Last day in Varenna, Lake Como

The weather was perfect for our last day on the lake - some wispy clouds and a bright blue sky reflected in the waters.

We had breakfast lakeside at Varenna Caffe - absolutely scrumptious and so peaceful sitting by the water.  Little did we know it was the calm before the hordes of weekend visitors to the lake - cyclists in spandex, motorcycle riders in leather, Italian women in heels - who seem to be born to walk on cobblestones, the young and tattooed, families with children and dogs, and tourists from all over.

We headed off on a walk to Fiumelatte, a neighbouring town.  We took the mountain path to Baluardo, a scenic lookout point.  The path is steep, set in natural forest and with stone steps in some parts.  We saw a couple of fellow walkers along the way, but otherwise it was just us.  We stopped for a wander through the tiny cimitero - a lovingly tended cemetery nestled on the side of the hill, overlooking the lake.   We recognised local names from the streets we've followed on our map.  What a serene resting place.  On to Baluardo, and the view was fabulous.  There was a wooden picnic table where we could sit and catch our breath - I wonder who carried that up the path?

We walked on, following the path to Sorgente Fiumelatte.  This is the source of the Fiumelatte river, the tiniest river in Italy - only 250 metres from its source to where it meets the lake.  It appears in October and dries up in March, and is thought to originate from an underground basin 1200 metres deep in the mountain.  Apparently the caves surrounding the river source have held the interest of speleologists over the years, and Leonardo da Vinci wrote, "The Fiumelaccio falls from on high dropping more than 100 fathoms from the vein which gives it birth, falling sheer into the lake with the noisiest of rushes".  The river rushes down the mountain, between houses built into the steep slope, and into the lake.  I wonder if the residents are aware of the constant rush of the water for six months, and then notice the silence when the river dries up.

We followed the lake back to Varenna (which is when we were surprised by the visiting crowds) and hit the sun lounges for a snooze.  It's going to be much cooler in Zurich and Paris, so we're soaking up the sun when we can.  Back to Varenna Caffe for lunch - at 4pm! - I had bruschetta with brie, onion and orange marmalade, and a glass of prosecco...mmmm...my new summer wine time treat!