Vacation Spot: Lake Como

What to see: Como, Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio

What to eat: Lombard cuisine isn’t your typical Italian fare–rather than finding your stereotypical pasta dishes with tomatoes and olive oil, you can expect to see lots of meats and cheeses as well as richer entree dishes like risotto alla milanese (a heavy cream-based saffron risotto), and of course wonderful wines.

While most people assume that Como (the city) would be the most popular area around Lake Como, tourists typically use the ferry service to hop around to various parts of the lake. Como does have the widest selection of shops and restaurants (can you say souvenir shopping?), but you won’t want to miss some of the other, more quaint areas like Bellagio and Varenna where you’ll spend the day getting lost in cobblestone alleyways lined with small shops and pizzerias. Today, I’m giving you my exclusive peak into the wonderful town of Bellagio, which Mark Twain used to call a “paradise of tranquil repose.”

How to get around: Just kidding! While these red sports cars are gorgeous, Bellagio is built into the mountainside, so the best way to explore is by foot. Expect to climb quite a few stairs but to be rewarded with incredibly beautiful views overlooking the entire lake.

What to bring back: Silk products, local crafts, homemade pastas and local honey, amaretto cookies.

These light, flourless cookies are the perfect afternoon treat with tea or coffee and come in an array of colors, so I love to give them as hostess gifts for dinner parties:

Local sauces and honeys are wonderful…

as are some of the shops with homemade crafts. This is actually an ornament store that celebrates Christmas all year long!

Finally, you can’t leave Bellagio without their staple silks and leather products, and you can’t leave Italy without homemade pasta! Tip: Don’t settle for the first shop you see, especially those closest to the main dock. The shops located on the main street at the top of the hill have the best deals, and will often throw in extra scarves or goods for you if you buy several at a time.

What to do: Bellagio has an incredibly laid back feel. Take in the bright colors and palm trees  along the Via Garibaldi, the main street along the dock, grab some gelato or a cappuccino, and enjoy getting lost in the wonderful colors and architecture that make the town come alive.

First, here’s a little spread of some things I’m bringing on my next trip! How cute is this  monogrammed bag?

Monogrammed Tote Bag: Mud pie

Now for the best part….the snacks! I love arugula in the summer for its light, peppery flavor, so this is a simple  lunch salad I threw together with alfalfa sprouts, radish, and zucchini with lemon for garnish:

Make your own trail mix is also really fun 🙂  Pumpkin/sunflower seeds, dried apricot, dark chocolate chips, and  hazelnuts would all be great additions to this!

P.S. These cute little jars are 1.5 oz so it’s just the right amount!

Healthy Travel 101: The Basics

Bring your own snacks. I have a general rule that I try not to buy food at the airport whenever possible since the options are usually super unhealthy (read: fried) and are always incredibly pricey for what you get. I’d much rather save that money and spend it on a nice meal or souvenir once I get to my destination! Some alternatives so you can build your own travel snack pack:

• NatureBox snacks: NatureBox is a monthly subscription service for healthy snacks tailored to your tastes, and believe me guys, it’s EPIC. My favorites are their pistachio power clusters, Greek yogurt covered pretzels, and dried fruits. You can try out a free trial (!) here.

• PaleoKrunch Cereal:  For those of you looking for a paleo or gluten-free option, this is it! I’m beyond addicted to their granola, especially the cranberry and apple pie flavors. Their granola is a little sweet, but I love that it’s made with all-natural ingredients like almond meal, coconut oil, and tons of nuts and seeds for minerals and fiber.

• Tea Bags: You can always get unlimited hot water in-flight, so I really like to bring my own tea bags along with me to stay hydrated. Peppermint, chamomile, and ginger are my favorites because they settle your stomach, especially since your digestion can easily become off when you’re travelling and around so many foreign foods and experiences.
• Other Snack Ideas:  Beet humus and carrots/crudites, almond snack packs, string cheese. fruit, and almond butter are some of my other favorites! If you’re worried about portion control or mess, Justin’s peanut butter/almond butter squeeze packs are amazing. Still needs more ideas? Check out my last post on homemade kale chips and sweet potato fries (teaser: they both take under 5 minutes to make)

Hydrate. Your mom probably said this to you all the time growing up (I know mine did), but it really does help to keep you feeling energized and to prevent colds! I don’t like drinking water but occasionally throw lemon, mint, cucumber, orange slices, or whatever else I have on hand to my water bottle to stay up on my water before and after flights.

Relax and meditate. Lavender essential oils are a really wonderful and natural way to de-stress (because we all know that travelling can get stressful sometimes!) and fall asleep for long trips. Deep breathing also helps to calm the nervous system and shut out the world around you so you can get some z’s.

Safe travels!