria del Borgo at Via
Garibaldi 46. Nightlife in Bellagio centres on a couple of trendy bars:
Divina Commedia , an American-style bar and creperie, clearly signposted
off Via Garibaldi (closed Wed), frescoed with putti , poppies and dippy
blond angels, where they also do good food; and the similarly styled
Spiritual Café , a music and video bar at Salita Plinio 12 (closed Wed).
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