There's a zone, called "Alto Lario", at the top of the lake of Como, not so known at the mass-tourism, i advice.
Not best roads to go there or fashion shops, not a lot of hotels or B&B, not tourist routes or ancient buildings to visit and then ?
Simply, here is the reason.
Here, these things can still happen: go along a mountain path and meet nobody or some sheeps, stay on the beach doing nothing for the whole day.
Not in July, or in August, better in May or (best) in September, rent a house, it's not to difficult and then...
Whereever you are, after breakfast, put bread, cheese, sausage in your backpack, glance up to the mountain, take first path which rise up the hill and have a good journey.
After half an hour you are out of village, may be some old houses made of stone are around you, or you are in the middle of a vineyard, near a water fountain, or picking up something (chestnuts or mushrooms in october/november) in the wood where you are getting lost, take a look at shining lake in front of you, it's a perfect day...
Don't you like this? too much rural?
Never mind, stop off you 10 miles before, on the same shore ancient villas, gardens to visit, holliwood's actors, grand hotels and boat rides.
Accomodation:
Near the shore, Gravedona, Domaso, Dongo, Gera Lario, Sorico, Musso, Pianello, Cremia or up on the hill, Garzeno, Peglio, Vercana, Trezzone, Montemezzo and in the deep of valley hemmed in woods, Livo , rent a house or stay in B&B, tradition of hospitality (and actual economic crisis) makes available many solutions of accomodation also in the smallest village.
Food & Drink:
I tell you a secret, few foods are really tipical but try to look for these: "braschin", dough with eggs, raisin and nuts (easy to find in Garzeno, Dongo), "misultin", lake fish salty and dried (not so easy to find, maybe in "tremezzina") and goat cheese.
Discover:
No signpost, no ticket to enter, no queue, wear trekking shoes and comfortable dresses: welcome to "Giardino del Merlo" - Musso. An abandoned botanical garden at the feet of an ancient castle about whom only stone walls remain.
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