Looking out of our hotel window across Lake Maggiore

Looking back at Bevano

Grand Hotel Dino, where we stayed

Approaching Isola Madre, Borromean Island

Isola dei Pescatori, Borromean Islands

Isola Bella closed at this time of the year.

The beautiful gardens at the end of Isola Bella

Not the best time of the year to see these beautiful gardens

This is what Isola Bella looks like in summer (from the internet)

Jane with Janine and her two daughters - Molly and baby Aoife

The lakeside town of Stresa, eating 'al fresco'

The lake front at Stresa.

A lovely afternoon in Stresa with our friends; superb weather as well

Just arrived at Lugano in Switzerland

Researched it but no idea what this is all about

Lake Lugano

Lakeside walk through Belvedere Sculpture Park

Nick riding a rhinoseros

Massimo Ghiotti - Vincolo 1994 (modern art I guess)

Belvedere Sculpture Park - by Mario Bernasconi called Risvegdivo, dated 1954

36 D Cup??

No definitely only a 34 C

Menaggio, Lake Como

Walk along the lake front at Menaggio

Centre of Menaggio where we had lunch

Lake Como

The harbour at Menaggio

Disco sculpture by Arnaldo Pomodoro (2020) in the center of Milan

Porta Nuova is one of two medieval (twelfth century) gates that still exist in Milan

Porta Venezia dating back to the 19th century (taken from the internet)

Walls of the Castello Sforzesco

Sforza Castle - one of the largest citadels in Europe built by Francesco Sforzain (17thC)

The courtyard inside the walls of the castle.

Jane in her element with Aoife

They make a lovely picture

The Torre del Filarete, at the end houses a number of Civic Museums

The 1500 series trams date back to 1928-1930

These old trams are still running a scheduled service

Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi, Piazalla Cairodiv

Placards celebrating the 180th Anniversary of the First Itadivan Railroad Inauguration

Approaching the stunning Duomo di Milano along the Piazza dei Mercante

Amazing detail on the outside of the Duomo

Milan's 150-year-old Galleria shopping arcade

Statue of Vittorio Emanuele II in the centre of the Piazza del Duomo

Duomo di Milano, began in 1386 and ended in 1965 (some project!)

The gold Madonnina statue, at 356 ft high was once the highest point in Milan

Inside the Duomo - not so stunning as the outside but still very impressive

Pictures hanging from the walls inside the Duomo, look like tapestries?

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - high end shopping - Prada, Versace, Luis Vuitton, etc

Entrance to the Galleria and inside the Duomo

The gang 'shopping' (not)

The dome at the centre of the Galleria

Grand Hotel Dino

A pleasant walk along the lake front at Baveno on our day off

Playground on the lake front at Baveno

The stunning ceiling iside the Grand Hotel Dino

Took the bus to Verbania on our day off

Lemon trees in Verbania, also known as 'the garden on the lake'

Verbania is the largest town on Lake Maggiore

San Vittore Cathedral in Verbania Intra

An infants school at Verbania (very secure)

The roofs across the top of Orta San Giudivo

Making our way down the steep slope to the town of Orta San Giudivo

Lake Orta La Cenerentola or Cinderella as it so little known (cf Como or Maggiore)

The lovely town of Orta San Giudivo a real hidden gem

Hot chestnuts and cooked meats - first time I've eaten hot chestnuts for years (loverly)

The restaurant at Orta San Giudivo - the meat being cooked in the square was better value

Leaving Orta San Giudivo for the island

These paths took us on a circular route from the landing on the island back again

The monestary on the Isola San Giudivo

Gates into the monestary

The stunning inside of the Romanesque basilica on Isola San Giudivo

Making our way back from Isola San Giudivo

The steep slope up from Orta San Giudivo

Returning to the coach on the noddy bus at Orta (Villa Crespi in the distance)

Villa Crespi (19th-century Moorish revival-style), now a luxury hotel and restaurant

The photo booth at the Novotelle on the way back

Our friends on the ferry back to England

Three Wise Monkeys

LAST SLIDE IN SEQUENCE

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For our late autumn holiday we chose to travel with our good friends Nick and Olwen and our Leger drivers John and Tony to Italy, specifically Lake Maggiore.  Italy has been a long standing favourite of ours as we both love Italian food and the scenery and ancient buildings are stunning.  This trip on one of Leger's Luxuria coaches was also timed to coincide with Jane's birthday and was also our first journey in these luxury coaches, which are fitted with latest media technology and seats with space and legroom to spare.  On a personal note I think I still prefer the Silver Service coaches, if for no other reason than you can get up and sit in the lounge area at the rear of the coach, both to spread your legs and to socialise with others whilst on the road.

The hotel we headed for was the Grand Dino on the shore of Lake Maggiore at a town called Baveno; the 4star hotel was very plush and our room looked out on to the lake which was a bonus.  However, our overall assessment is that it may be 4 star in location, furnishings and facilities but the quality of food was definitely not up to the same standard.  The food at dinner was very bland and lacked any Italian sparkle and breakfasts lacked variety; very disappointing as we had hoped for much better from a hotel that is part of a Leger Signature tour.  John's daughter Janine met us at the hotel with her daughter Molly and baby daughter Aoife which brought an added level of enjoyment to the holiday.  John is rightly proud of his family and the girls are a credit to their mum, Molly very lively and bright and Aoife just beautiful.

Our first day on Lake Maggiore saw us take the option of a tour of three lakes - Maggiore, Como and Lugano.  We have been to Lake Maggiore in the past and whilst we took a boat trip around the Borromean islands, unfortunately the jewel in the crown, Isola Bella was closed for the season and so we missed a visit to the wonderful gardens and palazzo, constructed by Carlo III of the House of Borromeo for his wife Isabella D'Adda; started in 1632 it was finally inaugurated in 1671 after a delay due to the plague, mid century.  The boat dropped us off at Stresa where we had a look round the town before being picked up by coach and taken to Lugano in Switzerland for the second lake tour.  We had an enjoyable walk through the lakeside Sculpture Park (Belvedere) where many works of modern art are located.  Both Nick and myself had to feel the quality of the stone/marble statue of a naked lady, called the Risveglio by Mario Bernasconi; we disagreed on the cup size (LOL).  Apart from the pleasure of each others company Lugano didn't offer much of an attraction for me.  From Lugano we were taken to Menaggio on Lake Como, the last of our three lakes, which was very nice with a quaint little harbour and town where we took a light lunch; we also travelled a bit further along the lakeside to Tremezzo where I had my first Italian ice-cream of the holiday.  Somehow we missed the chance to visit the famous Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo; mind you I doubt we would have the time to have made the most of it.

The next day included a visit to Milan, a highlight of the holiday.  We were dropped off at the Castello Sforzesco which for many centuries was the largest citadel in Europe and only a short walk to the centre of Milan to see the stunning Duomo di Milano cathedral seat of the Archbishop of Milan.  John negotiated some skip the line tickets and we went inside the Duomo; initially not so attractive as the outside, the longer we looked round the more we came to appreciate the splendour and beauty of the cathedral from the massive pillars, the beautiful altar and the stunning stained glass windows.  Thanks to John for getting us in I'm not sure we would have paid the full price of entry.  Hanging from the walls were many paintings dedicated to St. Charles’ Quadroni (a display placed there until January next year); initially they appeared to be on wood but are in fact on canvas and date back centuries.  Unfortunately, Nick had his small penknife confiscated on entry which he had had for years and couldn't even collect it after we left.  Kind hearted John and Tony, however, later bought him a replacement.  Before visiting the Duomo we had been to Sforze Castle, to use its English name, which was built during the renaissance period.  Many people don't realise that this period was also quite violent and castles such as this were constructed to protect the powerful and wealthy rulers of the time, in this case Francesco Sforza, in the 15th century on the remains of an older fortification.  Sforza was a warlord who saved Milan from an attack by the Venetians and eventually became the Duke of Milan in 1450.  I was impressed with the 80 year old trams, modelled on the trams from America, that not only provide a service for the Milanese but also are a tourist attraction.  We managed to drag the women away from the posh shops in the Galleria before having lunch and returning to the coach to be taken home.  A really good day if somewhat tiring.

The following day was ours to do with as we pleased and after a refreshing walk along the lakefront at Baveno we caught a bus to the town of Verbania which is the largest town on the lake.  On our last day at Lake Maggiore we took the tour to Lake Orta which is one of the smallest of the Italian lakes but also probably one of the most attractive.  It has not yet become as touristy as the others and is a real gem; we went to the town of Orta San Giulio where I tasted some hot chestnuts being cooked on an old wire framed drum which was being rotated over a hot fire-pit.  This must have been hot work as the operator had several bottles of beer lined up alongside.  We took the 10 minute boat trip across to the Isola San Giulio which takes its name from a local patron saint (Julius of Novara), who lived in the second half of the 4th century.  The Basilica di San Giulio is just by the landing spot for the boat but unfortunately there was a local service being conducted and we were not allowed inside; John just made it before the service started and his photos above show how stunning it is inside.  There is also a large Benedictine monestary on the island which we could not of course enter.  I think this lake, the town and the island are my favourite memories of this holiday.

The next day we left the hotel and started our long journey back home.  We said good-bye to Janine, Molly and Aoife who shared our holiday and were flying home; it was a real pleasure meeting them and we hope to do so again soon.  Another great holiday with our friends and Leger, roll on New Year's Eve when we meet again on our Rhine Cruise.