This was our first visit to Italy, and only a small one, we left Switzerland on a Swiss train and changed to an Italian train at Tirano, and then a bus to Menaggio on Lake Como where we spent 3 nights before travelling back to Switzerland.
We travelled from Zermatt on the Bernina Express route through Switzerland. As we descended the mountains we passed into Italy, all to show for it was a sign at the side of the roads ! And a serious change of architecture and orderliness.
The countryside was very different from Switzerland. Farming is intensive with all the land used. The weather was lovely and sunny and hay was being made. At Tirano we had an hour to wait for our Italian regional train to Colico. We took a wander around town and bought an icecream.
The Italian train was different, a little more robust ! A few pictures of Italian farm houses. There is a noticeable difference between the Switzerland, a highly developed country and wealthy, and this part of Italy, much poorer and predominately agricultural. The houses are less orderly and the farming more active. At Colico we took a bus to Menagio, which took about an hour.
Next – The YHA hostel in Menaggio