A Game-Changing Solo Trip to Italy (plus essential packing tips)
I'm reminiscing on a game-changing solo trip I took to Italy three years ago this week. Though I’ve enjoyed several Italian adventures in the years following this entire travel experience opened new doors for my Curated Travel business and reaffirmed my staunch adoration for the magic, beauty, and deliciousness of Italy and the charm and verve of the Italians. Plus, I learned some essential packing strategies I will never forget!
villa balbiano on Lake Como
I'm reminiscing on a game-changing solo trip I took to Italy three years ago this week. Though I’ve enjoyed several Italian adventures in the years following this entire travel experience opened new doors for my Curated Travel business and reaffirmed my staunch adoration for the magic, beauty, and deliciousness of Italy and the charm and verve of the Italians. Plus, I learned some essential packing strategies I will never forget!
I remember how anxious I was about flying to Europe solo for the first time, without my husband, and how daunting it was to be without my carefully packed luggage (a panic!) until the final leg of the trip. I learned how to put my best foot forward despite wearing sneakers to a fancy dinner party at Villa d’Este at Lake Como, how to lead with a smile to distract from my thrice-worn outfit, and that I was bold enough to seek out this adventure and make the most of every moment. I also learned to alter my packing strategies so I’m that never caught without the necessities again.
Below is a collection of blog posts from this transformative journey and if you are missing Italy like I am, I hope you enjoy the views. These photos feel like old friends and I am reminded how I, like so many of my clients, can barely wait to get back to dreamy Italia.
Ciao!! I have just arrived home from my 10-day luxury travel event in Northern Italy. My jet-lagged brain is a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors, scintillating views, the sparkle of chandeliers, prosecco toasts, and the delectable flavors of Northern Italian cuisine. - Curated Travel Blog
Posts are in chronological order starting on the lower right. Ciao!
An Elegant Party at Villa Balbiano on Lake Como in Italy (Part Five)
It was a chilly day at Lake Como but that didn't stop our Travelux 2018 group from feeling warm and celebratory for our final party of this truly memorable luxury travel event. Villa Balbiano, with roots in the mid 16th century, has recently been renovated by the famous French designer Jacques Garcia. An invitation to a party in this splendor was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy and it took my breath away.
It was a chilly day at Lake Como, but that didn't stop our Travelux 2018 group from feeling warm and celebratory for our final party of this memorable luxury travel event. Villa Balbiano, with roots in the mid-16th century, has recently been renovated by the famous French designer Jacques Garcia. An invitation to a party in this splendor was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy and it took my breath away.
We arrived at the famed Villa Balbiano by boat from Villa d'Este. Crossing gravel paths lined with picturesque gardens and grand statuary, there was an early spring mist, an ethereal beauty in the air, that set the stage for this elegant event. Once we entered the Villa Balbiano we were greeted with warm smiles, sparkling glasses of prosecco and opulent decor. The architectural details are embellished by the exquisite frescoed ceilings, luxurious fabrics in jewel-toned colors, handcarved furniture, extravagant floral arrangements and jaw-dropping views of Lake Como from every vantage.
“Situated between Il Dosso di Lavedo and the Comacine Island, Villa Balbiano is one of the most important historical properties on the shores of Lake Como. The history of Villa Balbiano can be traced back to mid 16th century and is strongly linked to the noble Giovio family who used it as their residence. At the end of 16th century, the Villa was sold to Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio, who redesigned the original palazzo after the drawings of Pellegrino Tibaldi. A century later, in 1787, Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini, politician and patron of the arts, acquired the Villa. Enlarged and embellished, Villa Balbiano was used to host a gallant and frivolous society where festivals, banquets and dances followed one by another relentlessly.”
A number of the interior shots for the Gwen Stefani video, "Cool", were filmed at Villa Balbiano. See if you can spot them!
Villa Balbiano is available to rent and is perfect for a destination wedding, family reunion, girlfriends getaway, or incentive trip for business professionals.
Learn more about Villa Balbiano and the Heritage Collection
Contact me to book Villa Balbiano or to find the perfect villa for your next getaway.
Here is a list of additional villas (and specials!) found in the menu above at Curated Villas.
For more on my visit to Italy last spring:
A Sunny Visit to San Remo, A Luxury Travel Event at Lake Como, Villa Views, An Italian Spa Getaway
Many thanks to Nebe Club/Travelux 2018 and the Heritage Collection for the invitation to this extraordinary event in Italy.
An Afternoon in Picturesque Varenna on the Shores of Lake Como, Italy
There are places you stumble upon while traveling that simply need no explanation. On a hazy summer afternoon, we arrived by boat, from Bellagio. Between flashes of sunlight, bursts of showers, and a moody mist that wound around our afternoon, we experienced Varenna, on the shores of Lake Como. These images speak for themselves. Click on the gallery to open a slide show of charming Varenna.
Varenna, on the shores of Lake Como, Italy
There are places you stumble upon while traveling that simply need no explanation. On a hazy summer afternoon, we arrived by boat, from Bellagio. Between flashes of sunlight, bursts of showers, and a moody mist that wound around our afternoon, we experienced Varenna, on the shores of Lake Como. These images speak for themselves. Click on the gallery to open a slide show of charming Varenna.
When the skies opens up and you find yourself drenched like we were, seek shelter under a covered patio. Order up some yummy comfort food, like this Northern Italian style risotto, enjoy the decadence of the chocolate mousse and enjoy that chilled bottle of sauvignon blanc. We lingered at this lakeside restaurant, enjoying the view, our conversations and making some new friends on this cozy afternoon at Varenna.
Varenna was our last stop in Italy on our summer holiday.
Next stop-- PARIS!
An Afternoon in Beguiling Bellagio on Lake Como
One afternoon Scott and I pointed our rented Peugeot northeast, from our villa in Lezzeno, to beautiful Bellagio for the afternoon. Known for grand hotels, elegant villas, voluptuous flower boxes and stunning views from the steep staircases of the city center. Bellagio is beguiling.
One afternoon Scott and I pointed our rented Peugeot northeast, from our villa in Lezzeno, to beautiful Bellagio for the afternoon. Known for grand hotels, elegant villas, voluptuous flower boxes and stunning views from the steep staircases of the city center. Bellagio is beguiling. Lake Como, in the Northern mountains of the Lombardy region, is breathtakingly beautiful with a chameleon microclimate for weather. In my earlier post of our stay in a lakeside villa, I mentioned the quick changes from cool and breezy, to rain showers, to brilliant sunshine within the space of an afternoon. It's all part of daily life at Lake Como and allows for these showy gardens and flower displays. On this afternoon in July, we appreciated the cool temps and brief rain showers as a break from the summer sun. We did stop to buy an umbrella at a nearby boutique which came in handy once we boarded a ferry later in the afternoon.
Bellagio is beguiling
If you are fortunate to find yourself in Bellagio for an afternoon, enjoy lunch at a tasty trattoria, people watch the colorful locals and tourists, climb the stone steps to pastel framed lake views and plot your next destination on Lake Como. It's easy to access other picturesque ports of call from the ferry center, or better yet, a water taxi.
Learn more about Bellagio on Trip Advisor.
To book your unforgettable trip to Lake Como contact me at Curated Travel.
Our Lakeside Stay at a Villa in Lezzeno, at Lake Como, Italy
If the Amalfi Coast is shimmering pastels and Siena is rich, brushstrokes in oils, then Lake Como is bathed in watercolors mingling shadows with light. The views of mountain, sky and water are made chameleon by the microclimates in the Lombardy region of the Italian Alps. From sunny and brilliant to dark and stormy, punctuated with raindrops, no wonder this moody vista is considered magical to those who visit.
Our Lakeside Stay in a Villa at Lezzeno, Lake Como
If the Amalfi Coast is shimmering pastels and Siena is rich, brushstrokes in oils, then Lake Como is bathed in watercolors mingling shadows with light. The views of mountain, sky and water are made chameleon by the microclimates in the Lombardy region of the Italian Alps. From sunny and brilliant to dark and stormy, punctuated with raindrops, no wonder this moody vista is considered magical to those who visit.
For the third stop on our summer tour in Italy, Scott and I rented a car for the 90-minute drive to Lake Como from the train station in Milan. Leaving the dry heat of Siena behind we could already feel the coolness of the verdant mountains and cerulean lake. We rented the top floor of a villa in Lezzeno on the eastern shore of the western arm of the wishbone-shaped Lake Como.
We arrived at our top floor villa on a Sunday, late afternoon, and found that the small local market had closed early for the day. We were grateful that the owners of the villa left a welcome basket of pasta, sauce, crackers and chocolates which we used to create our first dinner lakeside at Lake Como. We added a bottle of 2012 Ar.Pe.Pe Rosso di Valtellina from our stash for a cozy evening watching the lake from the terrace.
As you may imagine, life at Lake Como is all about lazy days, leisurely walks, boat rides, lakeside lunches, tours of elaborate villas and lush gardens. Evenings are filled with lakeside cocktails, mouth-watering dinners in the moonlight that extend until the wee hours. In this petite villa we envisioned staying for months: reading, writing, photographing, creating, cooking from the local bounty and viewing lake life-- thoroughly living the rhythm of Lake Como.
If you wondered if we spotted George and Amal Clooney while visiting Lake Como, our invitation may have gotten lost in the mail. We did spot George's charming lakeside villa, with his white speed boat docked in front. Since they tend to summer at Lake Como - and who wouldn't? - the boat parked out front 'seems to indicate' that the Clooneys were home on this beautiful day in July. We do know they were in residence at Lake Como for fourth of July the week before our visit.
