5-stars? No, not enough. 10-stars? No, still not enough. In truth, there are not enough stars in the sky to rate our wonderful experience with Laura and Paolo at Casa San Giorgio in Albano Sant'Alessandro, just outside of Bergamo city in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy.
When we arrived in Bergamo, Paolo and Laura rescued us from our own mistake of booking the wrong transport from Venezia to their location. Without realizing, we booked a bus from Brescia to Bergamo (instead of a train from Milano) that left us stranded on a street corner in downtown Bergamo at rush hour with all our luggage and not a single taxi in sight!
Laura and Paolo drove all the way in to Bergamo to pick us up from the bus station. Then, Paolo drove my husband over to the airport to pick up the rental car! But, wait, that's not all! They saw that we were exhausted and ill-prepared for the challenge of hunting for a restaurant in an unfamiliar city, so insisted we join their family for a dinner of the most incredible lasagna I've ever tasted, made by Paolo's mom!
No...There's more! Lots more. In the spirit of a true Bed & Breakfast, a morning light breakfast of antipasti, pastries, yogurts, breads and a variety of other delectables baked by Laura, was made available in the 'Taverna' EVERY morning of our stay with absolutely to-die-for Espresso coffee.
Our spacious suite was spotlessly clean and quiet. The amenities were plentiful and the hospitality was more than we had ever hoped for. The scenery and hillside landscaping of the property were gorgeous. And because the weather was unusually sunny and pleasant for mid-April, we were treated to heart-stopping sunsets every evening that take your breath away! If ever there were a glimpse of what heaven might look like, Casa San Giorgio must certainly be it!
The vine covered patio was the perfect, scenic, relaxing gathering spot at the end of each day to unwind from the challenges of traffic roundabouts and the occasional tourist navigation blunder that extended travel time in unexpected ways!
No...wait! I'm not done. There's lots more, that each guest will encounter with unique experiences in joyful ways, similar to or different from ours. But I will end by saying that we arrived as guests of Laura and Paolo, but we departed as lifelong friends. Roger and I look forward to having an opportunity to reciprocate some of the hospitality and kindness of our new friends with a future visit to our Seattle lake forest home when the time is right for them and their adorable children.
Grazie mille, Paolo and Laura, from the bottom of our most grateful hearts for being the highlight of our Italy trip with memories to cherish forever! Ciao, R & K!
Ok. NOW I'm done.
;)