Dukey1

For our trip in July 2014 we are considering staying in Tremezzo rather than Bellagio. We have stayed in the mid-lake area before and this upcoming venture will be a four-night "veg out by the lake" thing...at least we THINK so!!!

I suspect we may get bored after a day or so of vegging out and am wondering if we will regret not being in what I suspect is more lively Bellagio. I am still wondering if we should bag the whole thing a go to Venice instead.

But anyway, Tremezzo vs. Bellagio? Any thoughts. Sure they can be snarky, too.

IamAMDew

Definitely Tremezzo... you may take the ferry directly to Bellagio, Menaggio & Varenna with ease, and more to do on the west side of the lake...
Take a short hop to Cernobbio, have champagne & apps at Villa d'Este & stroll through Cernobbio on Via Regina - stop for gelato at the far end of the street before the circle, on the left. If interested in shopping - take a drive over the border to Mendrisio Switzerland & go to Foxtown, or Bellagio for silks, or a 1.5 hour trip (by car) to Verona.
The list goes on with much to do... Bellagio's last boat arrives around 11:30 pm in summer, so you are limited if out & about as it is not an easy drive from the other side.
If doing Venice as well, stop for a day in Verona - best of the major cities without the ridiculous crowds. From there, easy trip to Venice.

Dukey1

Thanks for the reply. I would prefer not to rent a car and we will be going on to Verona for three nights of opera afterward regardless.

bobthenavigator

I do like the idea of the west side of the lake, but the only attraction I see for Tremezzo is the G.H.Tremezzo, which is superb. I like the village of Lenno and the Albergo Lenno as an option, or staying in Menaggio for convenience of day trips into Lugano by bus.

Dukey1

Thanks, Bob. Our most recent visit we stayed in Menaggio and were happy there. In fact, I am still considering the BellaVista as well as the GH Tremezzo (yeah, I know, big difference but we would be happy in both). I appreciate your input very much.

ekscrunchy

Tremezzo. Take a look at La Perla. Good eating in that general area, too.

TDudette

We stayed in Bellagio and one night in Varenna (Easter Monday--holiday ferry hours too late for our train) and enjoyed having things to see. We took ferry to Tremezzo for Villa Carlotta and I thought it looked like a lovely place to come "home" to. I had looked at lake-facing hotel (name lost) there and was torn but thought it would be too peaceful so chose Bellagio.

If "vegging" really is your goal, I vote Tremezzo. You can always hop a ferry or bus if needed.

Are you going to participate in the opera? That would be so much fun.

Dukey1

Thanks for the additional thoughts; they are all quite helpful.

As to the opera, no, just satisfied audience members. We've done the opera performances in Verona for a couple of years now and just saw three performances this past July. There's really no other performance venue quite like it.

Ordinarily we would probably not be returning to Europe so soon but there is a growing sense of immediacy in the family now due to age and other factors so the travel becomes somewhat more compelling.