Hi Everybody,

For this post in this series on food and drink and scenery we are heading off to Northern Italy, well a few parts of it anyway. In Part two we will visit the Veneto area and Sicily.

Lago di Como

“Just another villa” One of many wonderful vistas by Lake Como! Watercolour 14 inches by 10

Our first stop is  the beautiful Lake Como, a truly magnificent area of Northern Italy.

The sparkling waters of the Lake , which is surrounded by impressive mountains and then by the shore there are many delightful towns and villages.

We most recently stayed in Cernobbio where the town nestles against the southern end if the lake.

One evening we ate in a really very good and ever so friendly restaurant in the town called “Osteria del Beuc”. Amongst a delightful selection of food we enjoyed some great lake perch,lightly pan fried and really great.

We washed it down with some excellent Gavi di Gavi chilled white Italian wine.

It was a memorable evening enjoyed with great friends and we ended it  with a stroll by the lake.

The next day we went in a motor launch along the lake, taking in the sights and lunching at Bellagio, a really lovely town, only rivalled in the area by Varenna.

There are so many great sights along the Lake with many famous gardens and Villas.

Here are some watercolours of Lake Como, a place we look forward to returning to.

Varenna on Lake Como. Watercolour 16 inches by 12

Bellagio, Lake Como

Lake Como, watercolour sketch.

The tiny village of Nesso on Lake Come, split in two by a gorge!  Watercolour sketch

A coffee stop In Cernobbio by Lake Como

Tuscany

Just the word Tuscany brings back wonderful memories of holidays spent in the lovely part of Italy.

Evening in Tuscany. Watercolour 18 inches by 9

Everywhere you turn in Tuscany there are great scens to savour, let alone the food and the stunning wine.

It is a region we love from the treasures of Firenza to the towers of San Gimignano it is all very stunning. Not to mention Pas and Sienna to!

One town I have loved to paint in is Lucca with such an iconic oval Piazza surrounded by cafes and restaurants. I am pleased to say that quite a few people around the world have original watercolours, each one different naturally, of this scene.

Just to sit and enjoy a coffee and watch the world go by is enough there to give  you a great sense on calm and pleasure.

Coffe in Lucca, watercolour 14 by 10 inches

The towers of San Gimignano are really quite amazing. Although many have disappeared the are still a lot to admire.

Over 500 years old in many cases they dominate this delightful town with its many restaurants, and even more tourists!

One real food highlight there was a gelato enjoyed in the main Piazza with the towers all around us.

The towers of San Gimignano.watercolour 18 inches by 8

Here are a few more watercolours of Tuscany which i hope you will enjoy.

In the streets of Lucca

Shadows in Lucca

In Part Two of this post we will visit Venice, and the adriatic coast before travelling down south to beautiful Sicily

i hope you are enjoying this very selective visit to Italy and much as I am

Happy Travelling

Brian