Rick Steves' Italy by Rick Steves

One of the towns E and I visited on our ten-day honeymoon in Europe was Bellagio, Italy. We had decided on this small touristy spot on Lake Como because we were getting married at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, and what could be a more fitting honeymoon destination?

We were planning to spend two days in Italy, both of which at Lake Como, so I pulled out my 2002 edition of Rick Steve’s Italy. In the short chapter pertaining to Lake Como, Steves strongly recommends staying in the tiny town of Varenna, close to the depot for the Milan-bound train and only a short ferry ride to the other towns on the lake. We booked a room from one of the listed hotels, and were glad we did. After an overnight train ride from Vienna, it was a luxury to check right in without having to figure out the ferry system as well.

Rick Steves is known for his “back door” philosophy to travel, and Varenna is a perfect example. Varenna is Bellagio’s smaller, quieter, lovelier, and therefore more charming neighbor. It consists of a few hotels and restaurants on the waterfront, a tiny commercial district up the hill, and a network of stone stairs winding between the yellow and orange stuccoed houses bringing pedestrians up and down the hill. In theory, this should have been a great opportunity to see Italy through its “back door” and get a more authentic taste of Italian culture than in the over-touristed Bellagio, where the entire waterfront is lined with gift shops, swanky hotels, and overpriced cafés.

We noticed right away, however, that something was amiss in paradise. During our first lunch in Varenna, everything was picture-perfect: the lapping waves of the lake on the narrow beach, the outdoor café tables, the thin-crust pizza and amazing espresso. But then we realized that we could understand all the conversations at the tables surrounding us—everyone was speaking English. Our waiter spoke impeccable English as well.

Back at the hotel, on our way to our honeymoon-splurge larger room with a balcony overlooking the lake, we passed by the guest lounge, where a man was dozing in front of ESPN. On the table next to him was a copy of the same Rick Steves book we had brought. Uh-oh, I thought.

Later that day, after exploring all of Varenna, we hurried to dinner. Dinners were included with our lodging and began at 7:00. In the dining room, each table was marked with numbers that corresponded to the room numbers. We found our assigned table to discover that it was a four-top; we were to expect another couple. This method of dinner seating was both charming to me and not. While it’s nice to meet some other guests in a convivial atmosphere, and changing your dinner companions from night to night may be a good way to meet new people, I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend the evening making small talk with strangers. During our honeymoon.

Of course, the couple who ultimately sat with us was interesting and friendly, just talkative enough and not too intrusive. And American. Every single guest in the dining room was American. Some were very obvious, talking in loud, boisterous tones. Two blonde young women who looked under twenty and sounded like they were from Southern California were telling another couple about their trip through Europe, and for the entirety of our meal, we listened to the girls talk from across the room. It was about as difficult to refrain from eavesdropping as it was to have our own conversation. We could have been home.

Has Europe simply been overrun by Americans, or is the problem Rick Steves? While “back door” traveling may have been a novel concept at one time, it has become a fairly mainstream and commonsensical idea at this point. These days, everyone is looking to get the most out of their hard-earned vacations, and experiencing the authentic cultures of our destinations has become one of the most important aspects of visiting a foreign country. Rick Steves has made a fine living from directing people to high value experiences at a cost we can afford, but his success is beginning to come at a price.

How many of the guests in our hotel were there because of Rick Steves? Fifty percent? Eighty percent? Was the entire town of Varenna filled with Rick Stevers? In a tiny place like Varenna, a handful of tourists with his book would make a big difference in the population demographics. While I fully respect and concur with Rick Steves’ intentions and vision, I am afraid that his popularity might be negating the usefulness of his own recommendations for out-of-the-way, road-less-traveled sites. It’s too bad, because Varenna really was the perfect spot on Lake Como. But the secret is out, and we’re on our own again… until the next travel guru comes along.

Rick Steves' Italy by Rick Steves

tags: books book reviews travel guides Lake Como Italy Bellagio Varenna Rick Steves