As we departed Tirano, I took one last look at the red Bernina Express train with gratitude.  Yesterday had been an epic day in the Swiss Alps!

Now we were headed to Lake Iseo for new adventures.  Along the way, we enjoyed beautiful views of Val Camonica and stopped in the little northern Italian town of Edolo. 

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Our next stop was in the Franciacorta wine region where wonderful sparkling wine is produced using the traditional method.  We toured the Bersi Serlini winery, and then sampled several of their sparkling wines followed by a delicious lunch. 

The final destination for the day was Hotel Araba Fenice, on Lake Iseo.  Check out that link and you will see an aerial shot of the hotel’s location on their Trip Advisor page.  What a gorgeous spot!  The hotel does a great job taking advantage of the scenery with large lake-view windows and an infinity-edge pool.  Although we had warm weather to enjoy the pool, the water temperature was 60 degrees, and the lake was even colder.  Brrr!

Lake Iseo, in the Lombardy region, is surrounded by medieval villages, and Bruce and I looked forward to exploring the town of Iseo the following day.  Until then, we enjoyed a walk around the shore near our hotel with Maria, taking in the views at one of Pilzone’s tiny beaches.

Dinner that night was in the hotel’s restaurant overlooking the lake.  Not only was the view gorgeous, but the cuisine was fabulous, too!

Coming up next (after a break): SWITZERLAND & NORTHERN ITALY #15: MAGICAL MONTE ISOLA AND INTRIGUING ISEO