So after experiencing the amazing Alpine beauty of Switzerland, we were headed to Italy. The drive from Interlaken to Venice was a long but scenic one. The drive through beautiful glaciated Alpine passes just take ones breath away. And there are several tunnels on the way, the longest one being the 15 km long Gotthard tunnel. After one crosses the tunnel, the high mountains of the Alps give way to lower, gentler country.
Lake Como is a comfortable 4-5 hour drive away from Interlaken. And as one enters the vicinity, one becomes suddenly aware that one has arrived in Italy. Narrow lanes, beautiful houses, lazy cafes and driving that’s less scrupulous and gentle as in Switzerland. The relaxed attitude of Italians is on display and so is their amazing sense of aesthetics and architecture. Lake Como is a beautiful water body, but there nothing exceptional about it. What is exceptional, however, is the town built on it’s shores. Neat tree-lined boulevards, tiny jetties, classic Italian cafes and a quaint church completed the picture. The place has an idyllic ambience to it that few other places have. We had a breakfast that wasn’t just remarkable for the quality of the food that was served but also for the relaxed ambience that pervaded the air.
We spent a few hours at Lake Como before continuing on the drive to Venice. This leg of the drive was more mundane but the roads were good and we were making good progress. We reached Venice around 5 pm and parked at the Tronchetto car park. We then made a call to our airbnb host who guided on us how to get to the apartment. Venice is a city build on a string of islands in the Venetian lagoon. And the way to get around the city is via ferry. The experience of using ferry like people using buses in other cities is one I would love to get used to.
Apart from being famed as a city built on a lagoon, Venice is famous for its architecture. Great architecture is a bit of a theme in Italy. Journeying through the country, one cannot but marvel at how the Italians have reached such heights in arts and architecture and have been able to preserve that excellence. The architecture doesn’t look jarring against the modern backdrop. It is almost like different eras melting into each other and creating an irresistible potpourri of culture. Also what is unparalleled is the coffee culture. One has to experience it to believe it.
There is a lot to see in Venice. We spent the next couple of days exploring Venice. We saw the famed Saint Marks Square, St. Mark’s Basilica, the islands of Burano and Torcello and the Rialto bridge. It was a surreal experience. Each place had a distinct ambience to it, but the common thread of Italian heritage ran through all of them. It was an unforgettable experience, one I would like live through again.
You write marvelous. The writing gave real flavour and a motivation to explore these destinations.