Is it possible?
Is it possible that Lake Como is the world's most beautiful lake? From where I am standing at the open widow of La Vecchia Casa del Prete, in Careno on the shores of the lake, I have never taken in a view more bellisimo! It is a feast so mesmerising that it is difficult to know what to look at - the villages clinging to the mountains and tumbling down to the shore, the boats and ferries, the trees, the colours of the villas and shutters, or the vista as a whole. From this window it feels like I'm floating above the lake.
For centuries Casa del Prete was the local priest's house and from the front door, just 20 steps across the tiny piazza, is Chiesa de Santa Maria Assunta.
We have rented the casa for one week and it is charming in every way. Over three levels there is a stone stairway, two bedrooms, delightful kitchen, bathroom and living room/dining room. Built in the early 1600s the stone walls are thick and solid and the herringbone-laid tiles, we're told, are a now rare form of terracotta made of clay and wood dust, which over time have worn to be satin smooth. Most of the windows are actually floor to ceiling 'doors' with iron balcony railings and from each the view of the lake and the mountains is breathtaking.
The casa sits at the top of tiny Careno village; a pedestrian-only village so we have left Cecile conveniently in the small adjacent car park. From the casa it is lovely to walk down the several hundred winding, cobblestone steps through the village to the beach, the ferry wharf, the 11th Century Chiesa San Martin and to Antonio's ristorante. It is, however, a strenuous walk home!
Careno is conveniently located - just a short drive in one direction is Como and in the opposite direction Bellagio, and while we loved our daily excursions to either Como, Bellagio, Laglio or a number of other lakeside towns, it was difficult to leave the house and the view. Most days we swam in the freshwater lake which left our hair and skin soft and smooth, and we enjoyed shopping locally and cooking in our Italian cucina.
The weather was warm and sunny most of the time, however another spectacular storm late one night had us frantically securing the shutters to keep out the torrential rain. The storm raged for two hours but the morning dawned clear and fresh - as if nothing had happened.
At 8.45 on Sunday morning the bells of the church began swinging and dancing their Sunday morning tune. We guessed this was 'Domingues reveille' letting those in the village know that mass would soon begin. Sure enough, after a couple more tunes the bells quietened and mass began promptly at 9.30am. It is possibe that this week is the only time we will 'live' 10 steps away from a church, so we decided we had no excuse and we join the small congregation of 30-40 people.
The hymns and responses during mass were sung with gusto - beautifully led by four elderly women in the pew opposite. We christened them 'The Four Nonnas'. Fortunately, hymn books were provided and we were able to lag along in our haltering phonetic Italian. It was a lovely hour spent, and we were home in the kitchen with the coffee pot on before the front pew had exited the chiesa!
I've learned that Lake Como has been the destination of many famous people - Tennyson, Longfellow, Dickens and Shelly came here to write. Liestz, Bellini and Verdi came here to compose. Mussolini came to his end here. A certain famous George has made Lake Como his home and, in a little aside, I want to remember that when I open my eyes each morning the view I see diagonally across the lake is to George's Villa Oleandra! Truly!
Is it possible that Lake Como is the world's most beautiful lake? From where I am standing at the open widow of La Vecchia Casa del Prete, in Careno on the shores of the lake, I have never taken in a view more bellisimo! It is a feast so mesmerising that it is difficult to know what to look at - the villages clinging to the mountains and tumbling down to the shore, the boats and ferries, the trees, the colours of the villas and shutters, or the vista as a whole. From this window it feels like I'm floating above the lake.
For centuries Casa del Prete was the local priest's house and from the front door, just 20 steps across the tiny piazza, is Chiesa de Santa Maria Assunta.
We have rented the casa for one week and it is charming in every way. Over three levels there is a stone stairway, two bedrooms, delightful kitchen, bathroom and living room/dining room. Built in the early 1600s the stone walls are thick and solid and the herringbone-laid tiles, we're told, are a now rare form of terracotta made of clay and wood dust, which over time have worn to be satin smooth. Most of the windows are actually floor to ceiling 'doors' with iron balcony railings and from each the view of the lake and the mountains is breathtaking.
The casa sits at the top of tiny Careno village; a pedestrian-only village so we have left Cecile conveniently in the small adjacent car park. From the casa it is lovely to walk down the several hundred winding, cobblestone steps through the village to the beach, the ferry wharf, the 11th Century Chiesa San Martin and to Antonio's ristorante. It is, however, a strenuous walk home!
Careno is conveniently located - just a short drive in one direction is Como and in the opposite direction Bellagio, and while we loved our daily excursions to either Como, Bellagio, Laglio or a number of other lakeside towns, it was difficult to leave the house and the view. Most days we swam in the freshwater lake which left our hair and skin soft and smooth, and we enjoyed shopping locally and cooking in our Italian cucina.
The weather was warm and sunny most of the time, however another spectacular storm late one night had us frantically securing the shutters to keep out the torrential rain. The storm raged for two hours but the morning dawned clear and fresh - as if nothing had happened.
At 8.45 on Sunday morning the bells of the church began swinging and dancing their Sunday morning tune. We guessed this was 'Domingues reveille' letting those in the village know that mass would soon begin. Sure enough, after a couple more tunes the bells quietened and mass began promptly at 9.30am. It is possibe that this week is the only time we will 'live' 10 steps away from a church, so we decided we had no excuse and we join the small congregation of 30-40 people.
The hymns and responses during mass were sung with gusto - beautifully led by four elderly women in the pew opposite. We christened them 'The Four Nonnas'. Fortunately, hymn books were provided and we were able to lag along in our haltering phonetic Italian. It was a lovely hour spent, and we were home in the kitchen with the coffee pot on before the front pew had exited the chiesa!
I've learned that Lake Como has been the destination of many famous people - Tennyson, Longfellow, Dickens and Shelly came here to write. Liestz, Bellini and Verdi came here to compose. Mussolini came to his end here. A certain famous George has made Lake Como his home and, in a little aside, I want to remember that when I open my eyes each morning the view I see diagonally across the lake is to George's Villa Oleandra! Truly!
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| I love the colours of Italy - the houses and the shutters |
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| That view! |
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| This is beautiful Careno. Shaped like an inverted triangle. The wharf, the restaurant and the beach below, the church steeple you can see to the left and the casa is the cream building just to the right of the church. |
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| S and I couldn't resist a quick visit to George's Villa Oleandra in Laglio! |
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| 'our' Italian cucina for a week |
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| We loved eating at the roadside trattorias. |
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| I took this photo to enlarge and hang in my laundry at home to remind me that in Careno even ironing a shirt can be a delightful pastime. |
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| Chiesa de Santa Maria Asunte and La Vecchia Casa del Prete |
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| From the kitchen window across the piazza to the church and the congregation leaving after mass. |
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| Ristorante Tre Rose - one of our favourites |
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| There are two tiny dots in this photo. They are S and I swimming in the lake! PS Happy Birthday Dad xx |
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