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This is the blog of Steve Burkett of Italy, Our Italy

Please, Thank You & Where's the Bathroom

Don't let your fear of the Italian language keep you from going to Italy! You will be able to converse. You will be able to eat and drink. You will be able to get around.

Today let's talk about the language barrier that might be keeping you from visiting Italy. When it comes to traveling to Italy, this should not worry you one bit. Really...don't worry about it.

“They can usually peg you as American pretty quick and give you an appropriate menu”

I have heard a lot over the years about how we in the USA don't speak several languages like the nice folks in Europe. But, I say...we don't typically need to, and they do. Within a 700-mile radius of the geographical center of the United States (located just outside of Lebanon, Kansas), you will be well contained within the borders of our large country. Make a circle of a 700-mile radius from Vienna, Austria, and you will encompass around 35 countries, virtually every country in Europe (except far-flung Norway and Finland), along with their varied languages. Well, that's my excuse anyway, and I'm sticking to it.

So, don't feel guilty about not knowing Italian...just get there, anyway. There are several reasons that I say this, all based on our experiences.

They Speak English

First, in the 6 trips we have made to Italy, we have run into only 2 people who did not speak English! One was in a little gift shop in Varenna on the shores of Lake Como, and one was in a wood-carver's shop in Venice in the dead of winter (i.e. it wasn't the 'tourist season'). If you don't stray too far from the beaten path, you will have no problem with communication.

I've asked many Italians why they speak English so well, and most give me two reasons. One is that it is the language of the tourist -- its a matter of doing business with those traveling within Italy. The second is that they love our movies and television shows, which are often projected and broadcast in English. Witness the posters to the right plastered in Capri. Italians are big on celebrity...think about the origin of the word 'paparazzi'!

After listening to an Italian-language CD for several months and studying up on vocabulary, on our second trip I tried to get checked into our hotel using my well-rehearsed Italian. The desk clerk's first words after I went through my routine were, "You want to try that in English?". 'Nough said.

Dual Signage

Nearly everywhere you go, you will see signs in two languages -- Italian and English. Here are some examples.

Waiting to catch your train...

...notice that each of the salient words in Italian are echoed in English?

Here is a sign in Florence for the Accademia gallery where the David statue is housed.

Whatever it says in Italian, it also says in English.

Need to take a vaporetto (water bus) in Venice?

Dual language, once more.

Ordering from a printed menu...

...often has an English translation with the Italian, like this menu from La Taverna at the Banfi winery. They probably have menus like this in at least French and German, also.

Often the menu is just in English. They can usually peg you as American pretty quick and give you an appropriate menu, like this one from La Pergola in Rome (make your reservation at least four months before your departure -- and be sure you have a sufficient balance on your credit card).

[Just a note about the menu shown above: this is the man's menu...the woman's menu has no prices...don't you just love those Italians?!]

Here is a menu board at a small restaurant on Campo di Fiori in Rome.

I don't think you would have any problem at all ordering breakfast, do you?

Nor, would have much problem with liquid refreshment, either. Just ask for 'vino rosso' or 'vino bianco', or say 'coco-cola light, per favore'. And speaking of wines, we have found the house wines, often served by the pitcher, to be delizioso. Ask for, 'Vino rosso della casa' for instance, if you would like red house wine. You probably figured that out on your own, didn't you?

Bottled water is everywhere. You just need to decide on 'senza gas' (no carbonation) or 'con gas', with carbonation. Your waiter will ask, and you will usually just need to say the words, "Yes", or "No". It's pretty simple.

At the Market

There are fresh-produce and seafood markets throughout Italy calling out their freshness. Now, there isn't much need for signage interpretation on most items, as they are obviously sitting right there in front of you for you to see. But you may need a bit of 'translation' on the units...like Euros and kilos.

See those nice Italian pears? Based on my calculations (and today's value of the Euro), I'd say they cost about $1.95 in dollars-per-pound. Multiply the Euro-price-per-kilo by about 0.55 to get the price in U$D-per-pound...maybe round to 0.5 or 0.6 to get a rough estimate.

These squash blossoms are sold by the 'mazzo' or bunch/bouquet and would cost you about $1.11 at today's conversion rate, which is a fabulous rate...excuse me whilst I go online to make a plane reservation!

OK, I'm back.

Sometimes you do actually need to know a bit of translation. Want some of this salami?

Grab a bottle of wine and a link of this salami for your picnic this afternoon. But, I didn't know that you like donkey! What you don't know probably won't hurt you.

Driving

Here is where you need to learn a bit of signage...but it is mostly graphic in nature these days. Your rental-car agreement will probably have a brochure included, as does almost all guidebooks. Be sure to know what the no parking sign looks like if you want to avoid hefty parking fines...and they will catch up to you here in the good ole USA, won't they, Scott?!

How about directional signs, like these?

Do I need to translate the arrow symbol for you? I thought not. And the mileage in most of Europe is in kilometers. To convert to miles, multiply the distance in kilometers by 0.62...just round to 0.6 and you will be OK. Siena is roughly 12 miles, isn't it? Close enough.

Common Sense

Often, you have no problem translating words from Italian because you can use your common sense. Take the photo to the right, for instance. Can you guess to what this ticket would give you admission?

Some of the words or phrases that are used in Italy actually come from the USA. We were in a glass shop on the Piazza San Marco purchasing some nice glassware. The radio was playing. The announcer was speaking lots of Italian that we could not understand, and then all-of-a-sudden, we hear worked in, "...Top 40 Weekend..." Some things just don't translate well, evidently.

Friendly People

Italy is absolutely full of friendly people. Really...it's the friendliest place we've ever been. Have a problem finding something? Just ask. Need help ordering? Just ask. Lost? Just ask.

Here are just a few of the friendly people who have helped us over the years (I'll share more in a future blog).

Even the police in Rome will give you a hand when you need it.

Web Research

Obviously, when you go, you will be doing some research on the web. There are scores of sites that focus on Italy...and many of those are Italian sites. But, don't worry -- most have a way to get an English language version -- other than using Google Chrome hit-and-miss translation.

Here are a couple of examples.

Here is the site for museums in Florence. See the row of flags under the words 'Florence Museum'? Click on the British flag (they speak English pretty well there, too) and you get the English-language pages served up to you. Sometimes its the Stars-and-Stripes. This site was very thoughtful in their tourism-directed information to provide information in eight different languages. This is rare.

Though it is rare to find that many language version for a website, many have Italian and English versions, like the two that follow.

This one for La Terrazza del Principe overlooking the Boboli Gardens in Florence...a beautiful setting for beautiful food and beautiful people just like you (park on the sidewalk, by the way)...has the flags of Italy and Britain to guide you.

This website for the vaporetto service in Venice has a drop-down box for you to select from Italian or English.

And on some sites, you see just abbreviations like "It" and "En" on which you can click.

The Universal Languages

And then there are two other, more universal languages with which you are already familiar.

A pat on the back for man's best friend says, 'Good doggie!'...

...and the universal language of music needs no translation...and you will find it on almost any piazza or campo in the evening.

Sometimes, Just Give Up

As I say, sometimes, just give up. Here is one of those instances.

This poster recognizes that an election is approaching. As we can't vote, there isn't much point in being able to read all it says. But, I just wanted to show you this poster because of the political parties...there are twelve represented here, along with their slate of candidates. Thank goodness for the two-party system...I guess.

Having Said All That...

Yes, it is fun to learn something new, and Italian is no exception. Go to almost any guide book and you will find phrases for various situations (e.g. ordering food, taking a taxi, getting emergency help, asking directions [women only, please], etc).

Go to your local bookstore, or order on line, and you can use CDs and books to learn a bit more. I haven't learned all of the conjugation and tenses, but I could use the bit of wording I know, plus some charade-like pantomiming, to get my point across if it came to that. And, I believe it shows a bit of respect for the host country to use their language, if at all possible.

But again, its not essential for all of the reasons I've outlined above. And for sure, don't let your lack of the Italian language keep you from heading to Italy, and then enjoying yourself while there. As they say, 'A life lived in fear, is a life half lived' -- and we want to live life to the fullest -- so pack your bags without apprehension and just do it!

If you need some help, and you happen to see me there, call me over and we can surely get something worked out.

Ciao or now,

Steve

ps: By the way, it's 'per forvore', 'grazie', and 'dove il bagno'.

Go There: Bellagio

Index of Blog Articles

[Updated July 2025]

At the end of your slow-boat ride on Lake Como is your destination: Bella Bellagio.

“One of the things that makes Bellagio so unique are its ‘streets’. These are no ordinary streets, as no autos can travel them”

The setting for Bellagio is unique, as it sits at the end of a spit of land which juts out into Lake Como, or Lago di Como. This location actually adds a good bit to its charm, as there is no through traffic to clutter up your visit...one has to either intentionally be driving to Bellagio, or one must be lost.

Getting There

To learn more about how to get to Bellagio, see my article from last week, appropriately titled, "Getting There: Bellagio".

Here you can see a passenger 'slow boat' that I so espouse as it arrives at Bellagio.

One of the 'slow boats' that ply the waters of Lago di Como

Ah, the destination has been reached...we are now in Bellagio.

The 'Streets' of Bellagio

One of the things that makes Bellagio so unique are its shopping 'streets'. These are no ordinary streets, as no autos can travel them. There are about a half-dozen of these ally-like streets that go from the lower, lakeside, outbound roadway of Bellagio, to the upper, inbound roadway.

In this photo is the lakeside portion of the auto roadway that leads out of town. The roadway makes a bit of a jog to the left at the Hotel Metropole, our hotel for this stay.

The roadway headed through, and then away, from Bellagio. Our pink hotel in the distance — The roadway headed through, and then away, from Bellagio. The pink hotel in the distance is the Metropole

And here is the upper roadway...yes, that's actually the road coming into Bellagio, and we are driving it in a car that we rented for a day (see more in the article 'Stumbling Upon Something Magnificent').

And here is the lower roadway which leads away from the center of Bellagio…yes, this is indeed the roadway.

In between these two portions of auto road are the pedestrian shopping streets, as you can see below. These streets echo the difference in elevation between the lower and upper roadways.

Be sure to wear your comfortable shoes…ones that will be appropriate for walking on cobbled walkways, as seen below.

Shopping Bellagio

The Como area was once the silk capital of Europe. Mulberry trees kept the silkworms happily making silk, and the Italians were happily making silk cloth. Though this industry has all but vanished, there are still many items made of silk available in Bellagio.

Here we see some of the silk and its shoppers.

A tradition of days gone by was for young women to wear a bridal headdress made of intricately design hair pins -- I'm sure there is a more appropriate name for them, but that's how I know them. Just below is one of those hair adornments.

Today, these head pieces have been disassembled into its individual parts and they are available for purchase. Here you see Ellen and Debbie as they consider their purchase of serving pieces that have been fashioned from these pieces.

In the market for Italian-made shoes or shirts? You are in luck!

Here are a few more photos that show you other things that are available for your shopping pleasure.

Food!

I always try to include photos of food from any place that we visit...this is important, don't you think? Here are a few selections from a number of restaurants we have visited on our trips to Bellagio.

And there are some beautiful settings for partaking of food. We especially like the lakeside setting of the first photo, which is the al fresco dining for the Hotel Florence. And both of the ladies in our group thought that our waiter made the setting more attractive, too.

Hotels

Here are the three hotels in Bellagio that I recommend. This photo gives you an excellent feel for their location and the size of the main part of town.

Hotel Metropole

Our hotel on one trip, the Albergo Metropole, sits in a perfect location in town. We had a room with balcony overlooking the lake. This hotel is being remodeled at the time of this writing.

Here is the link to the Hotel Albergo Metropole, which indicates that it should open in 2026.

Our lakefront rooms were superb. You can see the ferry dock in the photo with Scott and Debbie, and across the lake to Menaggio in the photo with Ellen and me.

And the view at sunset left nothing to be desired. Here is an evening ferry from Menaggio nearing the Bellagio ferry dock.

Evening view from our room at the Metropole

GRAND HOTEL VILLA SERBELLONI

On a previous trip we stayed at the five-star Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni. The guest register for this palace of a hotel is chock-a-block full of names of the past that you would recognize -- including yours truly, of course.

Here, you can see the layout of the GHVS, with the main portion of Bellagio being to the right. We swam in the pool -- brrrrr -- and actually found a dip in the lake from that pier to be a bit warmer! The Mistral Restaurant sits dead center within the pink awning. This is THE PLACE to eat in Bellagio for fine dining.

Have you ever eaten in a more opulent breakfast room?

Lunch on the terrace is exquisite.

Below is one of our dinners in the dining room at Mistral Restaurant.

Here is the link for the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni.

HOTEL FLORENCE

The Hotel Florence would be my economical hotel choice today. It is well located across the street from the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni. My great friends, the Masters, stayed at the Hotel Florence and highly recommend it.

Between the Hotel Florence and the Metropole is the Hotel Suisse. Although I found the restaurant there to be good, I cannot recommend this hotel…it seems to be a ground floor restaurant with an afterthought of rooms on the upper floors.

Here is your link to the Hotel Florence of Bellagio.

Sights of Bellagio

It is interesting to note that, though Bellagio sits at the base of the alps, it is in a sub-tropical climate. You will find several palm trees, like this one, scattered around.

Below are several photos of Bellagio and its environs. Here you will see the view of the lake and beyond from Bellagio, the beautiful flowers, buildings, etc. Enjoy.

And here is an interesting view of a Pringles dispenser! Have you ever seen one of these? But what a great idea for those emergencies when you feel you need something lite and a bit salty.

Here is a photo that just about sums it all up for us...

And now, it’s time to say “good night”.

Want to make a trip to Bellagio? Drop me a line and I'll be happy to give you some more tips!

Ciao for now,

Steve

Getting There: Bellagio

Index of Blog Articles

Bellagio is worth getting to...but just how should one go about it?

You've no doubt heard of Bellagio. But we are not speaking of the beautiful Bellagio Hotel of Las Vegas, but the real Bellagio...the one from which the hotel was modeled, complete with lake, though no fountain and light show exist at the real Bellagio.

Just one of the many lakeside towns you will see on your slow-boat journey to Bellagio

“The northern-Italian town of Bellagio has been dubbed ‘the most romantic town in Europe’, and we must agree. What a marvelous setting!”

Lake Como and Bellagio

Bellagio sits on an interesting point in the lake district, about 45 miles north of Milan. What is interesting about Bellagio's location is the spit of land on which it is located on Lago di Como (Lake Como).

As you can see on this map, the lake is said to be shaped like a running person, with Bellagio sitting right in the...how can I say this in a decorous way...well OK, the crotch.

There is no direct train service to Bellagio, so one must travel to Bellagio either by boat or auto. And, as one can get around through most of Italy using trains, with no need for renting an automobile, let's assume are not traveling by automobile.

The quickest way to get to Bellagio is by taking the train from Milan to Varenna, and then by a short ferry-boat ride to Bellagio. But be forewarned -- this is not the best way to get to Bellagio, as I will explain below.

The Slow Boat

The most pleasant and most excellent path to Bellagio is by a slow boat from Como. The route of the slow boat takes you to between 10 to 16 stops on your journey and the ride will take between 2 and 2 1/2 hours to complete (the number of stops and journey time depends on your departure time). Be warned that there is a fast boat, which is shown on the boat schedule in red as 'Speed Service' -- don't take this boat unless you are going to be late for a dinner reservation at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni (or better yet, change your reservation time). The speed service? It's a hydrofoil boat that takes only 45 minutes to complete its journey.

Since there is a boat that is a good bit faster than the slower boat, why extend your journey on this slow boat? Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I will be using just a few words -- and many pictures -- to explain why you should take the slow boat to Bellagio.

Your Journey Begins

Your journey to the town of Como will start in Milan. For us, we had taken the overnight-sleeper train from Rome to Milan, so we continued our journey to Como early in the morning from Milan. We wanted to catch to 10am boat, so we would arrive in Bellagio just in time for lunch.

These photos were taken as we worked our way through the train yard at Milan.

It's about 20 miles from Como to Bellagio, and our journey should take about 2 1/2 hours.

The lake opens up before you as our Lake Como journey begins

When you get on the boat, take the stairs up to the upper deck for the best views.

This is why you are taking the slow boat -- beautiful town after charming town all along the lake

This boat is similar to the one we are on right now

Lago di Como is surrounded by mountains...and the auto road that ends at Bellagio can be seen cutting across the hill on the right

Another lakeside town you would love to visit, but we won't be stopping here

A lot of mountain, with just a hint of civilization

The clock shows that it is almost 11am; as we left at 10am, we are about an hour into our journey

There is still a lot of lake left on our journey

Many of the villas along the way have gazebo-like embellishments...a quiet place to sit and contemplate the depths of the lake - which happens to be 1,340 feet at its deepest point!

I wish we were on this boat together right this very minute, enjoying the scenery

That one tree looks like they got it at Hobby Lobby...how is it so perfectly shaped?!

This photo and the four below it show the most beautiful house on the lake...idyllic...you've seen it in many movies, like: A Month by the Lake; Star Wars: Attack of the Clones; and Casino Royale. The villa is called Villa del Balbianello. It had fallen into disrepair in the early 1900s and was bought and restored by an American. When the latest owner died in 1988, he left it to the National Trust of Italy. It is open to the public (see their website here).

Looks to be a little after noon...just about 25 minutes more and we will be at Bellagio

Ahhh...bella Bellagio -- we are at the Cadenabia stop and Bellagio is just across the lake and it's next!

As we approach Bellagio, we see one of the auto ferries that travels between Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna

As we near the dock, we can see our hotel dead center...we are on the top floor of the Metropole, second balcony from the left

And here is our journey's end...and we are just in time for lunch

It's time for a journey's end glass of wine with Scott and Debbie...

...and Ellen has one of her favorite snacks, a grissino, or breadstick

I hope that you are convinced that taking the slow boat to Bellagio is the ultimate journey, one at a pace that gives you time to absorb the charming sights of Lake Como. But, of course, you could have opted for the faster conveyance, below.

The Logistics

Here our friend Scott purchases our tickets as soon as we arrived at the boat dock in Como. It is a good idea to get your tickets early, as the boat does fill up quickly.

Below is the boat schedule, as posted at the ticket office. In the orange box, note the dates for this schedule are between the 1st and 28th of October, 2012. The schedules change drastically after the summer tourist season, so be sure you check online for the correct schedule as you plan your trip.

In the green box is the schedule for the direction of the slow boat from Como to Piona, which is the way we want to go. In the blue box is the yucky hydrofoil Speed Service.

You can see the Navigazione Lago di Como boat schedule on their website. At right is the schedule as of today during the summer of 2016 (but be aware that it is only for service through October 2nd).

So, now you know how to get to Bellagio. Next week, I'll tell you more about the town itself. But trust me, it is a place you will enjoy visiting.

For a related article on an adventure starting in Bellagio, see my article of 07/28/2015 titled 'Stumbling Upon Something Magnificent'.

Ciao for now,

Steve

The Results Are In -- Part 11

New! > Index of Blog Articles

Just a short toot of the horn today...really short.

Right now, I have a photograph being exhibited in the Vermont PhotoPlace Gallery in a showing titled, "Imagined Realities". This non-Italy photo will be exhibited through August 6th.

“That’s slough as rhymes with flew, and not slough as rhymes with rough”

This is one of those instances when I think, 'Alright! The judges get it.'. I'm not sure whether you agree, but the selected photo is one of my favorite manipulations -- though the manipulation is subtle...just the placement of the handwritten letter and some shadows. Thus, I'm happy that the judge agreed that it was worthy of being framed and placed on the walls of this gallery.

Here is the original photo from which I worked.

I took this photo in 2011 while visiting in Maine. I suggested to the owner of this property that it was a bayou, he suggested that it was a slough (that's slough as rhymes with flew, and not slough as rhymes with rough...go figure...why not slew?!). The picturesque slough is between Bath and Wiscasett.

I spent a couple of hours here, some of it in a gentle rain. I would have to admit that as late afternoon turned to evening, it got just a little bit spooky.

Basically, what you see is a lily pad photo. And that's what I saw when I took the photo. Later, I saw something else, as I guess that I was in a state of melancholy. My vision was of a lost love letter, floating just below the surface. So, that's what I created.

Whether the letter was thrown away by the recipient, or whether it blew away without the recipient's permission, I can't say. I'll let you be the judge.

Here's my photo, as it is being exhibited in the gallery this month.

Want to see more of a Maine slough? Then click here.

Ciao for now,

Steve

ps: Thank you to those who pointed out that I definitely have a spelling problem that spell-checker can't solve. This was obvious in the email I sent out last Thursday with photos of time I spent in the desert of Nevada (click here if you missed it). I do know the difference between a dessert and a desert (one is yummy and one is hot), but I obviously didn't understand the correct spelling of each. My sister has now pointed out that the trick is the two s's in dessert, which stand for 'sweet stuff'. OK, I've got it now. And for those who didn't catch the spelling error, you can join me as the first to sit down during a spelling bee.

Eat Here: Terrazza Danieli

For food with a view, this one can't be beat!

“The view from this rooftop, terrace restaurant is exquisite”

The Terrazza at the Hotel Danieli is one of the places we always visit when in Venice. We have mostly dined here for lunch, but have worked in a Sunday brunch, and even a dinner on a perfect evening.

The Terrazza (terrace) sits on the 6th floor, above the Hotel Danieli. The hotel itself is one of those fabulous 5-star hotels that we don't tend to stay in, unless in the off season. Want to see more of the hotel? Watch the movies 'Blame it on the Bellboy', 'The Tourist', or 'Casino Royale' to see more.

Besides the food, the great thing about the Terrazza is the view, which is beautiful whether it is day or night.

If you are going to a beautiful and romantic restaurant, why not travel there in style in a water taxi?! That’s what the Johnsons and Burketts decided to do this evening.

The terrace at the top of the hotel is our destination.

Here we see our friend, Debbie, entering the Danieli on the way to Sunday brunch. As you can see, the inside is a bit fancy.

The view from this rooftop, terrace restaurant is exquisite. You look out at the Bacino San Marco (St Mark's Basin), where the Grand Canal, Giudecca Canal and the lagoon all converge.

The busy Bacino San Marco, with the Canale Grande entering at extreme right

As you look down over the parapet, there are people everywhere. But where you sit on this rooftop terrace is all peace and quiet. Lovely.

Boats are everywhere in the Bacino San Marco. As seen from Terrazza, here is a gondola, with a couple enjoying a mid-day ride.

The Terrazza is just moments away from the Piazza San Marco.

Here from Terrazza, you see the top of the Piazza's 323-foot campanile, topped by the Archangel Gabriel.

Time for Sunday Brunch

Today it's Sunday brunch at the Terrazza with Debbie and Scott.

Here are a few photos of our brunch layout.

You can tell by the smiles that we had an enjoyable brunch!

The Kennedys and the Burketts enjoy yet another meal

Time for Dinner

And now it's time for dinner. As you can see in this evening photo, the terrace is magically situated.

Here are a couple of evening views. First, San Giorgio Maggiore as it sits on its own island, and then the Dogana with its beautifully-domed Santa Maria della Salute.

Craig and Leslie with one of our many, many toasts

The food at the Terrazza is as good as the view...and a view in itself.

Not all restaurants can satisfy my need for a Diet Coke (called Coca-Cola Lite in Europe), but our friend here at Terrazza came through.

Here Elizabete presents our fish before de-boning and serving. There was nary a bone.

As is typical of many Italian restaurants, the staff is friendly and super accommodating.

In closing, here are two very happy customers of the Terrazza at the Danieli. It was a perfect evening, with perfect food, a perfect setting, and a perfect companion.

I wish you good eating!

Ciao for now,

Steve