BELLAGIO FOOD TOUR + Villa Melzi
Description
Discover the history, culture, and food of Bellagio on a walking tour that blends delicious tastings in authentic settings with a true taste of local life. Start your day with a world-famous thick-foamed espresso, then stroll through Bellagio's picturesque steep stone alleys, stopping at local eateries for pastries, cheese, salami, pasta, wine, and more. As you explore, you'll mix with the community, practice a little Italian, and admire the elegance of the town's boutiques. Visit our favorite "pasticceria" and "enoteche" where the flavors are unforgettable. Continue your journey through lush gardens, olive groves, and past noble villas, meeting local farmers and olive oil producers for an authentic experience. Lunch will be served at a charming hilltop restaurant or by the lake, offering stunning views of the surroundings. The tour ends with a visit to the magnificent gardens of Villa Melzi, completing a day of rich flavors, sights, and memories.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Explore this world famous hamlet walking through its picturesque steep stone alleys while sampling a variety of delicious tastings in authentic settings.
Admire the 12th century Romanesque basilica of San Giacomo (St James) with the imposing attached bell tower.
Learn about the history and culture of this hidden authentic village most beloved by famous poets and writers. Continue exploring the surrounding hamlets reaching Aureggio with its picturesque Church of San Carlo Borromeo. Meet the locals, the farmers, the cheese and the olive oil producers for a real taste of local life.
Take photos at this charming little village located south of Bellagio’s town centre with its small dock and examples of "Lucie", the traditional fishing boats with their characteristic ringed tops.
Stroll along the beautiful English gardens of Villa Melzi with its lush surrounding scenery. A true paradise for nature lovers.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- A fair amount of walking is involved. Please note that this tour includes ascents and descents through the hilly areas surrounding Bellagio; therefore, participants should be in good physical condition and wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Please bring a bottle of water; alternatively you can purchase one near the meeting point.
- We highly recommend you bring a reusable bottle of water on this walking tour as we are on the way to reducing single plastic.
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking.
- Operates in all weather conditions; please dress appropriately.
Reviews(29)
Our guide was so knowledgeable and informative about the area and the culture. She personalized the tour to our interests and was happy to answer any questions we had. The food was incredible and the views were stunning!
This was our first time in Italy, and booking a food tour and Villa Balbianello tour with Elena on our first day in Bellagio was a stroke of good fortune. She was an amazing tour guide, the food was incredible, the boat ride bellisimo, Elena is as knowledgeable as she is personable. Would recommend this to anyone who wants a tour from someone who loves her job and loves food. Wear good walking shoes and an appetite, you will need them.
Elena was fantastic, fun and full of energy. This is so much more than a food tour. The food was great, we were full by the time it was over. But she took us to so many great spots that we never would have found on our own and she even taught us a little Italian along the way. She is very knowledgeable and friendly, we had great conversation and wonderful day. I highly recommend booking this very special experience.
We loved Elena. She was fun to hang out with and she taught us so much of the culture and language. We got a nice overview of Bellagio and the surrounding areas. It was so beautiful and we had some delicious food and wine.
Excellent- we started off with pastries, then cappuccinos which were excellent and a local Italian soda, then we stopped at a wine cellar which was beautiful and had fantastic wines and cheese/meats. We liked this so much we went back later that day after the tour. We went to a restaurant and had all types of fish. Most of these things we would have never ordered on our own. Lots of history in between. There was lots of walking (uphill for sure) but it was easy for us, wouldn’t recommend for delicate elderly. Definitely do it!
Elena was awesome! We learned so much and got to experience some of the best views around BELLAGIO. We ate so much food. This was more than just tasting! We learned about history, had great conversation with other travelers and was a great memory to share forever.
The views from the cafe on the hill to the gardens by the water. A nice variety of local foods and wines. Some serious walking up steps and over hills but the guide was careful not to overstress.
We had an amazing tour with Elana! She was super friendly, knowledgeable and so authentic! Her tour really gave us a deep dive into the local culture of Bellagio. The food was excellent! Highly recommend! Thank you Elana!
Elena is an amazing tour guide! It was just her and I for the first half of my tour(the food tour part) and she taught me how to order different things in Italian. She also made a list of phrases and words she taught me and sent them to me so I could continue to practice! We met with another group (that was taking a cooking class) for lunch and then we all continued down to Villa Melzi together. Wonderful experience!
This is an overdue review from our experience with Elena in September of 2022! Elena was absolutely wonderful and our experience in Bellagio was enhanced significantly by going on this tour. We learned SO much about the local environment, the shops, people and places that we otherwise would never have experienced had we not toured with Elena. It started with a little history lesson which was very interesting and her knowledge of the area carried throughout the entire tour. Elena has also made friends with several of the people who own the shops along the tour which enhanced the experience. It was like being a local in Bellagio visiting a neighborhood shop. She also took the time to teach us how to order different things in Italian, in different shops, which was very fun. Elena is also an absolutely wonderful person and our time with her was one of our favorite experiences while vacationing in Europe! Highly recommend!!!
