May 26, 2025

Weather: started with rain and 50’s ended with sun and 70’s


We had our bags out in the hallway by 6:25, 5 minutes early. We ate breakfast and then off on our various adventures.  Viking always offers post and pre cruise extensions. We opt for the pre-cruise always and sometimes the post cruise extension. Bob, Anna, Loren and Pam opted for the Lucerne Extension and Paul and Shirley opted to go the Italian Lakes. Each was a bus ride.  We said our farewells and off we went.


First view of the Alps

It rained for the next hour on our way to Italy. Then it started clearing.  We were going to take the Gotthard Pass Tunnel (35 miles long) but the weather cleared up enough, so our driver opted to take us over the Pass.  It had just been opened 2 weeksago!  We eschewed one long tunnel, but drove through many other tunnels some 4 KM long.  On the way up we saw a piece of heavy duty snow removal equipment.


Snow Blower


Shirley on top of the Gotthard Pass


Paul on the Gotthard Pass


Paul and Shirley on top

It was only 42 degrees there and windy. You could see forever. From the vantage point we could see the way down.


The way down

We drove through the countryside and saw goats and sheep and cows.  The cows had cowbells on! (Shirley insert cows come home story).  The valley floor is quite level and there is some industry here and there. We saw many churches built on the high places near the villages. We made it into Italy. The border was a simple stop sign. It wasn’t long before we saw our first glimpse of Lake Maggiore.


Lake Maggiore first sighting

This is breath taking stuff! We took several pictures but we heard many cameras keeping an almost constant clicking behind us (we were sitting in the front seat behind the driver). Every mile brought new ooh’s and aah’s.  Our Guide Conny kept the dialog going with facts and figures and anecdotes about the area. I compared this area with Crater Lake as far as natural beauty. (Crater Lake wins due to the absence of humans.) This area was quite built up. We stopped for lunch at Cannobio, a beautiful village on the shore with a large esplanade.


Cannobio esplanade

We split a Margarita Pizza and some wonderful gelato.  Then back on the bus for another hour to Bavino and the Splendid Hotel. The road reminded us of the Amalfi Coast road in that it was very narrow and had a number of busses and curves.  Our bus took many of the curves very wide into the other lane. Our driver deserved the tip we gave him in the end. 


The Splendid hotel (Our room is on the top floor right under the Splendid sign.)

Viking had it together.  The 14 of us on this tour simply told our last names and were handed a room key.  Our room was 522 with a lakeside view. This hotel is posh. 5 stars! And we loved it!


View from our room’s veranda.

We took a short walk around town and then back at the hotel we sat outside and ate a Parma ham sandwich and a small pizza. Relaxed and headed up to the room for a bit of blogging and bed.  Beuna sera!


Dusk over Lake Maggiore 

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