Travel Diary: Visiting Bellagio & a Concert

The streets of Bellagio

                                                         

                                                          The view from the ferry

The prosciutto pizza at Vecchio Borgo.... Mmm!

  A pool floating in the lake at Grand Hotel Tremezzo

The front of Villa Carlotta, which is where the concert was held

The lemon ravioli at La Tirlindana

The beef fillet served with roasted potatoes, veggies, and a Gorgonzola sauce

Hi everybody!

I am continuing my travel diary series with some more photos and stories of my time in Lake Como.

If you don't know already, I am obsessed with Lake Como. Everything can put you in awe, from the views to the culture. This specific day that I spent in Lake Como made me fall more in love with it. So, I hopped on a ferry to Bellagio, which is right across the lake. It is known as one of the top places to visit in Lake Como and I totally agree!  Once I arrived, I headed up the little streets full of boutiques and cafes. The quaint streets were filled with tourists strolling around calmly. After walking around, I sat down to eat pizza at the restaurant called Vecchio Borgo. The thin-crust prosciutto pizza was so savory and delicious! After the filling meal, I proceeded to weave my way in out of the streets. Then, it was finally time to head over to the Vivaldi concert that the owner of Casa Stacy, the apartment I was staying at, scheduled for her guests. The  concert was held in the gardens of Villa Carlotta located in Tremezzo. It is a villa overlooking the lake and mountains with plant life (so many beautiful hydrangeas) covering the grounds. The concert included violinists and cellists playing some of Vivaldi's popular songs. This was one of the most memorable experiences in my life. I couldn't fully grasp the fact that I was sitting in Northern Italy, outside a villa, watching a classical concert, and being able to turn to my left to view the lake and mountains at sunset. (wow!) I feel extremely blessed to have been able to experience that. After that, I headed on a boat to go to dinner with the owner and some of the other guests at the apartment I stayed at. The restaurant we all went to was called La Tirlindana. If you ever visit Lake Como, I highly recommend you visit this restaurant. The food is fresh, scrumptious, and memorable! The first course consisted of the lemon ravioli (my favorite dish) that melts in your mouth. Coated in lemon and a butter sauce, this mascarpone cheese filled dish is unlike any pasta you have ever tasted. Simply put, it is amazing! The second dish was a beef fillet with Gorgonzola sauce. The meat was great alone, but what made the whole dish was that gorgonzola sauce! After the meal, I headed back to the hotel on a boat ride. While on the boat, I saw fireworks in the distance near Bellagio. What a great ending to a blessed and fun day!

Thank you so much for a reading!

Stay beautiful,

Sofia

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Scarf Dress in Italy

Dress: Banana Republic (similar here, here, or here)   Sandals: Ralph Lauren   Bangles: Tj Maxx (similar here or here)

Travel Diary: Lake Como Boat Tour & Apartment

Villa del Balbianello

The spectacular view of the mountains

Richard Branson's villa

Towns along the lake

Back in the lovely town of Varenna after the amazing boat tour

The apartment and its views

Hi everybody!

Happy Monday! Today I will be blogging about my experience in Lake Como, which is located in Northern Italy between gorgeous mountains.

After I got off the train from Milan, I took my first of many hikes up a mountain. This gave me a little taste of the major leg workout I was going to get during the rest of the trip :). This hike up to the hotel also gave me a view of the serene lake and Italian mountains... what a sight. When I arrived at the hotel the owner was there to greet me. She kindly gave us a tour of the hotel... it was spectacular. Placed in the middle of a plaza in Varenna, Casa Stacy is ideal for tourists who want to live like the locals. The sound of Italians greeting each other in a cafe is one like no other and gives an authentic vibe to the stay. With many accommodations, I felt comfortable and relaxed every night I got home. I especially felt soothed when I headed up to the rooftop terrace where I got a 360-degree view of the lake, mountains, and sights of Lake Como. But the best part would have to be the lovely owner, who bent over backwards to make sure every guest was enjoying their stay. She even booked her guests a private boat tour and a Vivaldi concert at sunset outside a mansion. All her guests were thrilled with the experience she made for them.

The first evening of Lake Como consisted of the boat tour. The tour took was taken around the lake. It highlighted some beautiful sights. First, I noticed the view of the gracious mountains that the sun was slowly setting behind. The boat passed by picturesque towns including Bellagio and Tremezzo. The architecture included colorful buildings tucked away in the mountains and large villas atop hills. One sight is Richard Branson's fairy-tale villa, which costs around 115,000 euros a week to stay at. Another sight to see is Villa del Balbianello, which was the sight of many movie scenes (Star Wars, James Bond, A Month by the Lake, etc.). The tour continued to wrap around the lake as the nice itself was wrapping it up. I couldn;t have asked for a better experience in Lake Como. So, what I suggest you to do of you ever visit Lake Como is to stay at Casa Stacy, relax on the rooftop terrace, and take a boat tour to get to know the place.

Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Lake Como. If you want to see what I wore on the boat tour, click here.

Thank you so much for reading!

Stay beautiful,

Sofia

Travel Style: Amalfi Coast

What a view! If you're ever here, go to the parking lot of the hotel Albergo L'Ancora to find the best view of  Positano.

Top: Rachel by Rachel Roy (similar here or here)   Leather shorts: Romeo & Juliet Couture (similar here, here, or here)   Sandals: Ralph Lauren


Hi everybody!

This is what I wore when I arrived at Positano in the Amalfi Coast. Positano is near Naples, Italy and is full of gorgeous colorful paintings overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. I have so many stories to tell you guys and am so excited for Monday to share with you all the wonderful experiences I was blessed to have.

Thank you so much for reading!

Stay beautiful,

Sofia

Travel Style: Romper in Lake Como

Romper: Bebe (similar here, here, here or here)   Belt: Calvin Klein (similar here)  Sandals: Ralph Lauren 

Hi everybody!

This is what I wore on my second day traveling around Lake Como, a gorgeous location in Italy! I love rompers for summer and for vacations. They are light, fun and stylish. This one from Bebe is vibrant and comfortable. Belting it adds more style and cinches the waist. This look was great for a day of exploring and snapping photos. Stay tuned for posts about my adventures here, including a breathtaking boat tour, a hike up a large mountain to a beautiful castle, a concert in a garden overlooking the mountains of Lake Como, and more!

Thank you so much for reading!

Stay beautiful,

Sofia


More of Bebe's rompers here!

Travel Style: Arriving in Lake Como

Top: H&M (similar here or here)   Shorts: Theory   Sandals: Zappos (similar here)   Watch: GUESS   Necklace: American Eagle   Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren (similar here)