Aperitifs in Tremezzo at Bar Roma and Bar Acqua Cheta… In the summer, Lake Como is an ideal stop for many tourists on their long drive to Umbria, Tuscany, or somewhere deeper in the Italian boot. After 900 kilometers of driving, the phrase are we there yet is on repeat. And so, both the front and back seats find a logical consensus: let’s stop at Lake Como.
Chiasso, benvenuto in Italia. Como, troppo gente. Carate Urio, pranzo e prosecco. We continue to Mezzegra, where we check in at Hotel Lario. After a refreshing dip, we’re ready to wander around and enjoy Lake Como and our first day of vacation. New consensus: we’re leaving the car in the hotel parking lot. We’ve driven enough for today…
Bar Acqua Cheta in Parco Teresio Olivelli
It’s summer in Parco Teresio Olivelli: every free square meter is taken up by a towel with a sunbather on it. Youth and locals mingle over a drink and a cigarette. From the quay walls, people dive gracefully into Lake Como. Right at the entrance of the park, you’ll find Bar Acqua Cheta, a typical little Italian bar. Typical in terms of drinks, snacks, and pizzas on offer. Less typical is the shape of the building: it looks like a boathouse or an outbuilding from a long-past era.
Cheap, simple, and easy-going… We love it! You can enjoy your drink on the rooftop or on the terrace, right by the edge of Lake Como. The sturdy old trees generously provide shade.
Bas and Wolf are having a great time and play hide-and-seek. The afternoon sun shines directly on this side of Lake Como. You’re guaranteed to see a stunning sunset with rich colors on a late balmy summer evening. And just when you’re about to drift off, the bells of Chiesa San Lorenzo across the street start to ring. Time to grab a bite to eat…
Bar Roma
Next stop, Bar Roma! You’ll find Bar Roma in Tremezzo, right at the beginning (or end) of the beautiful curve in the road. On one side of the Statale, there’s a terrace right on the edge of Lake Como. Beneath the old plane trees, you get a lovely view of Tremezzo. Across the road is the bar itself. Right next to the terrace is a parking lot, always a bonus.
On the front of Bar Roma, you’ll find chalkboards with various suggestions and a warm welcome. As you walk in, you’re immediately at the counter. Time to order… As you continue inside, you enter a cozy, atmospheric seating area. There are tables, chairs, and wooden benches. Bar Roma is all about laid-back charm, Italian hospitality, and togetherness. Feel free to rearrange tables and chairs. Later in the evening, you might just stumble upon an impromptu party.
The menu offers typical antipasti, primi piatti, pastas, pizzas, and taglieri with salumi and formaggio. Delicious and reasonably priced, it’s yet another great spot where you can satisfy any craving.
The waiter is a friendly young man who enthusiastically sets down our drinks and pizza. He asks if we’d be willing to send him the photos we just took. Of course, follow our Instagram page, and we’ll send the photos. He looks surprised when he notices that sua mamma already follows our Amiamo Lago di Como Instagram page. It doesn’t quite click for us yet…
Just as we get back to the hotel, we receive a WhatsApp message from Sonja de Nooij. Sonja is a Dutch woman married to the head chef of Albergo Lenno and has been living in Tremezzo for years. We’ve known her for quite some time, and whenever we can, we always catch up over drinks. Her son studies in Florence but works a bit at Bar Roma as a summer job… Yes, it was him who asked for the photos. Coincidence doesn’t exist.
Fifteen minutes later, we’re back at Bar Roma for the second time today, enjoying another drink. We catch up and listen with interest to what Sonja has to say. Lake Como has so much to offer but also its share of challenges. But for now, we’ll leave those challenges aside… The four of us go to bed with broad smiles on our faces.
Let the 2024 Italian summer holiday begin!
