After two failed attempts to take our family of five on an international vacation (the COVID effect), we have our passports in hand and we're off on a two-week Swiss adventure. We’ll begin at Lake Como, Italy, and then make our way from east to west across the Swiss Alps, finally heading north for a final stop in Munich!
We have decided that every trip to Europe must begin or end in Italy! Our love for this country grows with every visit. We begin our Crosby fam vacation adventure in beautiful Lake Como.
After a short connection at London’s Heathrow, we landed in Milan on Saturday afternoon and made our way to Menaggio – a lovely quiet town on the northwest side of the lake. I highly recommend the Grand Hotel Victoria. The property and grounds are lovely, the staff are warm and welcoming, the food is great, and they boast the largest spa on Lake Como. After an Aperol Spritz by the outdoor pool, we had a delicious early dinner at Ristorante Lago. We were in bed by 8:30 pm, ready to sleep off the long travel days!
Sunday began with massages for each of us, followed by relaxation in their gorgeous indoor pool and sauna area. The Himalayan Salt Room was incredible. There is no better way to cure jet lag than a luxurious spa! I think I could spend a week here simply enjoying this beautiful property and its amenities.
Photo credit: Grand Hotel Victoria
After a stroll through town, and a light bite of lunch, we made our way back to the hotel and spent the afternoon relaxing on property. The lakefront views are spectacular.
Our dinner that evening took us about 10 minutes away to La Cucina della Marianna – a tiny, family-owned and operated restaurant in the small town of Griante. They publish their menu monthly and it consists of a pre-defined 4-course meal for each day of the week.
The husband and wife team were gracious and funny hosts. None of the courses were dishes we would have likely ordered off of a menu, but each was unique and delicious! Our first course was chub with herbs and oil and a savoy cabbage salad. The pasta course was cacao fettuccini with squab ragout – delicious! The secondi course was marsala pork fillet with nettles and beetroot potatoes. They offered two dessert options – Becca chose the three chocolates creamy pudding; the rest of us enjoyed a lemon and orange marmalade tart with lemon curd cream.
We arrived back at the hotel just in time to welcome Hannah. She joined us a day later, having just completed the final exam of her 2nd year of vet school. Our quick hellos were followed by almost as quick goodnights!
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