Spring Getaway To Lake Como

This week is packed with travel posts (as I am traveling simultaneously) so after the last blog post from Palermo I am taking you up north to the other end of Italy: to the magic Lake Como. A few weeks ago I spent three days at the famous Lago di Como (and please don't ask me if I met George Clooney. In fact I had an espresso with him) as part of a workshop for Ikea. Workshop sounds like work and it was. Yet, I had some time to explore the beauties of Lake Como.

Spring at the Lake Como is truly enchanting. Everything is in bloom, it smells divine, it is warm and sunny. Even though this is a lake and not the Mediterranean, it already feels very mediterranean with the lush vegetation, beautiful, colourful villas and little boats. However this lake is not a tiny one, in fact it is pretty large and stretches from north to south over 46 kilometers whereas its width is rather small and makes it ever charming as you can always have a look at the villages and towns tucked on the opposite hillside.

I was staying in the far south of the lake in a picturesque village called Cernobbio, not far away from the name-giving town of Como. Since free time was short during my trip, I only made it with the ferry up to the serene and almost dormant village of Torno. It was so nice to walk around without a plan, discovering narrow alleyways, smelling the flowers, eating ice cream - and all this with my two good friends and fellow bloggers Ricarda from Germany and Sarah from Canada. We had lots of fun!

Lake Como is located pretty close to Milano so it is absolutely worth a prolonged weekend trip to enjoy sunshine, nature, good food and cruising this beautiful lake. A la prossima, ragazzi!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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Loft92 In Palermo, Italy

Well here we go: Now that I am traveling again this week (hop over to Instagram to see where I am this time) I thought it's about time to blog about the very cool design loft I stayed at during my Sicilian trip and visit to Palermo. I found the cool Loft92 after a short research on airbnb and it was an immediate scorer - it was unlike many other accommodations and had a very special look to it. So it was click, chat, book - and I did not regret it a minute!

This is definitely a place you should pick next time you travel to Palermo, Sicily. Why? Because it's unusual and special - it is a huge sort of hall, I don't know what exactly this building used to be (as it is clearly older) but the structure is more suitable for a storeroom or something similar. Maybe it was even a sort of factory or mill, who knows. Only thing I know is that the owner transformed it into an open and airy space with a minimalistic look (so unlikely in Italy).

The apartment is located in the city center of Palermo which makes it even better. You can literally walk to every important sight in Palermo from the apartment. And can you imagine my Urban Jungle Bloggers eyes when I arrived at the entrance of the apartment packed with all kinds of plants? It was an instant love affair.

The apartment itself is spacious and can host two people. It has a large entrance hall with an ancient fountain in one corner, a huge bed sofa to relax after long walks, a little open-space kitchen and a bathroom. Dramatically suspended stairs lead to the upper floor which is in fact a mezzanine and the bedroom. A big and comfy bed, a few seats, another bathroom and a closet - that's it. No clutter, no shenanigans. And with no shenanigans I mean none - so don't expect a TV there.

If you like what you see and you plan a trip to Palermo, have a look HERE to book it.

Happy new week!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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Travel Tips For Sicily - Part Two

Sicily is a wild and romantic island. Its nature is wild and untamed in some areas, its baroque cities and villages are romantic and inviting. After last week's post about western Sicily, today I am taking you to the eastern part of the island. We will visit Catania, the islands second largest city, as well as Syracuse, an ancient city in the southeast of Sicily. And we will climb high up - to more than 3,000 meters of altitude to wander the snow and the craters of one of Europe's most active volcanos Mount Etna. Ready? Buckle up!

Catania is one bustling city. Even though it comes second after Palermo, I felt like it is way busier, there is more going on, the city is very young and the nightlife is buzzing. The city itself matches the Sicilian pattern: Beautiful baroque architecture is followed by crumbling facades and dismal buildings. But the landmarks of the city under the volcano are magnificent - the wonderful cathedral on the city's central square, the quaint Bellini garden, the picturesque Via Crociferi, the fortified Castello Ursino and the colourful fish market La Pescheria.

The city will also surprise you with its many little piazzas surrounded by restaurants and wine bars. Somehow, I preferred Catania over Palermo for the atmosphere. Some places I would recommend are the pastry shop Savia to enjoy some delicious cannoli, the Caffè del Duomo serves great coffee, ice cream and arancini (fried rice balls, a Sicilian specialty) and the Ciciulena restaurant with good Sicilian food and a funky interior design including plants.

If you prefer to experience a less urban atmosphere, head south to the ancient city of Syracuse. Here again you will have some questionable architecture in the modern part, but just continue to the old town which is located on an island called Ortigia. You will quickly get lost once you enter the old town's labyrinth of narrow streets. Let go and just wander around - you will discover the most beautiful balconies adorned with plants, you will pass by cute little stores and restaurants and eventually you will end up at the magnificent Piazza Duomo, a pastel colored Italian dream for the romantic soul in you.

Stay in Syracuse to enjoy the evening 'passeggiata' - once dusk sets in the atmosphere will become even more magic with the city illumination. My personal top recommendation in Syracuse is the wonderful wine bar/shop Enoteca Solaria - try a good local wine and enjoy some typical Sicilian food in a convivial atmosphere.

Last but not least let's talk about Mount Etna. Mid March is quite early and still pretty much winter on the volcano. So be prepared for snow, cold temperatures and foggy conditions. I took the car up to the Rifugio Sapienza which lies slightly under 2,000 meters altitude. You pass through various villages on the slopes of Mount Etna and the last part is a crazily winding road through old lava fields. We drove through cotton thick fog and made it to the Rifugio with no sight of anything. But then the magic happened - the fog diluted and we spotted the Etna cable car station. Next thing I know I was tootling up to around 3,000 meters below the Etna craters. I was marching through snow surrounded by skiers and snowboarders overlooking an endless sea of fog below us and smokey tops beyond us. A truly remarkable moment! Don't miss it if you ever end up on Sicily.

See you next time from another place!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

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