Today we slipped out early for a coffee and pastry at an elegant patisserie just 100 m down the street. You’ll be interested to hear that everything seems much cheaper than Switzerland. In fact, our two coffees and two pastries cost just Euro 6.40 plus a 2.40 service charge (no service charge if you drink your coffee standing up at the counter) which is just $A14, probably cheaper than in Australia.   

We then spent a relaxing morning, Sharon listening to her Audible book whilst I caught up on the blog. But it wasn’t too long before the brilliant blue sky and full sunshine enticed us out for more touring via the very convenient ferry. Today the air is clearer, the humid haze of the last two days has disappeared, and everything looks both brighter and sharper. We fancied a meal at one of the lakeside restaurants and to see something different headed across to Pallanza, the ferry port of Verbania on the other side of the lake. In doing so, we passed all the islands we saw yesterday, but they looked even better today in full sunshine.

After a relaxing promenade around the Pallanza waterfront, we selected an elegant waterside restaurant shaded by an avenue of trees. We bided our time enjoying the location's prettiness and relaxing atmosphere, whilst being served a classy and very reasonably priced meal.