“I’ll show you my home town where I grew up” he said…
11:05 am Saturday morning. I just barely make the train – isn’t that always the case? Relieved, I kiss my Jack Russell Picasso on his little black nose and sit back in quiet contemplation of the days ahead.
WELCOME TO INVERIGO
Awaiting me was an enchanting town indeed. Inverigo is close to Lake Como, about 30 kilometers north of Milan. Historically, it has been a popular weekend destination for people living in Milan due to the high altitude and panoramic views of the Alps and the city of Milan in the distance. Beautiful villas such as the Villa Perego di Cremnago, Villa Crivelli, Villa la Rotonda and Villa Sormani are a testament to early nobility who wanted to have a scenic place to entertain and host important events while also maintaining a distance not too far from the city. A 45 minute train ride today was a 5-hour horse carriage ride back in those days.
La Cappella della Madonnina di Pomelasca, on the property of Villa Sormani.
Sunday morning we took a short stroll to Villa Crivelli. The morning fog, soft grass beneath my feet and sound of distant church bells put me in a meditative state. We walked past the giant statue of a man – carved from stone that has been marked by the currents and lashes of the sea in ancient times. Hundreds of steps take you down from Villa Crivelli to the old city center where there is the church and Sunday Market.
Left: La Statua del Gigante; RIght: Villa la Rotunda
View of Inverigo from Villa Rotonda
There was a festival held that Sunday at Villa Sormani. Locals young and old gathered here to drink wine, eat sweet breads and dance traditional medieval dances in the big open square. Below is a video I took at the festival.
When night falls, the streets are quiet, the sound of cows mooing in the nearby field along with female household exclamations can be heard in the distance. Life is simple here. And it’s beautiful thing.
Inverigo skyline, shot from Bigoncio, looking at the castle, the church of Sant’Ambrogio and the train station. Photograph courtesy of Diego Bonacina