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It’s already August and I still have some time to wait until I have my long-overdue vacation in Eilat, Israel. What can I do in the meanwhile? Watch birds from home, play with my cats, go to the park, and write about my past birdwatching vacation in Bellano, Italy, of course. So let’s go back and see the birds of Lake Como.
Let’s Go!
Where To Stay At Lake Como
Last summer we had a one-week vacation in Bellano, a gorgeous little town near Lake Como.
We stayed at a lovely hotel named Villa Marina. Seriously, words cannot describe how stunning this place is, so have a look at the link.
Bird Watching In Lake Como
We spend most of the time swimming with the ducks, but Italy has a lot more to offer than just birdwatching. In the evenings, we often went to the town center to have dinner. We tried several restaurants, but our favorites were Ristorante Pizzeria Cavallo Bianco and (1st place with a large gap) Ristorante La Darsena. Yes, I am forcing myself not to look at their menu now, when all I have to eat at home are a can of tuna and some bread (not even a proper German bread).
Apart from eating and eating, I also did some bird watching. The lake has your usual variety of ducks and geese (you should be able to see more species if you go out to nature, though).
Here is my tiny gallery of the birds of Lake Como:
One day it was too hot, and I was too lazy to take my camera bag with me to town. Of course, exactly on that day (!) I saw a water snake swimming in the lake, but could not film it.
The frustration!
I think this might have been the elusive reptile—this one is natrix maura swimming in Spain (photo from Wiki):
Nature soon compensated me, though. As I walked between the restaurants the next day, I saw a barn swallow flying back and forth. This time I was prepared, I took out my camera, zoomed in and, to my excitement, saw a bird nest with little chicks!
Orrido di Bellano
If you stay in Bellano, Italy, you can take a ferry or a boat tour to other towns, such as Bellagio or Como, and have a day trip there. We, however, were so content with what the hotel and small town had to offer, so we stayed in Bellano the entire week. But even our lazy selves could not skip the highlight, named Orrido di Bellano. Luckily, it’s in town so we went there.
Orrido di Bellano is a natural canyon and waterfall. It is a beautiful and unexpected dramatic sight in this otherwise calm and serene landscape of the lake.
You can see it here:
Farewell to Lake Como
After a wonderful week with the birds of Bellano, we had a less-wonderful travel back home with one cancelled flight and a connection from Italy to Germany through France (like wtf?!) but it was still worth it.
If you want to see more of my birdwatching videos in Lake Como, Italy, check out my YouTube playlist here.
Want To Learn Italian Before You Go?
The Great Courses website has a 24 lecture course on learning Italian. You can check it out using this link.
I’d Love to Go, But…
If you have a pet and need someone to take care of them while you’re abroad, get a trusted house and pet sitter on TrustedHousesitters. If you want to combine your love for pets and travel, you can find free accommodation in exchange for taking care of someone else’s pet. Check out your opportunities here.
My Bird Watching Stories
