|
|
Casa La Perla - Lake Maggiore
 print this page
Accommodates 4+2 — 2+ Bedrooms
— 2 Baths
The approach is not good. You’re
along the busy road running along the west shore of Lago Maggiore
between the towns of Arona and Stresa. Suddenly you come into
the village of Meina, and you’re at Casa La Perla, but
where do you park? You’ve got to drive about 200 feet
past the house and hope there’s a parking space in the
little public lot; backing out of that lot takes two: one
to drive and one to guide. And what about that road noise!!??
We must admit we were not impressed during our recent visit.
Well, we were most pleasantly surprised. You walk directly
from the road into the entryway of Casa La Perla, and you
leave the hubbub behind. The living/dining room (fireplace)
is light, spacious, and pleasantly and really comfortably
furnished. It’s not Beverly Hills. It’s a real person’s
home. The kitchen is roomy and very well equipped with stovetop,
microwave, separate conventional oven, dishwasher, and washing
machine.
Beyond the living room, and away from the road, you
emerge outside onto a covered pergola area ideal for alfresco
dining, plus an extensive lawn area giving out onto the shore
of Lake Maggiore itself and offering lovely views of the lake.
You can walk right out to the shore and even jump in if you
wish. There’s a little dock area reachable by awkward
steps and a dinghy for your use as well (small fee). The entire
garden is lined with high hedges which give you maximum privacy.
Back inside, a flight of stairs leads to the bedroom level.
The master, with a matrimonial bed, looks out over the garden
and the lake beyond, as does a somewhat smaller twin bedroom.
From the latter, 5 steps lead up to its en-suite bath (tub
and separate shower stall). The master shares its full bath
with a third bedroom normally furnished as a study, but with
a good double sofabed and an extra folding bed upon request.
This last room is on the road and therefore enjoys the road’s
noise. We’ve found that children don’t much care
about noise, and this room would be useful if you’re,
say, two couples and one or two children. The house is really
best suited for 4, but there’s plenty of room for 6.
Cell phone only. No internet connection, but there are plenty
of public internet points in the vicinity. Satellite TV. Hair
dryer. Electric fans in all bedrooms and screens on bedroom
windows. Housekeeping, cooking, catered meals, and childcare
can be arranged with advance notice.
So what’s to do in this part of the world, and how do
you do it? While a car is probably best, Casa La Perla is
a place where you can truly be without a car. Both the boat
and the bus going up and down the lake stop virtually in front
of the house. These will take you to Stresa, to Pallanza,
to the Borromean Islands, to the glorious gardens of the Villa
Taranto. You can walk to simple shopping at Meina where there
are also coffee bars, bakeries, and post office. All the towns
along the lake – and Meina’s is a 5-minute walk
from Casa La Perla – have a “beach” area where
there are also a swimming pool, tennis court, and boat rentals.
The towns of Arona and Stresa are best for more important
shopping, the latter with many elegant boutiques. Other lakes?
Both Como and Orta are easy daytrips. A big-city fix? Get
on the train at nearby Arona and go into Milan for a day of
museum- and gallery-hopping, sophisticated shopping, fine
dining, the opera at La Scala, or all four! Speaking of fine
dining, Lago Maggiore is famous for good eating all along
its shores. And speaking of trains, a particularly delightful
excursion can be taken from the station of Arona to Domodossola
and then onto the Train of the Hundred Valleys leading through
breathtaking scenery to Locarno in Switzerland (don’t
forget your passport!). More strenuous stuff? The owners of
the house can direct you to golf, hiking, windsurfing, sailing,
kayaking, rock climbing, and more.
We can’t think of a better way to spend a relaxing week
or two than at Lago Maggiore and Casa La Perla.
Tentative
rates: |
June
25-Sep 3 |
Mar
19-Apr 2;
May 7-Jun 25;
Sep 3-Oct 1 |
Other
periods |
| |
2,520
euros
per week |
2,170
euros per week |
1,890
euros
per week |
| Extras: |
Boat rental; extra bed 100 euros/week
|
| Arrival: |
Saturday generally, but inquire
|
| Minimum
stay: |
1 week |
Scroll Properties in the Italian
Lakes
<<Previous
| Italian Lakes Home |
Next>>
|
