Day 19: Lake Como to Lugano

Day 19 · Lugano

I headed out early from my hotel up in the hills of Breglia to try and find some of that scarce dock-side parking in Menaggio – one of the larger towns along the mid-western side of Lake Como. I was fortunate I left early, as I was able to find a spectacular spot in the unofficial motorcycle parking zone along the water and a quick walk to the ferry.

I bought my all-day ferry ticket and waited the 20 or so minutes for the ferry to Varenna across the lake. Varenna was super cute, a lovely little town with steep stone staircases from the shores of the lake up into the larger town. There’s obvious signs of very old settlements here (duh, it’s Europe), and the shopfronts are all tucked into the maze of the town, with little glimpses of the lake visible down some narrow alleys. I enjoyed a cappuccino at a cafe along the shore and read some of my book (number 7 for those counting). People were cracking me up trying to take photos that looked like they were all alone in these places – there were HUNDREDS of people around on tiny streets and paths and everyone wanted that perfect insta shot. Also – it’s Lake Como during wedding season – so everyone had on their gauziest Italian summer fashion fantasy outfits on all day (THAT’S what I should have taken more photos of lol).

After my cappuccino and an impulse purchase of a purse (it’s my last day in Italy, I get to do that!), I got in line to take the ferry to Bellagio. This is really where the book came in handy, as the line was probably a block long with 20 minutes to go for the ferry departure. People kept asking me directions in Italian, I assume because I looked so nonplussed by the wait. Boarding (and deboarding) for Bellagio was complete and total Italian chaos. Just madness and hundreds of people flooded the ferry at the same time as cars, bicycles and scooters/motorcycles.

Bellagio was definitely a fancier town along the lake. I didn’t wander too deeply, instead taking advantage of a place with a nice spot to sit (and no wait) for lunch but the shopfronts here were glossier and more upscale. I’m glad I got the purse at the cheaper town lol.

I would have liked to do a little more wandering around Bellagio after lunch, but after seeing the line for the ferry I decided to call it and head back to Menaggio and grab my magnet/sticker from that port vs. risking getting out of town too late to do laundry at my next hotel. This ferry was an interesting sort of madness, everyone got into the wrong line and I seemed to be the only one to realize it, scooting myself onto the ferry while the rest of the line was stopped for a reason I did not bother to figure out. It was weirdly empty despite the huge line. Folks were probably not happy when it left.

After grabbing my necessary magnets and sticker, I headed out of Melaggio and reluctantly said goodbye to Italy as I crossed the border into Switzerland to my next hotel in Lugano. I really liked Italy, despite (or because of?) the complete and total chaos it’s people bring to the roads and lines and ferries.

I don’t think I mentioned this story yet because it happened on the day I didn’t have wifi, but on my way to Ponte di Legno a semi truck ended up blocking a very narrow roadway up a mountain in both directions when the car up front couldn’t fit by it. When I got there, the driver was out of the cab shooing cars out of the way – barefoot. As the truck made juuuuusssttt enough room for cars/bikes to pass, it was complete madness as everyone rushed to get by the truck in the tiny amount of space there was to pass. Just another day in Italy! Truly I’m surprised this was the only time I saw this happen. You can watch the full video here if you’d like, but most of it is me taking advantage of an opportunity to make a glove change, and barely making it through the gap with the rest of the bikes because of it.

Legano is also a lakefront city, but a Swiss one. The 30 mile ride into my hotel was largely along the lake (a lot of it in long, dark tunnels) as I made my way from the east edge, around the north end, and to the west side where the city (and my hotel) lies. The ride into Lugano was a little different from many other cities I’ve been through in my travels – it felt very structured and modern and polite. It could also be that after a week in Italy I forgot what it was like to be around more cautious and predictable drivers and signage.

I spent a little time in the lobby writing the bulk of this post while doing my laundry. So delighted to wash my sweatshirt at long last, which has been a daily wear item and had started to funk pretty solidly. I’m glad I brought a wool one of those at least, or it would have started to stink a lot sooner than this!

After the laundry was done, I headed out on a walk down into the central part of town to get dinner, and also procure myself some breakfast supplies. This is the first hotel I’ve stayed at that didn’t include breakfast, but it’s a fair trade for laundry and there is a fridge in this room.

I’m having a hard time figuring out Legano after my afternoon stroll. The city clearly has an appreciation for art and public spaces (the lakefront promenade is among my favorite promenades on this trip), and the historic center seems to be mostly luxury shopping mall (not that uncommon, I’m noticing). I am confused why it’s peppered with new vehicles, but that could just be a this weekend thing I suppose. Like Innsbruck, this is another city that could probably use a few days to explore vs. the few hours I have have allotted for it. I

I’ve also gotten an impression as I’ve moved through the various regions of Switzerland that the Swiss are their own flavor of European, even as they blend regionally with their neighbors. Lugano is a city of Italian food and Italian speech, but the vibe (to me, at least) is not Italian as I experienced it 30 miles away. My knowledge of Europoean history is not great, but traveling between countries and going in and out of Switzerland has given me an interest in better understanding how the shifting borders over generations have shaped these cities and communities I’ve been traveling through. Something in a time-traveling historical fiction would be my preferred method of learning, if anyone has any recommendations.

I am also growing wearing of hotels. When you stay in one or two places you take a lot of time to find a space that will work for you (or your budget), but when you’re traveling around it ends up pretty random. Tonights lodging was picked out yesterday, and budget was a big part of it’s appeal, but it’s a weird one. There is a kitchenette, but it’s pretty useless. There’s a stove and a fridge, but they only give you a single paper cup – no mugs or cookware of any kind. And there’s no blanket on the bed – just a sheet. This mattress is fine, better than last nights lumpy and stinky one. Almost all of these places have weird shower cubicles where you shut yourself into a box with multiple sliding doors and the showerheads don’t stay up. I miss my bathroom lol.

Tomorrow I head north into Andermatt, where I had lunch way back on Day 3 after riding the Furka. I’ll be there for two nights, in a hotel with a tagline of “Riders Haven” so I’m about to learn if that’s in reference to bicycles, snowboards, or motorcycles because at this point there’s no way of knowing. Here’s hoping there’s a blanket!