Lake Como Italy - is it worth the hype?

[@HermionefromAustralia001]

Wow! Thanks for sharing the realities of van/travelling life - navigating / walking- where/how to buy tickets, crowds- costs$&& etc etc etc Honesty - commentary & footage is Sooo refreshing Keep up the great vlogs :-)

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Hermione! Glad you enjoyed the vlog. The scenery just keeps getting better over the next few weeks!

[@rexya68]

Hey guys ...we only discovered your channel 2 weeks ago. Since then we have binged almost all your videos - love Nigel's diving prowess and LOVE Sue's excellent commentary. The wife and I are very regular visitors to Italy so are really hoping you get to travel south of Rome - it's the beating heart of Italy. Safe travels to you both ...and please keep the videos coming. Warm regards from Melbourne, Australia 😁😁

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks so much for watching - wow that's a lot to watch in 2 weeks!! Italy is amazing isn't it? We are loving it, and yes, we will definitely be heading south of Rome - keep watching!

[@deeoh3708]

😍... such a gorgeous place😍 Lake Como is just beautiful! Those kite surfers were living on the edge, weren't they?? 😳 So glad the drone was found.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

That one that crashed right near the ferry? Scary!

[@dale9896]

Beautiful place. Thanks for sharing guys!!!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

It really is. Thanks so much for watching!

[@colleenperry635]

Fantastic Video enjoying your travels love Italy keep enjoying your travels ❤

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thank you! We are loving Italy so much. Such a beautiful county.

[@robertarmbruster5650]

Thanks for sharing Lake Como, we've never been there but have been many other places in Italy.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

There is so much to see here! We thought 6 weeks would be plenty, but no! What’s your favourite place?

[@debrap206]

So glad you found the drone and that is works! (Nigel, not cool that you knew Sue was drinking a beer she found gross). Lake Como is beautiful, - the crowds would definitely put me off of visiting ‘though. Happy travels!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

You got that right - I have to figure out how to get him back for that beer prank!

[@RoseBornagain]

Lake Garda is the most popular for Italians, is also the biggest, both are stunnning, plus there are so many lakes in Italy .

[@nigelandsueadventures]

We loved Lake Garda! Could have easily spent a few weeks there!

[@geoffcampbell7846]

Luck was definitely with you to find the drone. Well done. Lake Como is a beautiful place, thanks for the camera work. Take care 👋

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Geoff, still hard to believe he actually found it!

[@billmcintosh1242]

Great video as usual, I guess the crowds are expected in such a well known destination and at least the drone new where to go to get away from the crowds! Happy travels till next time. Bill Mc

[@nigelandsueadventures]

HAHA, that's a good way to look at it Bill, at least it didn't crash into a crowd of people, or near people and get stolen!

[@kaynicholls9066]

Such a great video guy's, one that my family would call a "Spirit of Adventure". I can't believe Nigel found the drone that's so amazing.😊😊 Chris & I bought our new 4x4 Lwb Mercedes Sprinter van this week, ready to build it out the same as yours was. Your self build product list is a godsend, thankyou.❤❤❤❤ Safe travels guys 😊😊 love watching your travels ❤❤

[@nigelandsueadventures]

OH how exciting Kay! please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. I think you have our email address?

[@prdsjfamily396]

Didnt get a chance to see this part of italy. That area is stunning. Thankyou for sharing & your van is cool! :)

[@nigelandsueadventures]

thank you! Italy really is such a diverse country. We have enjoyed our time in the North and we are really looking forward to exploring the south. You could spend a lifetime here!

[@jandooley5016]

So glad you found your drone. Persistence pay off.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

I'm so glad too. We were on our way to the Dolomites, and it just wouldn't have been the same there without some of the great drone shots we got!

[@oskarhoeler3549]

Hey Guys we continue to enjoy your van travels and after a very long wait we finally received our van and are interested how your getting on with the separating toilet, maybe time for a review.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

thanks Oskar - it took me (Sue) a bit of practice to get the seating position right (sorry if that's TMI), but on the whole we are loving it. If it only had a pee jug monitor! (though we haven't had an overflow yet). We can definitely do an update in an upcoming video.

[@oskarhoeler3549]

Thanks Sue, how about the vent fan, are you needing to run the fan 24/7 or not at all?

[@nigelandsueadventures]

@@oskarhoeler3549 we run it when there's a fresh deposit! Definitely not 24/7. It draws such a small amount of power though that we totally could. We have it wired to the upgraded 200Ah lithium battery set up.

[@susie5668]

Look like nigel was in the doghouse for a min there 😂 anyway thanks for sharing guys looks beautiful ❤

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Ah not really, I mean I was just pissed at the situation with it being a brand new drone. Looks like the issue has been resolved now we've updated the firmware.

[@nicholasmclaurin1694]

What a lucky find, as they say 'Left for adventure'

[@nigelandsueadventures]

SOOOOOO lucky. It was only 2 weeks old! Just wait till you see some of the drone footage we get over the next couple of weeks!

[@denisestravelsandexperiences]

I have just been thinking about a trip around lake como so this was interesting. Definitely avoiding touristy areas...thanks and glad the drone was traceable.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Oh you should definitely check it out, our recommendation would be to avoid visiting the villages on a weekend! And, also check out some of the other Lakes like Lake Orta, and Lake Garda (that video will be up next week.)

[@celestinedramaqueen]

This was a ripper guys, how filthy was Sue walking along that road , so relatable!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

If I had a dollar for every time Google Maps has sent us somewhere dodgy!!

[@createandliveyourbestlife]

Thank You - great VLOG, loving the villages and wow certainly popular with visitors. Amazing architecture and unique buildings are so beautiful to see. Love the Metres at your parking bay for paying night stays, and think this would be great for Aussie towns to do as well. I think I remember you were staying where you paid for the Power and Water via the same metre on the Parking Bay. Be great for outback Aussie towns to have some income and offer great service for travellers. Happy and Safe travels and so glad the Deone is in good condition 👍🏻👏🏻🙏🏻🙋🏻‍♀️❤️🇦🇺

[@nigelandsueadventures]

It really is such a great way to cater for visitors and bring more people to an area. We spent money in the town, so it's a win-win.

[@sheldaritchie6829]

Oh what a shame you didn't spend a bit more time in Varenna. It has a lovely hike up to the castle and the birds of prey sanctuary

[@nigelandsueadventures]

we would need a lifetime to see all the wonderful things in Italy!

[@polimbo123]

4:27 you can see my house😂😂

[@umbertopetrosino8803]

Yes

[@heatherhoward2513]

Cannot believe how busy it was at Bellagio. We were there early october, 2013 and it was not like that.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Yes, tourist numbers have gone through the roof since the pandemic apparently.

[@umbertopetrosino8803]

Lake of Como is also beautiful, i think you didn't visit many place, in particolar Como city, and the major part of the lake. Also the head part of the lake is amazing

[@snowyriverman521]

very nice place lake como ltaly nigel and sue

[@nigelandsueadventures]

It's beautiful Snowy! Thanks for being here.

[@Luminos3c273]

I Love this video ❤❤❤

[@bishopkinlyside8477]

Hi Nigel and Susie, wow looks pretty crowded. The beer looks fantastic. The lake looks fantastic but I don’t think I could cope with all those people but I suppose if you want to go and have a look at the places that’s what you gotta put up with anyway keep up the good work guys always enjoy the videos , Cliff from Logan City, Queensland, Australia 🇦🇺 I’m on the big island 🏝️

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Cheers Cliff - yes, crowds are just part and parcel - and I mean, we can't really complain when we are part of the problem right?

[@ellisjudson6162]

Gosh. Those crowds! Eek 😱 Just crazy. Was it the weekend? So glad you managed to retrieve your drone. Guess Nige is out of the doghouse 😉 Can I ask what the make of the drone is pls?

[@nigelandsueadventures]

haha, I know. Yes we went to Bellagio on a Saturday which was our first big mistake. We will work our schedule a bit better in future - but sometimes its hard as we want good weather too! Our Drone is a DJI Mini 4 Pro. Its amazing and much better than our old one (which was the Mini 1)

[@ellisjudson6162]

@ Thanks so much! Really enjoying your 🚐 adventures 😃

[@nigelandsueadventures]

@@ellisjudson6162 glad to hear it!

[@annagray4708]

I have been to Lake Como about 8 times……first time was for my niece’s wedding so was wonderful as was shared with 6 siblings, husbands, kids……stayed fr a week…..a very romantic venue. Since theI have travelled with family, stayed in different villages around the lake…..Tremezzo, Lenno….in 2019 I took a trip to Lake Como….. ( I had 5 days before a tour ) asa singe woman in her 60’s……what a difference! I didn’t see 1 single person travelling alone…….I couldn’t believe the difference in the way I was treated……very sad. I decided to return next year but as part of a tour group where we visit and stay at 3-4 off the other lakes and just a day trip to Lake Como, so hope my last experience is more favourable 🙏🙏

[@nigelandsueadventures]

will you go to Lake Orta? That one is beautiful!

[@annagray4708]

@ Yes, that is included in the trip

[@markmicallef56]

Was this filmed in October? I love your channel

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thank you Mark! This was filmed right at the end of September (28th/29th I think)

[@markmicallef56]

Ok thank you. Have a safe trip ❤

[@utube1412]

Don't you just love some of the paths Google send you on. lol Spent some time around Lake Como and Bellagio in Oct 2012 and had a great time on the ferries visiting many locations and doing some great walks. The crowds weren't as bad as you encountered. However the best time is always when the day trippers leave and you have the place back to yourself. Early mornings are the best. Hope you enjoy Lake Garda, check out the ruins Archaeological site of Grotte di Catullo. Another lake with lots to see. Have fun.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Oh so true. We loved Venice in the evenings for that exact reason! Thanks for the tip at Garda, we've already left - our videos are always a few weeks behind.

[@utube1412]

@@nigelandsueadventures Yes have to agree. Venice is mad during the day, but the early mornings and evenings are a whole different experience. (As long as its not high tide water)

[@Lee-astrololee]

Lovely waterways, mountains and scenery, but give me Lake Jindabyne any day! LOL

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Definitely less crowded, but missing the history and architecture

[@Lee-astrololee]

@nigelandsueadventures True enough. I'll never forget when l was in Greece in 1999 and a couple of "westerners" were at the Parthenon l enquired as to what they thought of the structure, they replied just another bunch of man made rocks stacked together! I was in awe of the Parthenon, the history, the effort required to build it, the fascination and more, they were over, looking at history! I get it now, so now l marvel at ancient rock formations from geological times. Both are to be respected and admired. 😍

[@apopisso6302]

Have you left Jindabyne?

[@Lee-astrololee]

@@apopisso6302 l was there last January!

[@oldsongsnew8797]

I used to live near Verona and visited Lake Garda many times. I also did a driving job and would drive around parts of Como ,and my opinion is ,that Garda is better and the towns are nicer, but there's a lot of Lake Come I've not seen. I could also recommend Lake Iseo near Brescia .

[@nigelandsueadventures]

We didn’t make it there, but it’s in our list for when we return.

[@geoffotaylor2276]

Legendary to find that drone again. Before I forget does Nigel have a European drone operators certificate, recently there was someone here that got fined almost €5,000 for operating a drone without a certificate. How's the winter insulation in your van and are you going to stop travelling in the van and stay in London if when the snow comes?

[@nigelandsueadventures]

We always check the laws in each country, and for the most part, if your drone is under 250g you are ok. We also don’t fly where we see “no drone” signs, but we see plenty of KZbinrs who do!! We are heading south for winter so hopefully we will avoid the snow!

[@geoffotaylor2276]

@nigelandsueadventures you guys are living everyone's dream, we are all jealous of you two. Emma's thinking of having a baby so that has completely stopped my plans for van life because I want to see her baby as often as I can. Plan at the moment is to sell the house that I live in, move into an apartment I own and probably buy a little house in Austria, not hopfgarten but not too far away from hopfgarten.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

@@geoffotaylor2276 Yeah I get that you would want to be around for that! I think we've probably got a good few year before my sons have kids (hopefully!!) so we are trying to get as much travelling done as we can before then.

[@marcorudoni4747]

yes

[@fionaludbrook8193]

Gorgeous scenery, but those tourist numbers there are not worth the effort of a visit. Glad you at least scored a great camping spot. Oh that recalcitrant drone. So glad you were able to retrieve it. Quite remarkable it is still working okay. Keep enjoying your travels and avoid those crazy crowds!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Thanks Fiona! It was a true miracle Nigel found it!

[@heatherhoward2513]

Why did you skip the museum up the hill behind Bellagio? It would not have been so crowded and the chapel is beautiful and historic.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

We actually didn't know about it! (Cycling museum??) I know you (or somebody) mentioned it to us, but our videos are always a good few weeks behind, so by the time we heard about it we already left Como. I think this was filmed at the end of September.

[@patriziapedroncelli6053]

Ciao,mi spiace che abbiate trovato tanta gente a Bellagio, ma avete scelto delle date festive per il calendario italiano il 1 e il 2 novembre sono feste e la gente si sposta per gite,io abito vicino a quelle zone e non sono sempre così affollate

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Eravamo proprio a Bellagio il 28 settembre! I nostri video sono sempre in ritardo di qualche settimana. Ma sì, era un fine settimana, quindi immagino sia questo il motivo per cui era occupato. Grazie per la visione!

[@namenlos2578]

you saw almost nothing of lake como

[@apopisso6302]

The best way to buy tickets without a queue is to get to the ticket office the night before or early morning the day of. Gotta do your research if you wanna give advice.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

True, but there is no ticket office in Valmadrera, so we didn't have that option.

[@heatherturley3318]

I find that some of the smaller out of the road places away from the hoards of tourists are actually nicer and far more friendly. We really try to void people like that, if we can😂😂😂😂

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Yes, we really try to seek out the smaller places too. We are looking forward to Tuscany and the small villages there.

[@allovesscrapping]

Having just returned home from 6 weeks of Europe travel, including 4 weeks in Italy I completely understand about the "crowds" and you're right, not even peak season. The boats/trains are something else. Can't tell you how many times we were standing waiting for a train and the train stopped mid-carriage in front of us lol. Especially when you are travelling with luggage and would like to sit on long train journey! The Lake Como region looks beautiful - let's be honest, anywhere in Italy is worth seeing. I did say to my husband, if we go back we would travel around the less "touristy" regions next time. OMG I remember walking along some of those roads that don't have pedestrian access - far out watching you guys it looks risky but we did it too! I can't believe Nigel found the drone - so pleased that he did! Thanks for a wonderful review of Lake Como!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Yeah that walk was something else! We will definitely get a taxi next time we are somewhere like that! We are also looking forward to visiting some of the quieter places too! Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed it!

[@lyndylou752]

Had relations stay around lake como they said that the tourist crowds were a little hard to deal with

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Its funny, we expected Venice to be super crowded, but found Lake Como worse! (Venice video will be up in a few weeks)

[@sailor67duilio27]

Who cares, we love it!

[@marianjacobs5597]

Nigel, on that road back to your van, I think you meant life threatening, as for your heading "is it worth the hype?" that is a big NO from me all those people would drive me nuts as well as having to pay for the privilege. the ice-cream looked really, really good though LOL 🍦

[@heatherhoward2513]

You go to places like this, expect crowds...miss a lot if you stay home.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

It's almost worth it for the Gelato alone!! I mean, we expected crowds, just not this many! We are trying to avoid visiting places on weekends now!

[@nigelandsueadventures]

So true Heather - we have to take the crowds with the beautiful places.

[@paolocignacchi8996]

Audentes Fortuna iuvat. Nigel has probably some Italian ancestors, see the way he thanks the Holy Virgin Mary for the drone...

[@nigelandsueadventures]

haha, maybe. He is doing his best to learn the language now

[@Silvia-rm4uy]

Dovevate andare in montagna si chiama il sentiero del viandante da Abbadia lariana arriva fino a Varenna tramite montagna o arrivare nei paesi più vicini .Un altro modi di vivere il lago attraverso la montagna a piedi

[@messservice]

i think you got the wrong location nobody goes to valmadrera when visiting como lake , you should have taken the other side of the lake i mean como city towards menaggio much better then lecco, sorry for the trouble and for my english

[@louisaklimentos7583]

It is beautiful very much so but too busy . I rather go visit less crowded lakes .

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Exactly. We loved Lake Orta.

[@katrianasnell]

We stayed at the caravan park at Lago Di Iseo. Lakeside site.

[@nigelandsueadventures]

Yeah we didn’t make it to Iseo. On the list for next time!

[@JAS356UK]

We went there with our caravan

[@costante_3196]

C'è anche il Lago D'Orta con la sua isola ...merita una visita, ma non ditelo a George Clooney.kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmKXlISAlNuso5o

[@nigelandsueadventures]

We lived Lake Orta!!