Northern Italy & Switzerland 2016 - Finished with Post Nights in Milan

[Cousin Orville]

Day 3 Lake Como



Today was our trip to Lake Como. It’s a huge lake and the area we’re going today was in a completely different location from Tremezzo where we stayed prior to the ABD. We drove to the town of Como at the southern end. There we walked to our villa where we had a cooking demonstration. The chef showed us how to make gnocchi and pasta. It was fun, but these cooking demos can fool you into thinking you too can make pasta at home. The truth is, most likely I’d just make a big mess in the kitchen. Our group made it fun to watch, joking along the way, but generally I could have skipped the demo and been just as happy.

I think if you look closely, that’s Fredo out in the motor boat.

Now on to the main event. Lunch. After the demo, we stepped inside the Villa. The main entrance hall was set up for lunch, its doors and window shutters all open looking out onto a lawn and Lake Como beyond. The room was tall and arched with a central chandelier and beautiful long yellow drapes that moved a bit in the open air breeze. It was classically Italian, like something out of the Godfather. Picture perfect. There the chef served us a fresh pasta lunch. Caprese salad, lasagna, gnocchi with pesto, and tiramisu. It was excellent. The pasta was so delicate, it melted in your mouth. The quality was perfect. Everyone on our group was impressed and said similar things. ABD struck gold here. Easily the best meal I’ve ever had on an ABD.

After lunch was a boat ride around Lake Como. It was a gorgeous sunny day and Kate and I along with several others rode on the top deck. The captain gave us a running commentary of the villas we were looking at. The running joke for the rest of the trip was pointing out the yellow villa with green shutters. They all had green shutters. This one or that one? We couldn’t tour the lake without seeing George’s Villa; sadly, we missed him. Apparently he left a month ago. We did learn he purchased the villa several years ago for $6 Million and recently had an offer for $69M. Not a bad investment. But as they say, after you’ve seen one villa, you’ve seen them all. Time to return to Como.

We were given a brief walking tour of the town of Como, were treated with gelato, and were set loose to go shopping. Como is famous for their silk. So you could find just about everyone on the tour in the well known silk shop, especially since many shops were closed (it was Sunday). Everyone loaded up with scarves, the occasional tie, etc. We then headed back to Stresa.

There was no plan for dinner, but the guides suggested La Botte, and everyone decided to eat together there. Miki reserved the entire restaurant (maybe except for one table). It was very casual and the food was excellent. Kate and I had a pear and gorgonzola risotto and some wine. Great risotto. For dessert, a chocolate molten cake and Kate had the panna cotta.



After dinner, many (if not a majority of us) headed back over to the Skybar to enjoy the view and an Aperol Spritz (or Gin Fizz in Kate’s case). It was a wonderful time hanging out with the group. I’m going to miss it.

 

[tgeorge]

Hahaha....Fredo in the motor boat

 

[sayhello]

I see a familiar face or two in that last shot!

Sayhello

 

[mare1203]

Glad to hear you had a fantastic time on this trip! I almost think of it as a hidden gem of an ABD, because it can easily get overlooked. Worth every penny, however!

I still have dreams about that Lake Como lunch. The entire thing was incredible.

Looking forward to the rest! And, I hope the Dis does a podcast about the trip as well!

 

[christannj]

Just an FYI Mary, you were fondly talked about many times on our trip by many of the adventurers. Many of us had taken notes on the places that you ate for example to have as suggestions for our on your own time. My husband and I tried the Barberi wine and the meat and cheese plate at the wine bar in Stresa for example. And thanks to you, we had many enjoyable evenings at the Sky Bar. Thanks once again for the great reports that you do.

Chris

 

[Cousin Orville]

Glad to hear you had a fantastic time on this trip! I almost think of it as a hidden gem of an ABD, because it can easily get overlooked. Worth every penny, however!

I still have dreams about that Lake Como lunch. The entire thing was incredible.

Looking forward to the rest! And, I hope the Dis does a podcast about the trip as well!

I agree. Our group chatted about this being an overlooked ABD, and other than your great trip report and now this one, there's not much chatter about it here on the boards. I checked ABD's website and it ties (with Norway and France) for having the fewest land European trips in 2017. I can understand most people choosing Viva Italia or London/Paris as a first ABD to see the big sites, but this should be a contender for a follow up ABD. It's the most beautiful and dramatic I've been on.

 

[mare1203]

Just an FYI Mary, you were fondly talked about many times on our trip by many of the adventurers. Many of us had taken notes on the places that you ate for example to have as suggestions for our on your own time. My husband and I tried the Barberi wine and the meat and cheese plate at the wine bar in Stresa for example. And thanks to you, we had many enjoyable evenings at the Sky Bar. Thanks once again for the great reports that you do.

Chris

Wow! I'm glad my report was helpful for everyone's planning and you were able to indulge in a few places we found. I'm actually going back to some recent trip reports in anticipation for my upcoming adventure, because I find them so helpful to plan around what ABD already has booked. We loved that wine bar, and the Sky Bar is such a great must-do. The views are spectacular and while it's chic, there's still that relaxing vibe where everyone is welcomed. Plus, they make a mean Aperol Spritz! Looks like everyone had a fabulous time; looking forward to the Switzerland portion!!

 

[met19]

I agree. Our group chatted about this being an overlooked ABD, and other than your great trip report and now this one, there's not much chatter about it here on the boards. I checked ABD's website and it ties (with Norway and France) for having the fewest land European trips in 2017. I can understand most people choosing Viva Italia or London/Paris as a first ABD to see the big sites, but this should be a contender for a follow up ABD. It's the most beautiful and dramatic I've been on.

In fact, I thought it was a great first ABD too.

 

[RSM]

I agree. Our group chatted about this being an overlooked ABD, and other than your great trip report and now this one, there's not much chatter about it here on the boards. I checked ABD's website and it ties (with Norway and France) for having the fewest land European trips in 2017. I can understand most people choosing Viva Italia or London/Paris as a first ABD to see the big sites, but this should be a contender for a follow up ABD. It's the most beautiful and dramatic I've been on.

Completely agree. This was our first, and for a variety of reasons remains our favorite. Great outdoor activities, laid back people, and for us the perfect mix of "on your own time" and group activities. On one of our subsequent vacations we made a side trip to Zermatt to do some more intense hiking and climbing.

 

[OKW Lover]

That meal in Lake Como was one of the best I've ever had!

 

[Cousin Orville]

Day 4 Stresa to Zermatt



Today we said goodbye to Italy and head into Switzerland. This ABD doesn’t have the Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, or the Parthenon. But it has something no other ABD has… the Alps! Lake Maggiore and Lake Como are gorgeous spots to relax and enjoy life in. The Alps are breathtaking. Awesome.



We drove through the Simplon Pass. A deep valley with towering Alps on all sides. It was beautiful. Along the way we made a stop at the Italian border to cash in on our VAT refunds. I understand that this is not a normal stop by ABD. So, keep in mind if you do shopping in Italy and are flying home from Switzerland, you won’t be able to get a VAT refund as Switzerland is not part of the EU. Our bus stopped and several of us went into the Customs office to get the all important Customs stamp. They did want to see some peoples’ purchases, particularly if they were large purchases. That’s been my experience at most Customs offices. After crossing the boarder we made one more stop up in the mountains at an overlook. It’s just gorgeous.

We made our way through Switzerland arriving at a small town to catch a train. There are no cars allowed in Zermatt, so you have to take a short train ride there. Once we arrived into Zermatt, we walked down the main street to our Cheese Fondue lunch. The cheese fondue was good. I had a mushroom risotto and puffed pastry along with it. It was quite good. Not as memorable as other meals on the trip, but a solid lunch.

We continued on down the main road of Zermatt towards the hotel. It’s a beautiful, picturesque town. The main street is lined with little restaurants and shops. We were definitely in Switzerland now… lots of watch shops. There was also great chocolate shops, clothing stores, and apparently the world’s most expensive McDonalds. We made our way to the Zermatterhof - a beautiful boutique luxury hotel in a prime spot in town. And facing the Zermatterhof was the Matterhorn towering above the valley.

One of the big events in Zermatt was to take the Gornergrat Bahn - the cog railroad up the mountain for a spectacular view of the Matterhorn. But the day we arrived, the Matterhorn was partially covered by clouds, so the guides made the call to go up the following morning.



The hotel was lovely. We had a reception outside at the hotel while waiting for our room keys. It was especially hot that afternoon particularly in the sun. And they had Wollie, the Alpine sheep character present doing meet and greets. But the poor guy must have been terribly hot. Eventually the hotel staff brought out some ice and started pouring ice down “Woolie’s” neck, the poor thing. Thankfully they shuttled him back in doors. We were all given rooms looking out on the majestic beauty of the Matterhorn. Soon we all found ourselves out on the balconies sitting, relaxing, and chatting with one another about how beautiful the town and mountains are.

Bit by bit, people started heading out for shopping and walking around the town. Many of us got together and asked the guides to make a dinner reservation for the fondue restaurant near the hotel. We went out and enjoyed the town, looked at watches, picked up some incredible chocolate and had a great afternoon.

Dinner was on our own, but many of us got together at the Whymper Stube. Steak fondue was the recommended meal there. Most of us got it, and it was spectacular. The steak was excellent quality cut of meat. It arrive uncooked and you dipped it into the pot of broth to cook. And there were several sauces you could dip the meat into. You had to order it for two, but it was delicious and I highly recommend it. I can still taste it in my mind. So good. And the restaurant was cool too. Very old, very authentic with dark woods and heavy beams around restaurant. Great place.

After dinner many of us we walked down a bit and found a pub to relax in. It was a small quaint place. I got a Zermatt beer which was tasty and we all had a great time. Bruce from our group had a friend back home whose birthday it was, so we asked the bartender/waitress for some sparklers (which we saw earlier) and sang Happy Birthday for Bruce’s friend back home. It was a great night.

A few words on the upcoming hotel change in Zermatt. So, next year they are using the Mont Cervin Palace. I’ll be interested to hear people’s experience at that hotel. I heard it was a nice hotel. It doesn’t have quite the same direct view of the Matterhorn, and I’m sure you’d have to be very high in the hotel and likely toward the right side of the hotel to have a view, so I’m interested to hear if future guests get that same amazing view of the Matterhorn. I’ve only heard rumors. One is that ABD thinks this trip will sell better next year and they need more space. Another is it’s budget cutting by ABD. Everyone on the trip was disappointed to hear next years hotel was changed. Who knows? The new hotel does look very nice. It doesn’t look cheap by any means, but it just doesn’t seem to have the same view or charm that the Zermatterhof has.

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

Kevin,

I'm enjoying your trip report so much! This ABD will have to go on the list. I find that I enjoy the parts of the ABDs that involve charming towns and natural beauty the most, so this looks wonderful! Looking forward to meeting you and Kate in Asia next year!

Laurie

 

[Cousin Orville]

Kevin,

I'm enjoying your trip report so much! This ABD will have to go on the list. I find that I enjoy the parts of the ABDs that involve charming towns and natural beauty the most, so this looks wonderful! Looking forward to meeting you and Kate in Asia next year!

Laurie

If you like charming towns and natural beauty, this is the ABD for you!

China, while not exactly charming towns or natural beauty, will be something else! We're very excited to be going along. Look forward to meeting you too.

 

[Cousin Orville]

We need to see a picture of the shoes Kate bought at David's!!

Sorry it took a while... Kate's shoes from David's:

She was looking at some others as well, but they're all hand made and seasonal so sizes were slim pickings this time of year.

 

[tgeorge]

Sorry it took a while... Kate's shoes from David's:

She was looking at some others as well, but they're all hand made and seasonal so sizes were slim pickings this time of year.

Is it sad that I was excited to read this post since it mentioned Kate's shoes?? Very cute. Love the colors.

 

[alldiz]

It was great traveling around with you guys. I'll echo what they said as well. This was a spectacular ABD. I'll continue to run through the trip day by day, but I'll say it now that this has been my favorite ABD. There's a lot of factors that go into that. A lot of it was our group which was a DIS organized group. I've always had wonderful ABD groups, but this one was particularly special. Case in point, many of us just hung out after all the evening's activities were over. We were very close, even for an ABD group. The guides were amazing. More to say about that later. And the food, scenery, and everything about the ABD were absolutely incredible. Of course there will be more to discuss as the days go on. It's a wonderful, beautiful trip. Sadly, several aspects about it are about to change next year including 2 of the hotels which is a big mistake.

Thanks for this amazing review and fantastic pics!!
I had to post and cry when I read this....enjoying your trip report on my dream ABD...... They are changing hotels and not for the better
That is disappointing.... Good thing prob won't be able to do an ABD for 2 years so reviews shall be in;-)
Thanks
Kerri

 

[BluesTraveler]

Super cute shoes.

Enjoying this trip report, as always. I wonder what is motivating the hotel change? Seemed like such a perfect one.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Sorry it took a while... Kate's shoes from David's:

She was looking at some others as well, but they're all hand made and seasonal so sizes were slim pickings this time of year.

LOVE the shoes! I have the same ones but mine are all navy blue. Super comfortable.

Did they tell you that you can order online and they will ship to the US? They will also customize for an additional 10Euro.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Is it sad that I was excited to read this post since it mentioned Kate's shoes?? Very cute. Love the colors.

Thanks! I'll let her know. Hopefully the update with Kate's shoes made some people chuckle. Can't take this stuff too seriously.

Thanks for this amazing review and fantastic pics!!
I had to post and cry when I read this....enjoying your trip report on my dream ABD...... They are changing hotels and not for the better
That is disappointing.... Good thing prob won't be able to do an ABD for 2 years so reviews shall be in;-)
Thanks
Kerri

Yep, I hope we get another trip report after the hotel switch. Honestly, on the trip we were saying they should switch the first hotel and keep the 2nd two.

Super cute shoes.

Enjoying this trip report, as always. I wonder what is motivating the hotel change? Seemed like such a perfect one.

Not sure. I did compare prices online and Mont Cervin Palace was actually more expensive for the few dates I tried. And on tripadvisor they are neck and neck with Mont Cervin being slightly higher rated. So, who knows? Maybe it's not a bad move. I hope someone next year reports back. But we on the adventure fell in love with the Zermatterhoff. I wouldn't change it. The hotel in Stresa, yes. Zermatterhof, no.

 

[kaseyC]

Once again @Cousin Orville, a fantastic trip report so far. This is an itinerary I had definitely overlooked. Now I'm really interested in it.