April 30 to May 7th of 2017
This itinerary is great for travelers who would enjoy a more independent experience while enjoying the beautiful sights and outstanding food and wine of Northern Italy. We will share rental cars and do our own driving and cooking. Eight visitors can be accommodated in the villa and five more can stay in the farmhouse apartment a few steps away or in a room across the courtyard.
For details about the trip, please contact Judith Wencel.
Live La Dolce Vita for seven glorious days in the recently-renovated Poggio Verde Country Villa and enjoy the stunning lakes, hilltop towns, excellent food and wine and wonderful shopping in northern Italy. See our flickr album of recent day trips from the villa.
The itinerary could change once the group is assembled and preferences are taken into consideration (and
Piani d’Erna/Wine Tasting in Oggiono
We will drive 20 minutes toward Lecco to catch the funicular up, up, up to the “Piani d’Erna” for a stunning view out over Lake Lecco and take a beautiful walk through woods and out into a gorgeous mountain meadow. (There are several hike options depending on the desired strenuousness). On the way back we will stop in at Enoteca Penati of Oggiono, where we will open and taste several bottles of northern Italian wines and select some of our favorites to take back and enjoy during the rest of our time at Poggio Verde. Late lunch at the villa and afternoon of relaxation (bocce anyone?). Dinner of Northern Italian specialties.
Lago di Como (Bellagio, Lenno, Villa Balbianello, Villa Carlotta)
We will take the local train up the eastern side of Lake Lecco to Varenna. We’ll walk ten minutes down to the the lake and catch the Lake Como ferry across Bellagio, where we’ll have lunch in the beautiful village. From there we’ll catch another ferry to Lenno for a visit to Villa Balbianello (which includes a bit of a walk to access) and other beautiful sites of the Lake Como mid-lake area. We will definitely pop into the gelateria in Lenno for some excellent artisanal gelato before catching the ferry back to Varenna and then the train home. We’ll have a lighter dinner of local cured meats, salad, cheese and specially selected wine (under the Portico Coperto if weather permits).
Piedmont
This is an ambitious day trip but well worth waking up early and driving two hours there and back in our own cars or in the comfort of a shared Cazzaniga bus if we so choose. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage site with absolutely beautiful landscape of rolling hills, vineyards, hilltop villages, world-class wines (Barolo, Barbaresco, etc.) and fantastic food. We’ll visit a winery or two and have a nice leisurely lunch and we will be sure to allow a bit of time to wander the streets of at least one of the gorgeous hilltop villages. (Any cyclists in the group can bring their bicycles or we can rent them locally).
Bergamo. Lunch at Frosio.
Map
We’ll start the day in the little town of Barzanò at the excellent local pastry shop, Fumagalli, for a cappuccino and “brioche” (the yummy Italian version of a croissant) before getting on the road to Bergamo, one of the most beautiful hill towns in Italy. After visiting the stunning Renaissance and Roman sites of the city, we will have lunch at Ristorante Frosio in nearby Almé in the beautiful dining room of this converted 18th century villa. On the way back we will pass through the beautiful Val Curone and those who desire a bit of a walk will have the opportunity to enjoy one of several trails before heading back to the villa in plenty of time to relax before dinner.
Como, Cernobbio, Mantero Silk Outlet
We’ll head to Como and pay a visit to the Mantero, a well-known Italian producer of luscious silk scarves and ties, for some bargain silk shopping outside of Como and then go into the city to see the beautiful lake front and the Como cathedral with its wonderful tapestries. From there we will drive to the charming Cernobbio, where we will have lunch on the patio of Trattoria Laghee with its especially good pizzas or other Italian specialties and a selection from its very good wine list. We’ll visit the charming town of Cernobbio, with its beautiful views of Lake Como, and if there’s time and interest we’ll also visit the world-class Villa d’Este hotel a few minutes away. Back at Poggio Verde we’ll relax until dinner!
Day in Milan. Lunch at Obicá in Brera District
We will board a local train into Milan, exiting at the impressive new “Porta Nuova” piazza. We’ll wander up the pedestrian street, possibly stopping in for a visit to “Eataly”, home of an amazing array of Italian foods. We’ll pass through the grounds of the magnificent Castello Sforzesca on our way to Obicá, a particularly good spot for excellent pizza, salads (and a mozzarella bar!) in the artsy Brera District. From there we will walk toward the Piazza La Scala, through the Galleria to the Duomo. If it’s a nice day we’ll visit the extraordinary roof. We’ll end our day with a visit to the “Last Supper” of Leonardo da Vinci before returning to the villa for dinner.
Valtellina (Nino Negri) Lunch at Ristorante Fracia
Map
After breakfast we will head north along the east side of Lake Lecco and then turn east into the gorgeous and steep wine-growing area of Valtellina. We will have a lunch of local specialties prepared in a beautiful way at the charming Ristorante Fracia then visit the famous Nino Negri vineyard. This area is also known for its superb Italian cured meats, such as bresaola and speck, and some tasty cheeses are produced in this region, as well. We will make a stop at a local shop to avail ourselves of some of these specialties to take home and enjoy the rest of the week. We will return to the villa in time to relax a bit before dinner.
Varese (Villa Panza di Biumo)
Map
We’ll drive about an hour west, past Como, to Varese to visit the beautiful Villa Panza di Biumo. We’ll wander the beautiful grounds, visit the villa and the excellent collection of contemporary art, and have lunch at the restaurant, which uses produce from its own gardens. (If we have gotten a later start or the timing is different, we will stop at Il Cantuccio on the way or on the way back).
Hosted by Mark and Judith Wencel
For more information contact Judith Wencel
Hither, Yon and Skies 