As I rode the bus from Bellagio to Como, a twinge of reluctance suddenly welled up inside me. Over fifty days into my journey, I had just reached the halfway point. The trip I had looked forward to so much was slipping away before I could even say goodbye, but I told myself to just keep enjoying it.
After more than an hour on the bus, I finally arrived at the last lakeside town, Como. Compared to the previous two towns, Como is indeed much more urbanized. I got off near the train station, Como S. Giovanni, and decided to head toward the lake first.
This time during my European trip, I didn’t use any roaming internet and relied solely on pre-prepared offline maps and paper maps to find my way. Sometimes I feel that this kind of old-school travel has its own charm—while searching for directions and studying the maps, I often stumbled upon places I hadn’t planned to visit. And even when I got lost, the detours added a bit of fun to the journey.
Guided by the map, I arrived at the banks of the Como River. Here, Lake Como resembles a yachting club, with quite a few people fishing along the embankment. I stopped to watch for a while, and suddenly an elderly man tried to strike up a conversation with me. Although we barely understood each other most of the time, we managed to chat intermittently for about half an hour. I really enjoy such encounters during trips—they truly prove that “language can’t stop you from seeing the world.”
Strolling along, I came across a nearby Catholic church. Ever since arriving in Europe, visiting churches has become one of the most frequent things I do. In Europe, the interiors of Catholic churches are always exquisitely ornate, and no matter how many times I’ve seen them, I’m still amazed by such incredible craftsmanship. The architects back then were truly remarkable.
Noticing that time was getting on, I decided to go up the mountain to enjoy the view before leaving. Walking along the lakeside promenade with the sea breeze in my face, I soon spotted the Funicolare cable car station in Como. I took the cable car up the mountain, setting off in search of a peaceful retreat amid the hustle and bustle.
The top of the mountain is a small neighborhood called Brunate, which has a little church—showing just how important religion is to Europeans. The narrow alleys here wind endlessly through the area. Knowing nothing about this neighborhood, I simply wandered aimlessly, following my whims.
The weather that day was nice. Though the mountain scenery wasn’t a famous attraction, the surrounding residences offered a sense of tranquility. Living here might mean slightly inconvenient transportation, but everything else is far superior. To be able to live in such a peaceful corner is a kind of happiness.
While wandering through the maze-like paths, I came across a small viewpoint. Don’t let the clear weather fool you—the haze was actually so thick that I could barely see Lake Como down below. Fortunately, the views all around were still pleasant, living up to expectations.
After taking in enough of the scenery, I turned to head back down the mountain. My trip around Lake Como came to an end here. I really enjoy traveling to these mountain townships—not as bustling as big cities, but filled with the charm of small-town stories. When you’re tired of being jostled among thousands of tourists, why not slow down and take a leisurely stroll around Lake Como, just a short distance away? You might find it’s even more suited for travel.
Transportation info back to Milan:
1. Take a private railway from Como Nord Lago (Como North Lake Station) back to Milano Nord Cadorna (Milan North Station). The ride takes just over an hour, with a train every half hour.
2. Take a train from Como S. Giovanni Station back to Milano Centrale (Milan Central Station) or Porta Garibaldi Station. The journey takes about thirty minutes, but trains are less frequent—approximately one every two hours.
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