Turin

While not quite off the beaten path, Turin is not exactly at the top of most travel lists either. Maybe that's why Turin felt like the most authentic city we visited in Italy this time around. Home to Fiat, Martini and Nutella, Turin is the capital of the Piedmont region. We mostly sat around caffès drinking bicerin (Turin's specialty drink of layered espresso, chocolate and cream) and walked through the numerous piazzas. Although we visited in the middle of a heat wave, the endless arcades around the city provided much needed shelter from the summer sun. 

EAT

Del Cambio
Caffè Al Bicerin
Caffè Fiorio
Porto di Savona
Stratta (caffè and good gianduiotto) 

SEE

Mole Antonelliana
Piazza San Carlo
Via Roma and Lagrange
Museo Egizio
Monte dei Cappuccini (for amazing views) 

STAY

Turin Palace Hotel

Lake Como

An hour train ride from Milan, Lake Como is a popular destination for foreigners and Italians alike. The lake is larger than I expected; you could spend weeks visiting all the towns lining the Y-shaped lake. As this was my first time here I decided to stay in Bellagio, a town I knew would not disappoint. You can drive around the lake but the better option in my opinion is to hop between towns by ferry.

We explored the mid-lakes region (Varenna, Menaggio, Tremezzo and Bellagio) and also took a ferry to Como, the largest city on the lake.