Left Mantova on Sunday and stopped at Sirmione on Lake Garda on our way to Stresa on Lake Maggiore where we spent our final three nights. Sirmione was quite crowded and the weather was miserable, so it was not one of my favorite destinations. The highlights in Sirmione were a boat ride (with good size waves) around the peninsula where we viewed the ruins of a Roman villa (~100 BC) and a medieval castle. I also had a wonderful bowl of vegetable soup which was perfect for a cold rainy day!

Ruins of Roman villa of poet Catullus

Castle from the water in Sirmione

Arrived at Hotel La Palma in Stresa… a beautiful hotel with an amazing view of Lake Maggiore, but there were no good photos when we arrived because the weather was rainy and the mountains were covered in clouds.

The next morning we travelled to the beautiful small village of Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta. A few photos from around Orta San Giulio…

Federica and Bonnie on canvas at a park in Orta San Giulio

A great little specialty shop where I bought some incredible balsamic vinegar and dried porcini mushrooms. Porcini mushrooms are abundantly grown in this region and are in season.

Traveled by boat to Isola San Giulio (in Lake Orta) to a monastery that has 40 nuns in residence. The monastery was not open on Monday, but we walked on the “Way of Silence” around the island which had short meditations every 50 feet or so… I loved it. A few photos from the Way of Silence.

Traveled to Cantina Fontechiara, an organic vineyard in the countryside outside Stresa. The owners finished first careers 20 years ago and then went back to their family farm to begin an organic wine business. Had a great tour of their small wine production cellar, and then a tasting of their 3 wines combined with delightful appetizers. Two of their wines are specially bottled as Nonna and Nonno   (grandmother and grandfather), representing the founders and owners.

Gianni Ferrari, the owner of Fontechiara. What a delightful time we had talking with him about his vineyard and his vision for the future.

One of our courses of a light lunch at the vineyard… cheese, lard, and donkey and horse salami… served with rye bread. Surprisingly, the salami was delicious!

Sunrise, sunset over Lake Maggiore… quickly goes the day…

On our last day on the tour today, we visited two islands on the lake — Isola Madre and Isola Bella. These islands and their villas and gardens were owned by the Borremeo family, which had cardinals, archbishops and even a saint in the family. More evidence of the wealth and power of a few families through the centuries.

Our tour group before boarding the boat to Isola Madre

Isola Madre- the villa and gardens are now part of the Italian National Trust – spectacular!

Isola Madre gardens – more of an informal British style… beautiful…

This peacock kept turning to show off his plumage to the tourists. Keith thought he might be doing his 11 am scheduled show…

There were two puppet theaters and many amazing puppets displayed in the villa on Isola Madre. Family entertainment of the 17th-19th century!

Took the boat to The Palace on Isola Bella and its incredible formal Italian style gardens with 10 levels, where the Borremeo family still has apartments (upstairs from the museum open to the public) that they visit during the summer.

On the history front of interest to Keith… The Palace was the site of a 1935 meeting that produced an agreement that Italy, France and Britain signed to block Nazi aggression after Hitler began to rearm and ignore the Peace Treaty of Versailles. Mussolini’s goal was to get  tacit approval to launch his Abyssinian war in Africa and the British didn’t share their plans to reach a naval agreement with Hitler in June 1935.  Nice signature by II Duce. Note he had to have the largest signature… hmmm… looks familiar!

An incredible micro-mosaic in the palace… it was a gift from a Pope to the Borremeo family.

The rose garden at Isola Bella

Got lucky and caught white peacocks on camera fighting in the air… incredible!

In the gardens in Isola Bella

Sunrise from our hotel room on Lake Maggiore on our last day in Stresa

Flew over the Alps (which we could also see from Stresa – Swiss border is quite close to Stresa) on our trip home yesterday from Milan. Our guide said that recent snow on the mountains is quite late this year.

We had a great adventure that was filled with tremendous beauty, history, culture, art, churches, gardens, food, and walking. We are feeling very blessed, but glad to be home to sleep in our own bed and see Shadow and Tigger. Thanks for coming along on our journey… ciao!