Lake Como, Italy

Dr Mary Travelbest Guide

In this episode, the FAQ is: What should I tell people who think I can’t travel solo?

Today’s Destination is Lake Como, Italy

Today’s Misstep: Sometimes, you don’t love your roommates when you share a room. Here’s why.

Travel Advice: Don’t buy another timeshare. If you have one, it’s really hard to sell it.

FAQ: What do I tell people who think I can’t travel solo?

Answer: Ask them why not. Then listen.

Then, address each one of their questions or comments if you like. No one says you need permission to travel solo, but it would be good to tell them you are prepared, have planned for things to go wrong, and have taken this travel step by step to be more likely to be successful.

They may be telling you in a way that they will miss you, but don’t know how to say that. They could also be jealous. They could wish they could make this trip themselves. So there could be a lot of hidden reasons why they have those opinions.

Today’s destination: Lake Como, Italy

Lake Como, Italy, was a quick train ride from Milan, Italy.

On a hot day, about 95 degrees Fahrenheit, I ventured to Lake Como to cool down. I went there solo for three days, staying in town at a hostel that cost me $150 a night for a “middle bunk.” That was the most I paid for sleeping anywhere around the world. It did have a bathroom with a shower en suite.

It may have been less costly if I had booked earlier than two weeks in advance. Either way, here’s some advice if you are heading there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Como_San_Giovanni_railway_station

It was a quick walk from the Como San Giovanni train station to town, so you don’t need a car here if you stay in the main city. The lake is a breathtaking view from wherever you are, so the water keeps you cool, even on a boat. Buy the all-day ferry ticket if you can stay for the day.

https://lakecomotravel.com/boat-tours-ferry-lake-como/

https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/en/services/disabled-accessibility-and-prm/

Explore all the ferries and see the episode's notes with links, including accessibility information for getting on and off the ferries.

I spent a full day on a ferry tour of the lake, three hours north at its furthest and with more than one tributary.

I got off at Menagio and found a paid private club called Lido, but I did not swim there. A few minutes later, while swimming, I met a family from Denmark at a free swim spot. I walked the town and had Nutella-flavored gelato.

I then Took the ferry to Varenna. I walked the town.

Then, I took another Ferry to Bellagio. The line was too long to get back on, so I stayed on board. I got off later in the smaller town. I met another couple from Germany. They agreed it was dreadfully Hot.

I Stopped to cool my feet in the sea at Argegno—thunderstorms in the morning. I walked to town.

https://www.explorelakecomo.com/go/lido-di-argegno#google_vignette

I met a girl from Munich and her friend, who took a photo of me with some flowers.

Bellagio has the George Clooney Villa. Most of the music I hear is American pop, not Italian.

https://www.bellagiolakecomo.com/en/bellagio-lake-como-italy/poi-points-of-interest/public-transport-lake-como

The lake is carved into a deep canyon. The hills above can be accessed by a special bus-like on rails called a Funicular.

I took the Lake Como Funicular at 7:15 pm, running every 30 minutes until midnight.

I highly recommend you do this and give yourself time at the top. The views are stunning, and there’s a lot to explore here.

It connects Como to the town of Brunate. The trip lasts 7 minutes and reaches the maximum allowed gradient of 55%—so that’s steep! The fee is small: only 3 euros (4 dollars) for a single journey and 5,50 euros (7 dollars) for a round trip. So worth it!

When leaving the train station, notice the sculpture of large human hands nearby. It is beautiful and dedicated to disabled service people. One hand is healthy,, and one is wounded.

https://www.explorelakecomo.com/go/monumento-ai-caduti-per-servizio

Also, I noticed a little bit of Las Vegas here; inside the train station, there was mini gambling, like in Las Vegas. Ironically, there’s a hotel in Las Vegas that’s called Bellagio.

Today’s Misstep: You don’t always love your roommates, right?

I went to bed by 9 p.m. because I was busy the next day. My bed was the middle bunk, and there were 5 in the room booked. At 11 p.m., two girls arrived and talked in street voices. I asked them to quiet down nicely. They did not. I finally did get to sleep, but it was rude of them to wake others with their voices and chatter. Would you agree?

Today’s Travel Advice: Don’t buy a timeshare or another one. If you have one, it’s tough to sell it.

We got conned when we tried to sell our timeshare, so don’t let that happen to you. We only lost a few thousand dollars, but it was a warning. These are not easy to sell. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If they ask you for money, walk away. Timeshares are hard to navigate to use your week. I spend hours each year trying to book one, and it’s very frustrating.

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