Casa Giulia

We had a wonderful two-week stay at Villa Giulia in July 2024, two adults, three children, and our dog. We booked through HomeToGo. The modern house was very clean and had almost everything we needed: two bathrooms, a washing machine, filter and Nespresso coffee makers, a gas stove, fridge with freezer compartments, microwave, oven, charcoal grill, and fans in each of the three bedrooms. There is no air conditioning. The Wi-Fi was a little slow, something to keep in mind if you have teenagers. The apartment is up a flight of stairs. Its narrow terrace has a little table and two chairs, plus a lovely Lake Como view. Behind the house there is a small garden with loungers and a covered sitting area, but it wasn't as well kept as the rest and could be landscaped more thoughtfully. We barely used it, since you have to walk all the way around the house to reach it. Check-in was contactless and easy. The driveway is extremely narrow. We got our Mercedes van in, but couldn't shut the gate; using the garage would have involved a lot of maneuvering. There is plenty of courtyard room for smaller cars. In the evenings the neighbor parks in front of the gate, but is very attentive and moves right away when you need to come or go. A week in, wonderful.it got in touch to arrange house cleaning, fresh bed linens, and replacement towels. We could walk to a bakery with a small grocery store, restaurants, boat rentals, a volleyball court, a children's playground, and a small beach. Dogs aren't allowed on the beach. For walks, we mostly took the Strada Regia through the narrow town lanes and along the lakeside promenade. Public green areas are scarce, so our dog had to adjust. In the smaller villages, dogs often run loose outside houses and people don't seem to mind when they bark. We eventually found a route that avoided those encounters. The neighbor has two very territorial dogs that bark as soon as you step outside. Our dog got used to them after a day, so it didn't bother us much. The neighbor does call them back, though they'll be there for now. For a bigger grocery run, head to one of the larger towns. Buses towards Como and Lecco come every half hour, but they can be packed at some times of day, and a full bus may pass without stopping. The ferry dock is about a 10-minute walk away. We also hiked in the mountains one day, but fallen trees blocked many of the paths and we had to scramble around them. We had a wonderful holiday. The photos include some from the hike and surrounding area.