Where to stay in Lake Como: Bellagio or Varenna?

Picking a hotel and town to stay can be critical to your trip as it determines accessibility to major attractions you are interested in and influence how you want to schedule your days. This is especially true in Lake Como where lots of small towns are accessible only via ferries.

We did a 2 day trip and if you are planning a short trip as well, you are most likely looking at either Bellagio or Varenna as they are the two most popular cities in Lake Como. Here are a few things to consider when deciding where to stay.

Which is better? Bellagio vs. Varenna

  • Accessibility from the central train station/Miilan: Varenna. Direct train to and from Milan is located in Varenna. This is helpful when you arrive in the morning and want to store your luggage and makes your trip back a lot shorter because you don’t have to consider both ferry AND the train schedule

  • Accessibility to other Lake Como towns : Bellagio. Most ferries to other Lake Como towns leave from Bellagio. If you stay in Verenna, ferry will most likely stop by Bellagio and there are more ferry options from Bellagio

  • Hotel and restaurant options: Bellagio. Verenna is just a smaller town compared to Bellagio. if you have a specific criteria for hotels (walkability, view, price range etc etc), it’s much easier to find options in Bellagio. Most options that I liked were already sold out for Varenna when I tried to book a few months in advance.

  • Prettier town: More of a personal preference, really can’t go wrong. Varenna is a bit smaller and has an adorable vibe while Bellagio is a bit larger. Personally liked the lake view from Varenna and thought Bellagio had adorable small streets everywhere!

Hotels and Airbnbs to stay in

I chose where to stay based on

  • being close to the ferry or train station and restaurants

  • view of the lake

  • good quality to price ration. I didn’t want to to pay a ton of premium for a luxury accommodation at an expensive town!

I debated between Varenna and Bellagio up until the very last minute and ended up going with the Hotel Bellagio. Other options I looked were

Varenna

Bellagio


You can find the full 2 day Lake Como itinerary in this post.

If you end up booking one of the hotels recommended in this post, I may get a small commission at no additional cost to you. It helps support posts like this to bring more travel tips to you!

Best rooftop bars in Milan with a Duomo view

Rooftop bars are always one of my favorite activities when I’m traveling. You always get a nice view of the city and what’s better than a glass of your favorite drink?! Especially if you are traveling in a city like Milan with an iconic Duomo. I visited as many rooftop bars in Milan with a Duomo view and here’s my honest opinion of all of them!


𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 (IMHO) – Terrazza Aperol: Lots of creative spritz options, can’t go wrong! We got lucky with the table but note that there was a line to get in by the time we left so expect the place to get busy

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Signorvino: This is actually a wine shop chain, where you can purchase any bottle and open it there. Fair prices on Italian wines and Champagnes. They also have a variety wines available by the glass. Rear view of the Duomo, could be a bit covered depending on your table.

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘇𝗮 – Pino in Duomo: Located right on the plaza. Primarily a restaurant and requires food purchase. Enjoyed the spicy seafood pasta!

𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 – La Rinascente Rooftop is a good option if you want a close up view from the rooftop. Top of the Duomo is right next to you. Located on top of the shopping mall, a bit hectic but there are a few different restaurant/bar sections to choose from.

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: View of the central station with AMAZING creative cocktails @excelsiorhotelgallia rooftop bar



Best places to eat and drink in Florence

Florence is a super fun city, I feel like it’s just the right size that’s small enough to walk everywhere but also big enough to have lots of things to see, eat, and drink. Here are some places I’ve enjoyed during my last trip.


Where to drink

  • Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina - Located right in front of Palazzo Pitti with a nice view outside. Great wine selection and fun wine flights with various older vintages. Food was great too!

  • Signorvino Firenze - Wine shop/bar with a great view of the Ponte Vecchio. Make sure to reserve in advance for the patio table. Long lists of wines by the glass.

  • Rasputin - Fun speakeasy with creative and delicious cocktails

  • View on Art Rooftop Cocktail Bar - Rooftop bar with the view of duomo

Best restaurants

  • Osteria dell'Enoteca - Affiliated with Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina so great wine selection. No official wine menu but you work with the Somm to pick a bottle from their selection! Known for steak.

  • Osteria Tripperia Il Magazzino - Fun tripe dishes if you are up for it! Tripe ragu pasta and tripe in tomato sauce were both delicious.

  • La Buchetta Food & Wine Restaurant - We skipped the more famous Osteria Dall'Oste and went here instead for steak. Felt cozier and the steak did not disappoint especially with a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino.

  • ANTICA FRIGGITORIA DELL'ALBERO - Napoli style pizza to-go spot for under 10 euro! Recommend if you are in the area

Others

Todo Modo - had this book store/wine shop bookmarked but never made it

Wine windows

See the full detailed post about best wine windows in Florence here.


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Where to go wine tasting in Tuscany: Montalcino wineries

Tuscany is a dream destination, not only for wine lovers but for anyone dreaming of picturesque vineyard hills and cypress trees. If you are planning a wine focused trip to Tuscany, Montalcino might be on top of your list as the birthplace of Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy's most celebrated red wines.

I recently spent two nights exploring wineries and restaurants, and did a lot of research to visit mix of wineries that are small and big. Here’s the list of wineries with good wines and views:

Winery in an ancient Castle: Castello Tricerchi

Working winery is part of the family castle from 1441 located on top of the hill with an amazing view.

Historical family winery: Conti Costanti

Constanti family was the first to call red wines “Brunello” along with other producers in Montalcino in 1800s.

Most unique: NostraVita

Small family owned winery with lots of arts and unique museum like elements throughout the property. Amazing view.

Picturesque ground: Le Prata

Boutique winery and a hotel with a quintessential Tuscany building and ground.

Best tour and cellar: Argiano

One of the biggest wineries I’ve visited. Impressive cellar tour including their own wines along with a private collection of world class wines.

Other wineries I didn’t get to visit

I didn’t personally get to visit but have heard great things or got to taste them throughout the trip: Le Chiuse, Castel Giocondo, Tenuta Le Potazzine, Casanova di Neri, Uccelliera

Discover Florence's Best Wine Windows: A complete guide and review of 7 different wine windows

Florence is such a charming Italian city with amazing food and drinks. Tucked away in its narrow alleys and quaint corners are the cherished wine windows—portals to a delightful sip of local culture. The historical “Buchetta del Vino” (little wine doors) started back in 1600s to safely sell food and wine during the plague. There were 100+ of them but only a handful of them operate now all over the city.

When I found out there are more than one operating window, I had to try all of them. I ended up trying 7 out of 8 and thought each of them had their own charm. Here’s the summary of the ones I tried.

  • Babae: Window with the most wine selection. Most places have red, white, and prosecco but Babae also has orange wine! This might be the most well-known window.

  • Osteria San Fiorenzo Close to Bascilica of Santa Croce. There was a Christmas market in the plaza when we went. Has outdoor seating.

  • Ristorante Pietra Bianca They had a variety of spritz and cocktails on the menu. Their bell was the most fun to ring. Has outdoor seating.

  • Cantina de pucci Close to Duomo, friendly staff. You can sit and drink on their outdoor patio.

  • Il Latini Enjoyed their Prosecco! Not a huge difference, but was €6 a glass compared to €7 or €8 at others.

  • Osteria Belle Donne Pretty flower decoration. Make sure to knock hard 🤣

  • Fiaschetteria Fantappie Doubles as a wine shop, you can make a longer wine stop out of it. Didn’t see an official menu but I think you have a bit more wine choices here if you order inside and receive from the window. Has outdoor seating. Super friendly and gave us the wine map that started this tour of wine windows.

A few of them had outdoor seatings where you can sit and drink. You have to return your glasses or you can get them in a to-go cup. Note that wine selections are limited (you are not choosing between a Barolo or BDM), think house wines by the glass at restaurants. But all wines I’ve tried were decent and you can always opt for an Aperol Spritz! The only places with a very short line were Babae and Osteria Belle Donne, but there were just 1 or 2 other groups (I went in November). Wines cost €6-8 and spritz are usually ~€8-10. If you are in Florence and walking around the city, you will most likely find one nearby so definitely stop by!




Best place to stay in Tuscany: Agriturismo in Montalcino 

When I travel to wine regions, I always love staying at a winery owned hotel to best experience the region. Most wine regions have various wine or local produce farms operating a bed and breakfast. Different countries and regions have various names for them (for example, you can search for “Masseria” in Puglia) and in Tuscany, they are called “Agriturismo.” When I planned a trip to the Montalcino wine region and had a few criteria for choosing a place to stay.

  1. Must be close to the main town and other wineries in the region. I didn’t want to drive too far out so we can relax entirely at the resort but also easily get to town when needed.

  2. Picturesque view. We are in Tuscany, so the iconic cypress trees and a nice view of the vineyards was one of the priorities.

  3. On-site wines and dinners so we can dine and wine without having to drive. You can’t rely on private transfers or taxis in small Tuscany towns.

After various searches, I chose Villa Le Prata and loved every single minute of it. Here’s why I recommend the hotel:

Beautiful property and the ground

  • Infinity pool and jacuzzi with a vineyard view.

  • Cypress tree lined entrance. 

  • Traditional Italian building and well decorated gardens.

Spacious and renovated rooms 

  • 2023 is the 2nd full season since opening and the rooms were very clean, well renovated, and spacious. 

  • Most rooms also have windows with a view.

Wine and Food 

  • Group wine tastings based on their weekly schedule and private tasting can also be arranged for a fee. I absolutely enjoyed their wines and ended up purchasing bottles to take home. 

  • They also produce olive oil and you get to taste them during meals or wine tasting. We also bought a bottle of it to take home. 

  • Amazing breakfast buffet is included with your stay and you can have dinner on the property as well. Choose between 3 or 4 courses, both including a glass of wine. Fresh seasonal ingredients. 

Affordable luxury resort experience

  • Nice price point compared to other high-end hotels in the area, and still feels luxurious.

  • They offer fun experiences like cooking class, harvest, dining under the stars, and you really don’t have to leave the resort.

Overall experience was exactly what I was looking for when staying at a wine resort in Tuscany. I would love to go back during warmer months and when vineyards are more green to enjoy the scenery and additional outdoor activities!

Guide to wine tasting in Puglia

Puglia is not the first Italian wine region that comes to your mind but it definitely should be on your radar if you like Primitivos or refreshing Whites and Rosés. I didn’t plan this trip around wineries and tastings but we learned that Puglia is the second-largest producer of wine grapes in Italy and was able to stop by a couple wineries and wine bars in various small towns of Puglia.

Near Bari/Polignano a mare

Main pedestrian center in Polignano a mare is filled with cute restaurants, shops, and bars and it’s super fun to walk around. I found these two small bars next to each other and loved it!

  • HOPS Birreria & Wine Bar: various beers on tap and wines by the glass. They also had a “beer spritz”!

  • La Casa Del Mojito: This is technically not wine but who would’ve thought I’d have one of the best mojitos in Italy?! They use fresh ingredients and don’t skimp on them either. I tried ginger and passion fruit flavors and loved both.

Near Ostuni

  • Tenuta Santoro Wine Bar: Winery with a nice outdoor setting in addition to the tasting room inside a traditional Trulli! Tasted through 4 wines (2 reds, 1 white, 1 rosé) for €15 and bought a bottle of refreshing white and red. Puglia region typically doesn’t grow grapes like Cab or Merlot but their vineyard is located in a small valley that

  • Vinicolo: Charming wine bar in the Ostuni city center. Host was super nice and went out of the way to offer various wines by the glass. He also had great recommendations on other wineries to visit in the area. We ended up getting a glass of sparkling, white, and red.

  • Borgo Antico Bistrot: Located in the middle of switchback streets, such a fun unique place to enjoy aperitivo before dinner. We had an amazing fresh cheese charcuterie plate with a few drinks. There’s a cute instagrammable blue door on top of the street.

Near Lecce

  • Cantele: Their wines were fairly common on local restaurants’ wine list and seemed to be one of the bigger wineries in the area. We didn’t make reservations so didn’t get to do the full tour and tasting but the host was super nice to give recommendations in the area and we ended up buying a bottle to try!

  • Feudi di Guagnano: This tasting room is in the small town of Guagnano and their rosé was

  • L'Orecchietta: This place was recommended by the host at Cantele for lunch and local wines by the glass. Deli style counter has fresh hot and cold pastas, salads, seafood, meats, and veggies. They have an entire wall of local wines and have a lot of them available by glass. Great place to stop by for lunch with wine. I don’t know how pricing works (we just pointed at dishes that looked good 😆) but our 3 plates of food and 2 glasses of wine was around €20.

Otranto

  • L'Ortale Ristoro SAlentissimo: I loved this hidden wine garden. Lots of choices by the glass or bottle (each bottle was only 15-20) and the garden was the most relaxing place to sit and drink.

  • La Cambusa: This wine bar is located right in front of the Aragonese Castle of Otranto so you get a great vibe and view of the Castle. Good selection of local wines by the glass!

I’ve also bookmarked these wineries but did not get a chance to visit:

  • L'Astore Masseria

  • Michele Calò & Figli

  • Azienda Agricola Cosimo Taurino

  • Castello Monaci

  • Masseria Li Veli

Overall, Puglia wines are a great value at €10-30 per bottle and definitely recommend trying it out!