BELLAGIO, Italy: When I think of the perfect getaway, I now picture the lakes and mountains of Lake Como. I first heard about this particular lake in Italy when George Clooney bought a vacation home there in 2002. I remember seeing pictures of a small town with charming villas, surrounded by beautiful green mountains and the clear blue waters of the lake. So, when my husband mentioned that he wanted to plan a trip to Italy, I jumped at the chance to visit Lake Como.
We planned a six-day trip during which we would spend three days in Lake Como and then drive through the Swiss Alps to spend the rest of our days on Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzerland. Our two-hour flight from London to Milan on British Airways left bright and early so that we could take full advantage of the day when we got there. After picking up our little rental car, we finally made the trip north — which took about one hour — to the Italian Lake District.
Almost immediately, the site of the majestic mountains of Lake Como came into view from the highway. When we got to the base of the mountains and began seeing the blue and turquoise waters of the lake on our right is when the excitement really began to build. I also remember the thrilling realization at that point that we were only halfway there and that the views were about to get so much better.
The mountain roads took us up to the town of Bellagio — “the Pearl of Lake Como” — on the northern edge of the lake and then south to our hotel. We stayed at the Hotel Villa Aurora in Lezzeno, a small town just 10 minutes away from Bellagio. This quaint family-owned hotel built in 1912 was just perfect for us — it was simple, serene and was surrounded by stunning views of the lake and mountains. Families were swimming, canoeing and sunbathing while others were sitting at the lakeside restaurant relaxing with their drinks and enjoying their freshly-made pasta with fish caught in the lake. I immediately felt a sense of peace and relief — this was exactly the kind of vacation we had been longing for.
For lunch, while I wanted to try a real Italian pizza, our hotel’s restaurant only served pizza for dinner so I tried their delectable seafood pasta instead. I had heard from many people that I would really enjoy authentic Italian food, but I never realized how much I would love it. Their food is really in a class of its own. It is full of flavor and surprisingly light. I think it can be attributed to the fact that these lakeside towns mostly use locally-produced fresh ingredients that are in season. As a seafood lover, my lake fish seafood pasta was one of the best I have ever had. After that meal, I found any and every excuse to throw some seafood onto my pastas and pizzas.
After lunch and a long nap, we decided to drive to Bellagio. The weather, however, was determined to ruin our night with a massive thunderstorm so instead of finding the restaurant that we wanted to eat at, we ran into a small pizzeria, Ristoro Forma and Gusto. My first taste of real Italian pizza was amazing and I continued to enjoy pizzas for the duration of my trip.
The next day we were blessed with amazing weather, so we decided that we would inhale our breakfast and start exploring immediately. We decided to go back to Bellagio. I have to say, I dare you to not be charmed by this town. Its cobbled walkways, colorful villas, vine-draped walls and blooming flowers are so incredibly alluring. It also helps that such a pretty town has some fabulous shopping as well. I found stores with gorgeous silk scarves, leather purses, jewelry, decorative Murano glass pieces and, of course, a plush Salvatore Ferragamo store. I snagged a couple of beautiful earrings from a quaint little store called Saraceno, owned by a woman who used to design for Armani. The prices were so reasonable that I might have to make an excuse to go back soon!
After walking around Bellagio, we took a short ferry ride to my husband’s favorite town in northern Italy, Varenna. We made our way up the cobbled streets to yet another popular spot for pizza, The Victoria Grill. From there, we walked five minutes to the Villa Monastero, a museum and gorgeous botanical garden with rare species of plants from all over the world. The museum itself was a fairly interesting experience, but what I enjoyed the most was walking through the botanical gardens while enjoying the fresh scent of lavender and the exquisite views of the lake.
We then decided to walk down to the waterfront to see what shopping Varenna had in store for us but, as it was a hot day, we got distracted by the multiple gelato stores on the waterfront and ended up stopping by Gelateria Riva di Riva Duilio. My coffee gelato and my husband’s hazelnut gelato were the best we have ever had in our lives.
The next day was rainy, so we decided to drive two hours south to sunshine and shopping at a fantastic designer outlet just south of Milan called Serravalle. After driving back to Lezzeno, we spent our last night eating pizza at the restaurant in our hotel. I ordered a sumptuous lake fish pizza and my husband ordered not one, but two, margarita pizzas for dinner. It was definitely worth all of the extra calories!
On our last day, we packed up and made our way out of beautiful Italy, through the Swiss Alps to Montreux. While this is not the last of my Italian adventures, as we will be heading to Rome and Florence later this summer, I almost regret having gone to Lake Como first. I think it will be very hard to beat the beauty and serenity of the Italian Lake District.
Escape to Lake Como, a serene Italian getaway
Escape to Lake Como, a serene Italian getaway
Russian cyclist finds warm welcome on Saudi Arabia’s roads
- Anna Rodnishcheva’s ride through Kingdom is defining chapter in solo expedition
- Rodnishcheva cycled to Aqaba, crossed the border into Saudi Arabia, and has since traveled through Tabuk, AlUla, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif on her way to Riyadh
MAKKAH: Solo adventurer Anna Rodnishcheva, 27, has undertaken an ambitious journey that spans countries, climates and cultures — on a bicycle.
Born and raised in Moscow and trained as a biologist before becoming an event photographer, she now finds herself pedaling thousands of kilometers across unfamiliar landscapes in pursuit of discovery, connection, and the simple joy of movement.
In her conversation with Arab News, Rodnishcheva offered a detailed account of her ongoing route in Saudi Arabia, describing how the expedition is her third major cycling adventure.
After previously riding from Moscow to Sochi and later from Vladivostok to Sochi — a route that stretches across the entirety of Russia — she felt compelled to explore foreign lands by bicycle.
She set off from Moscow heading south last June, passing through Russia, Georgia, and Turkiye before flying from Antalya to Amman. She cycled to Aqaba, crossed the border into Saudi Arabia, and has since traveled through Tabuk, AlUla, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif on her way to Riyadh.
Rodnishcheva explained that physical preparation played only a small role in her planning. She began slowly and allowed her body to adapt naturally over the first month.
The true challenge, she said, was in the mental and financial preparation. She spent a year and a half planning the journey, even though she originally intended to postpone it for several more years.
Ultimately, her belief that “life is short” convinced her to start with the resources she already had. Although she sought medical evaluations and additional vaccinations, she was unable to complete them all and decided to continue regardless.
Her journey through Georgia and Turkiye presented unexpected difficulties. Simple tasks such as finding groceries or locating bicycle repair shops became more challenging outside of Russia, where she knew how to navigate on a budget.
She also encountered language barriers, though the situation improved when a local cyclist joined her in Georgia. The intense midsummer heat added another layer of difficulty, but she had prepared herself for such conditions.
One of the most striking moments of her trip occurred as she crossed from Jordan into Saudi Arabia. She described the experience as surreal and emotionally overwhelming, likening it to the adventures of a literary hero traveling across the Arabian Peninsula.
Her anxiety eased unexpectedly when she got a flat tire at the border, bringing her back to the present.
Despite being warned that crossing by bicycle would be prohibited, the process went smoothly, and she was struck by the friendliness of both Jordanian and Saudi officials. She expressed particular surprise at meeting a female Saudi passport officer, an encounter that challenged her previous assumptions about women’s roles in the Kingdom.
Rodnishcheva said the hospitality she had experienced in Saudi Arabia surpassed anything she had encountered on previous journeys. Drivers frequently stop to offer her water, fruit, or sweets, and several families have generously hosted her in their homes or guest flats.
She emphasized that she feels completely safe traveling across the Kingdom, especially on the open roads between cities, noting the strong and visible security presence.
She has also observed significant differences in weather. While the stretch from the border to Jeddah was hot despite being winter, the climate changed dramatically after climbing Al-Hada in Taif, turning cooler and windier — a climate she compared to Russian summers.
Rodnishcheva documents her travels primarily through Russian-language platforms such as VK and Telegram. Although she maintains YouTube and Instagram accounts, she explained that her schedule left little time for frequent updates.
Offering a message to women around the world who dream of embarking on similar adventures, she said such journeys were “not as scary as they seem before you start,” though they may not suit everyone.
Her closing advice? “Listen to your heart.”
