thursdaysd

I am working on the itinerary for the second half of my upcoming European trip. After starting in the north, I'll be heading south, but perhaps not fast enough. It looks like I would get to the lakes around the first full week of October. I've checked on the ferries, and the schedules aren't up for Lake Como that far out, while the summer schedule for Lake Maggiore ends on the 10th.

Looks like the hotels will still be open, but I'm also wondering about the weather. Any opinions? Would the second week be worth considering?

bobthenavigator

I feel you will be safe the first week, but I would not test it much later. This trip wasearly Oct.

http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=4442

thursdaysd

Thanks Bob. On balance, looks quite good, although those clouds were quite something. But maybe I should settle for one lake instead of two. I really liked Maggiore, but perhaps I should visit Como this time.

See you have a TR for northern Italy - will take a look. (Didn't know you were based in NC - just down the road.)

neckervd

October weather is just unpredictable in this area. There may be bright sun, heavy rainfall during many days or fog over the lakes until noon or so (very often). The automn boat's timetable will be valid until October 11th. The aliscafi Como - Bellagio/Varenna und Luino - Cannero/Cannobio as well as the car ferries run the whole year.
Season will be over, but some hotels are open all the year round.

For warm weather, you would have to go to Lampedusa, Rhodos, the Turkish Aegean coast or Cyprus.

thursdaysd

I am less concerned about temperature than I am about rain... Sicily is tempting, but I am thinking of taking the train to Lyon and then flying to Pau after the lakes. The English used to winter in Pau, so I would expect the weather to be reasonable.