Lake Maggiore Tune-up

Our itinerary, to start with, has taken us briefly to Madrid and on to Lake Maggiore, in Northern Italy (via Milan).  We will spend a week here, exploring the hills that surround the lake before taking the train to Lucca and a bus on to Valpromaro.  Valpromaro is a small village on the Via Francigena, a pilgrim’s route to Rome.  We stayed at the Casa del Pellegrino there in 2022 when we walked that route.  This year we will volunteer at that same ostello for a week, cooking — cleaning, and caring for the pilgrims who stop to rest at the hostel.

When our Italian detour is completed, we will fly back to Spain to begin our own Cinco Caminos — a linked selection of the Camino del Norte, the Camino Primitivo, the Camino Finisterra, the Camino dos Faros, and the Camino Ingles — for a total of 823 kms of walking.

Our new shoes are up to the challenge, but it remains to be seen if our legs and feet will make it.  Time will tell.

Wednesday, April 10:  When we stepped off the train in Stresa, on the shore of Lake Maggiore, at suppertime on April 10th, the sky was completely overcast and grey and there was light rain falling.  “Oh, oh,” I thought.  “This doesn’t bode well.”  We checked into our nice apartment on Via Mazzini, directly above a gelato shop, and went out for supper — pizza, of course!

Thursday, April 11:  Upon awaking the next morning, however, we were happy to be greeted by full sunshine and blue sky.  “Yes!” I exclaimed.  Our first full day was spent exploring about the attractive lakeside town and hiking partway up the hill behind Stresa, then along the Chestnut Trees Route to the next town (Belgirate).  Our reward was great views of Lake Maggiore and the Alps beyond.  

Lake Maggiore with the sun sparkling on the Alps-fed water.

The Alps in the background and Isola Bella, one of the Borromeo Islands within the lake.

Morning hike on the Chestnut Route from Stresa to Belgirate (8 kms) — the leaves are newly open!

Stone steps built right into the stone walls, many years ago, along the route.

Chestnuts — obviously the reason for the name of this route!

We stepped out of the woods and there was Belgirate below us!

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