Here lies the jewels that flashed before my eyes every day for three years. Dozens of picturesque towns flank the lake which stretches into Lombardia, Piedmonte and Switzerland to the north. I’ve posted some pictures from my galleries focused on the communes we visited most.
Ispra
Ispra is home to the European Commission Joint Research Centre where my husband worked. We lived here for four months while looking for a longer term rental. It is a quiet town that still rolls up in the traditional manner for siesta. The JRC employs over five thousand people from around Europe and the accents and lingos–French, German and English, Dutch and Polish–mingle together in a lovely concerto with Italian, while birds and crickets add their own language. Each season creates its own art and of course the changing light adds its magic too so vistas look quite different depending on the time of the year.
Santa Caterina
Nothing captured by curiosity quite like Santa Caterina. Hugging the cliffside over the lake, it invites imagination and scrutiny. It had the added bonus of being the best place for us to pick up the ferry when we wanted to cross the lake so we were frequent visitors. A lovely walk down 65 steps from the park at the top of the hill to the hermitage and then down another flight off to the ferry pier was a source of good exercise and spectacular views. It was also more of a challenge when arriving back and having to climb up. And there was always the lift if anyone needed it. I always opted for the steps! A diet of Pasta, Pizza and Prosecco necessitated it.
Laveno
It was raining the first night we arrived in Italy. It reminded me of the scene in Enchanted April. Everything was dark and it was an ambitious monsoon-type down pour that did not let up for hours. I was driving and the Sat Nav took me on what might have seemed the shortest route between two points but in realitywas quite the wild ride over the top of hills, through tight villages and on the twistiest of roads. Eventually we made it to Ispra. We got drenched unloading the car. It was September. I remember all the well-wishers back in Ireland seeing us off and begrudgingly telling us how lucky we were to be going to a country with better weather. I kept my mind on Enchanted April. When the characters woke up the morning after their journey, the sun was splitting the sky and Italia was warm with welcome as I drifted off to sleep that first night.
And when we woke in the morning, the sun was splitting the sky and the lake was shimmering with a thousand winks to welcome us. We went to Laveno on a recommendation because riding the funicular’s up the mountain was the best way to get acquainted. The pictures below don’t really do it justice but can sort of point in the general direction of what the experience of beholding that view was like.
Angera
Angera is on the Eastern shore of the lake. I’d come here for the open market and to catch the ferry over to Arona. Its town is filled with narrow one way streets and a large park area flanks the lake. Presiding over the town is the Rocca Borromeo, a large castle with extraordinary grounds and views; it was built before the 10th century. It houses the Doll and Toy Museum, which takes up several rooms and features thousands of items.
Ranco
Personally, my favourite walk was along the banks of the lake from Ispra to Ranco. It took about an hour and ended at the doors of a lovely cafe. We could refuel with coffee and brioche before walking back. It was also home to a private transportation collection which made up the quaint and dusty Ranco Transport Museum. The collection has moved to Malpensa Airport as part of the Volandia Museum; it’s another love story that I’ll get to later.
Whimspherical 