Sweet sunny summer memories: Ways to stay cool around the lakes Como and Maggiore

We had the chance to spend one week this past August in the Ticino village of Brissago in Switzerland, at the Italian and Swiss border.

 During our stay we seized the opportunity to discover the region better and to drive to the lakes of Como and Maggiore. We also did some hikes above them.

 

It was a hot and sunny week; so, what did we do to stay active and outdoors most of the day?  

Our time on the Lake of Maggiore:

In Ronco sopra Ascona, we went searching for a mystery fountain, the Fountain of Martina which I had read about in a brochure.

We walked and discovered a tiny path along the village, going back to Brissago. We never found the fountain despite our 90 minute-walk until we went back in the car and drove out of Ronco. However, we found the perfect trail to stay cool. We walked along palm, cactus and bamboo trees. It was heaven.

In Ronco, we noticed full bottles of water on many doorstep. We never did figure out why the residents had these mystery bottles outside of their homes! 

Overlooking the lake, we ate at a restaurant completely covered with wine grapes and shaded parasols.

In Porto Ronco, we had a romantic evening dinning at a restaurant just at the lake. Another evening we enjoyed the sunset on our hotel-room terrace while eating a wood oven pizza with gorgonzola cheese from a nearby take- out restaurant.

In Ascona and Locarno, two beautiful cities around Brissago, we spent time strolling along the promenade, under the trees.  

Apparently, this salesman does not think it is hot enough in Ascona and it is a good time to sell his fur! Look at this picture!

 

We enjoyed dinners in grottos and sat down for an Open Air Film on the Piazza Grande. It was the International Film Festival in Locarno that week and it should have been an experience of a lifetime, watching a film with jury members and stars in the audience.

But, just at the exact same second the film was about to start, a wind came and brought with it hail and pounds of rain. The film continued playing in the rain while VIP and movie-watchers ran away as fast as they could. Everyone cooled down quickly!

 

Our time on Lake Como:

In Tremezzo, in Italy near the Villa Carlotta, we noticed some long curtains, to shade the windows from the hot sun.

 

From there, we took a quick boat to Bellagio. The breeze felt good. We arrived to the famous village and despite the many tourists we found some peaceful tiny streets to be alone and cool down. We let ourselves be tempted and had an ice cream break. How could one resist Italian ice-cream!

On the way back to the ferry, passing on the promenade, we noticed drapes to protect the shops from sunshine. We barely could see the stores but what a great way to stay cool!

 

Lastly, we could not resist and stopped in Laglio to see Clooney’s villa. After standing in the sun for a while to try to spot the star, we relaxed on a shady bench in the village, before heading back to Brissago.