For anyone who isn’t already aquatinted via Vogue or the chic instagram feeds of the world, Passalacqua was formerly a notable Italian family’s vacation estate and within the last several years been transformed into a five star retreat on Lake Como. Built for Italian aristocracy, the villa is unlike any of the grand hotels you typically see with wide and grand entrances, Passalacqua was almost impossible to find as we weaved our way down the hillside of the small and unassuming town of Moltrasio before very suddenly seeing the narrow road inward.
A place of wonder…
However, once you enter the grounds it’s very clear how and why the place remains so special from all the rest, its grandeur is much more intimate. Immediately I got the feeling I was arriving fashionably late to someone’s dinner party. Wanting to cram my neck around first to see the place before committing to my seat amongst the other guests enjoying dusk under the beautiful striped tents.
Parker and I couldn’t help but take a look first at the gardens and pool, him searching for promised treasures and myself already finding the magic with forest-esque views of the lake and a perfectly orange colored spiaginna ready for a day’s adventure.
An unexpected date night
Instantly I knew, this wouldn’t be my last time visiting this dreamy lakeside scene.
Eventually we took our seats at a stunning table with views of the cliffside town and lake, the pianist settling me into the dusky scene with an elegant set, me bursting at the seems for a fancy cocktail I was beyond ready to pay over-ask for. Parker did exceptionally well with the fine china and glassware the waiter entrusted him to use and my heart skipped a beat when I saw cacio e pepe risotto listed on the menu.
The entire staff was beyond welcoming to Parker and some of the other kids present with whom he eventually went off with, playing alongside the villa on a large swath of grass and under a stone gazebo while Arthur and I apparently were gifted a date night. It was an absolute dream sitting here while Parker played with those kids, a lovely pre-fixe menu (many à la carte options as well) and we mingled with other guests, most of them Americans.
à la sciura
And I could say the highlight of the night, second to Parker’s new friendships, for me was the food, the place, the magical sunset; but the absolute cherry on top was another elegant mom from Los Angeles mistaking me for a quote, “chic Italian woman in a Chanel jacket.” It was Veronica Beard, {outfit details here} but wow.
Whole. Trip. Made.
I can die now but I want to go back to Passalacqua for heaven!
A chic keepsake
And for the bag I didn’t purchase afterwards in the gift shop, which you can shop most of here, I regret snagging it on our way out. This one wasn’t available online so regretfully I had to have them ship it to me directly and so let this be a lesson moving forward ladies, buy the damn thing! Now it’s here at home with me and a treasure from our short time there, rightfully embroidered with the words, “A place of wonder.”
Traveling is always a risk, especially with a four year old, things definitely don’t always work out as you expect them to and that most certainly happened during our time in Italy of course. But this evening truly worked out in the most magical of ways and my heart was so full leaving, even more full remembering it now!
Thank you Passalacqua for the memories! xx
Links from the evening
