Vogogna and Ornavasso in Search of Santa Claus

Day 1 - Vogogna

11.30 am, our first family holiday begins: we're going to Ornavasso to visit the real Santa's grotto!!!

It's a beautiful sunny day and the clear sky lets us see the mountains in the distance: some are already snow-capped, while others are still (and strangely) waiting for the first snow of the season. Along the motorway a still autumnal landscape unfolds before us: the trees that haven't lost their leaves show us their canopies of red, golden yellow, brown... Until we glimpse the deep blue of Lake Maggiore: maybe on the way back we'll stop to admire the Borromean Islands from afar and, at Arona, to say hello to the San Carlone.

For now we continue straight on to Vogogna.

The Hotel Valgrande isn't well signposted and it takes us a while to find it, but the little one is sleeping peacefully in his car seat anyway. In the end we find it, check in and head to the room, only to discover that it's almost bigger than our house! Next to our double bed, the cot with bars for the little one.

It's almost 2 pm. We decide to feed the little one and order some sandwiches for ourselves (the restaurant closes right at 2), then we'll make up for it at snack time (the plan is a stroll around Vogogna) and at dinner (we're on half board).

Once everyone's hunger is dealt with, we get ready to explore Vogogna, one of the most beautiful medieval villages in Italy (

We immediately realise that the baby carrier is better than the pushchair: the historic centre can be walked through along cobbled lanes (with paving for car wheels) and with no pavements.

We climb up towards the Visconti Castle, only to discover that it's only open from April to the end of October: we have to settle for seeing its mighty walls from outside and noticing how much the keep resembles the one at our Castello Sforzesco.

We retrace our steps towards the Church of the Sacred Heart and the particular wooden nativity scene on the side terraces. We visit the dim church, light a little candle to Saint Joseph (may he protect our families) and then lose ourselves in the lanes of the historic centre, passing by the Palazzo Pretorio and the beautiful houses surrounding it.

Unfortunately it's a public holiday and, despite the Immaculate Conception long weekend and the proximity of Christmas, Vogogna shows itself to us more like an uninhabited, lifeless town. So much for snack time: all we can do is wait for dinner.

So we head back to the hotel, also because the sun is setting, it's starting to get chilly and the weight of the baby carrier (and baby) is starting to tell!

In the relaxation area two herbal teas are offered (today forest fruit or lime blossom) and we take the opportunity to take a few photos of the little one, who watches everything with great interest, especially a couple of lively children chasing each other around the room! A shame we didn't bring a swimming costume and cap for the pool: from the voices we can hear, it's clear people are having fun and a whirlpool would have hit the spot!

Then we go back to the room and wait for dinner time, when we'll try the cuisine of the Viola, the hotel's restaurant.

The elegant atmosphere is lit with soft lights and good music comes from the speakers. The cuisine is varied and of good quality, with local specialities and "evergreen" classic Italian dishes; we also try a local red wine, not fine but good for the meal. And the little one seems to appreciate the setting too, even though halfway through the meal he starts showing signs of wanting to explore new corners (luckily, at this time of year, there are plenty of colourful Christmas trees and cheerful Santas around).

We go back to the room and end this first day all three of us on the big bed, thinking about the Santa's grotto waiting for us tomorrow morning.

Day 2 - Ornavasso and Mergozzo

The hotel room is (as usual) rather hot and dry, with the result that the little one woke up several times during the night for a drop of milk... Never mind!

We all treat ourselves to a hearty breakfast (we let the little one try the peach-apricot yoghurt, which he likes) and then get in the car: heading for Ornavasso, to Santa's grotto!

We leave the car in the car park we're directed to, then continue to the square where the ticket office is (but we already have our tickets), the giant Troll and the start of the route, only to discover that to get to the grotto you have to walk (and push the pushchair) for about half an hour, obviously uphill! I think we should have read the information more carefully, but we like walking anyway!

There would also be the Reindeer Express, a nice little train that covers part of the route, but our pushchair can't get on and in any case there's a huge queue.

We start climbing, enjoying the view, some friendly goats and the chatter of the children heading up to the grotto. We leave the refreshment point behind us and give up on the enchanted forest, realm of the trolls: the path isn't pushchair-friendly and, judging by the groups walking it, seems fairly steep.

We reach the entrance to the grotto, but before going in we ask if there's a baby changing area for the little ones: it's been more than an hour since the last feed (and change) and I'm afraid we might need a corner for him. Unfortunately the only baby room is at the start of the route (practically almost half an hour's walk away), so we have to hope that Santa is stronger than hunger! And this, I must say, is the only negative aspect I found: they could have provided a baby room near the Grotto too, or put one halfway along the route: like this it's too unbalanced!!!!

You only enter the grotto on foot: we park the pushchair in the designated space and transfer the little one into the baby carrier. And at last we enter the ancient quarry, decorated for Christmas, with gnomes, reindeer and presents hidden in the niches in the marble. Christmas music comes from the speakers (duly camouflaged), while drops of icy water fall from the walls, at times forming glistening stalactites.

And then at last the grotto opens up: among presents, trees and stars, helped by the elves and sitting on a large high-backed armchair.... Santa Claus!!!! One by one he takes each child in his arms, says a few words and gives them a pen. For next year's letter, because this year's gets posted in a huge letterbox! The little one is a bit bewildered by this gentleman with the long white beard, but he doesn't protest and watches curiously.

We walk back through the gallery with the gnomes and stalactites, go outside again and decide to attempt the descent to the baby room, keeping the little one in the baby carrier and making just a brief stop for a hot chocolate.

Here we are in the baby room: while the little one eats, we decide what to do in the afternoon. But first we take a look at the elves' market, grab a quick sandwich and of course stop to collect the Good Child Diploma that the Wise Elf gives to every good child.

We get back in the car and go for a drive along the lakeside of Mergozzo. The view is worth it, with the sun reflecting light on the lake and the bright colours of the houses standing out against the mountain. A shame that, despite it being Friday, the long lunch break has closed everything: bars, shops, every corner seems lifeless. We still take advantage of the last rays of sun to take a few steps and snap some photos, but then the little one seems bored too and shows signs of fussing.

We go back to the hotel, happy with the little one's first encounter with the magic of Santa Claus!

The rest of the day goes smoothly like yesterday: a herbal tea in the relaxation area, dinner at the hotel, a bit of Real Time TV (and it feels like being at home!) and of course lots of playing with the little one!

Arona

Last day of the work trip and we have to make the most of it, because mayor Pisapia has decreed a car ban and we can't enter Milan before 6 pm.

We have breakfast calmly, play a bit with the baby and finish packing. We leave the room around 11:30 and go to buy some local cheeses at an artisanal shop we saw near the hotel (Latteria Antigoriana Dicrodo - via Roma 26A, Piedimulera).

Once back in the car, we decide to stop in Arona and take advantage of the clear day to admire the San Carlone and the Lake Maggiore landscape.

We exit the highway at Meina and, driving along some little roads up and down the hills, we arrive right behind San Carlo. We wouldn't have gone up to the top of the great statue anyway (entry allowed only from age 6), but we're sorry to see that even the lovely surrounding park is closed.

We take a few obligatory photos and go back to the car to reach the beautiful lakefront of Arona.

Having found a spot on the blue lines, we pay for parking for a couple of hours and, strolling along the lakefront, we spot a pizzeria where we can stop for lunch.

In the afternoon there would be the ceremony of the placing of the suggestive Submerged Nativity Scene (a work created by the Knights of the Submerged Nativity Scene), but the air is too nippy to stay outdoors for so long.

The pizzeria is frequented by many families with children and luckily they have several high chairs, so we manage to get the little one out of his winter snowsuit. Unfortunately though, they don't have a space to change him and they suggest the McDonald's in Castelletto, right near the highway entrance.

Except that we miss a sign and get on the highway without seeing the McD. We try stopping at the first service area: we're in luck because it seems fairly clean, but we discover that the changing table has been stolen! All that's left is to try the thrill of changing him in the car, since by now it's well warmed up.

Doing a quick calculation, we realize there's still a long time until the end of the car ban, so we decide to make another stop: the Lindt outlet in Cassano Magnago (via Tintoretto)!

Our outing therefore ends among mountains of chocolate and sweets, to the delight of young and old alike!

Speaking of the little ones, in the ladies' restrooms there's not only a changing table for diaper changes: in the last restroom at the back there's also the smallest, lowest toilet, made especially for little young ladies!