Another weekend and another adventure but this one featured The Cheeky Boys, aka Spencer, Gavin, Roy, Kev, Steve and myself of course - the question is, which of us is the cheekiest of them all?

This time we were off to northern Italy featuring three nights away starting with a flight to Bergamo north of Milan, then by train Tirano on the Swiss border and wrapping the trip up in Bellagio on Lake Como. Planes, trains, automobiles, boats and buses all featured in a rather relaxing and scenic trip in northern Italy that saw us have some great food, plenty of local drinks and of course some laughs on the way too!

Thursday 3rd November 2016

The trip started with a sub two hour flight from East Midlands Airport to Bergamo with Ryanair, with a late afternoon arrival into Bergamo we were soon on the bus into the city centre. Bergamo is not a bad place to visit, admittedly we saw most of it in the dark but the old town area was well worth the journey on the funicular. Having enjoyed dinner it was time to visit a craft beer bar that also had live music playing which was enhanced by our very own Elton John sound-a-like, Roy. Having had a great evening at the Fly Pub we missed the last funicular so ended up stumbling down the hill back to the hotel. Goodnight all!

Friday 4th November 2016

Travelling from Bergamo, via Lecco, we arrived into Colico at the north end of Lake Como conveniently at lunchtime. Despite the overcast sky the trip, mainly alongside the lake was very pleasant. The planning certainly pays off so after a quick look around the town (there is not too much to see) and of course the lake front it was time for a beer and some food (with wine of course). After a rather leisurely lunch it was just another one hour trip to Tirano, the second stop of the trip.

Tirano is not a rip roaring place, nor does it take long to explore the old town area but it is a nice place to visit. It you fancy carrying on to the north by train the Swiss railway station, from where the famous Bernina Express departs, is adjacent to the Italian station in the town. We found a decent place for food and a good bar for après dinner drinks. Too be honest we need little else!

Saturday 5th November 2016

The weather forecast was correct and heavy rain greeted us on the Saturday morning. We headed back to the station for a train to Varenna which is about half way along Lake Como or about one and a half hours from Tirano. Arriving at 1230 we had about an hour to kill before our private motor launch was due to take us across Lake Como to Bellagio. The station bar at Varenna was a real find, a nice quality place that also served up decent looking food (albeit we only had time for a drink and the complimentary nibbles), if you are in the area then give it a go.

Our James Bond-esq water taxi across Lake Como was a great little treat and it was a real shame that we could not go topless due to the poor weather. You can't win them all.

Bellagio was rather sleepy too although from what can be gathered in the summer months it is heaving - note to self plump for a June or September visit next time and hopefully have good weather and not be too crowded. It was nice to wander the narrow streets and take in the atmosphere as well as dodging the rain shower by calling into a bar or two between food stops - the late lunch probably could have kept us going all day.

Sunday 6th November 2016

The weather gods were still not on our side in the morning for the two hour journey along Lake Como to Como itself. The boat was not busy (which was a bonus) but as it was cold and damp it did not really allow you to enjoy the lake at its best. Some of the villas and towns on the lakeside were very nice and from a distance we also saw Villa Oleandra which is owned by George Clooney. I do think he could have done much better . . . . . .

Between our boat arrival and the train departure from Como Lago Nord we had a whopping 45 minutes to fill and yet again a station bar rose to the challenge. Six paninis and six beers were purchased but as the Italians like to give extra stuff away the huge bowl of crisps and six Limoncellos were a nice freebie to be had before boarding the train.

That brings this Cheeky Boys trip pretty much to a close as we then caught the 1316 train to Sarenno, made the change of trains comfortably (even though information was rather scant) and arrived at Milan's Malpensa Airport at 1434. It was a quick walk through the massively sprawling airport that then saw us boarding the 1550 Flybe flight (BE7116) back to Birmingham arriving at 1700 local time.