First Italian impressions – first finished pasta

It looks like the sun in the winter Italy sets really early. It was pitch black after I finally crossed the snowy Alps and arrived at my hotel, and it was only 5PM. You cannot really see Lago Maggiore in all its beauty after dark (although you can see all the Christmas lights of tiny windows in the myriad of houses stuck on top of one another on the hilltops across the lake), so I was forced to skip all the planned shore sight-walking and go straight to the hotel’s restaurant instead.

And that turned out just fine (to say the leastJ). I had never been able to finish a pasta dish in my entire life – I get full after a couple of forkfuls – before this black tagliolini with lobster here! Ridiculously good! And ridiculously light! How is this possible? Whatever the secret, that works for me!

Second impressions - the calm beauty

When I woke up and looked out of my window, I couldn’t help but gasp out loud. Being exposed mostly to the spirited ocean lately, I forgot all about the calm perfection of lakes. Serving as a clean mirror to the vain mountains surrounding it, Lago Maggiore stands still and proud of its tough mission, and effortlessly takes your breath away.

I wanted to make a day trip to Milan from here, but it was raining all the time, so I went for a drive around Lago D'Orta instead. That was the only activity of the two days I spent here. If you don't count endless staring out of my window at the lake and non-stop eating, of course.