Visiting Italy's Lake District: Part Xa - Cruising Lake Como

After fortifying ourselves with lunch and coffee, we browsed through some of Como's silk stores along the waterfront.  I could not resist picking out some silk scarves as gifts for family members.  But after completing the little shopping I did and strolling around the area some more, HWMBO and I decided to follow the example of some of our tour colleagues and return to Menaggio on the afternoon ferry.  So we boarded the ferry at the waterfront.

Some had purchased gelati for the return trip and looked as though they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Now we had a chance to see the villages between Como and Menaggio from the lake itself.

The view was not at all disappointing.  In some cases, it was spectacular

and provided a view not at all visible from the shore.

Some villages flowed down to the lake in a v-shape.

Others perched so closely to the lake edge that

it was a wonder that they were not already in the water.

We docked at several villages along the way, some tempting us to stop there at least briefly.

But we really had to get back to Menaggio by then.  Once arrived, we strolled past le Grand Hotel Menaggio

on our way back to our own hotel to pack.  Our wonderful visit was drawing to an end.  The next day, after a morning visit to Bellagio and a meal, we were scheduled to transfer to Milan to wend our various ways back to our "regular" lives.