Menaggio Walk

We have breakfast in the hotel then go to the local shop to buy bread, cheese etc. for lunch. It's a bit cloudy at higher levels today so we decide on a lower level walk.

We drive to the same car park in Bellagio, walk to the boats and buy tickets to Menaggio on the west side of the lake.

Once there we walk up through the town, past lovely villas and with great views over Lake Como.

We pass a shrine then walk down to the River Sanagra and start walking up the Via Molina (Mill Way) at the side. We pass derelict water mills and farmhouses, at times having to scramble up rocks etc.

Eventually we reach a meadow called Monti di Madre, then a little further to cross the river at  a bridge and up to a church at the furthest point of the walk.

We then start to walk back down a mule track to Menaggio, passing through some quiet villages on the way.

It's been mostly sunny all day, but later it clouds over and we get a few spots of rain.

When we reach Menaggio we have a drink in a bar then catch the boat back to Bellagio. After driving home and getting changed we ask at the hotel for a recommended restaurant. They book us in to La Genzianella in San Primo, about 5km up the mountain. It serves local style food: we start with air-dried beef with mushrooms and parmesan, then Scott has braised donkey(!) with polenta and Shirley has roast veal. We follow this with chestnuts with cream, meringue and ice cream cake.