This is from the July/August 2006 issue of Dream of Italy:
Bellagio, the most famous of Lake Como’s villages, is said to have been inhabited since prehistoric times. Today it is perfectly groomed with potted flowers galore, small winding streets and old world charm. Restaurants and cafès line the lakeside promenade, and luxury shops beckon. An important silk town for more than two centuries, stores offer stunning fabrics in unique patterns that can be purchased for creating one-of-kind designs. In addition to high- endfashion (Missoni, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana) and gorgeous silks, Bellagio is a shopping haven for pottery, blown glass, antiques and various arts andcrafts.
A new modern wine shop has opened up on the charming street Salita Serbelloni. At the Enoteca Principessa customers can purchase rechargeable cards (available in 5 euro increments) to insert into sleek wine dispensers. After a push of the button, the selected wine is poured into a glass. Though also available in some U.S. wine shops, this system was created in Italy and has revolutionized the experience of wine tasting. (There’s a similar wine shop in Greve in Chianti in Tuscany.) — Danielle Caponi
More on Bellagio — Where to Eat and Stay