Wow, if you found a great tasting fig in the ground in Switzerland, that would be one heck of a find!!!
Have a great trip and be careful!

I'd mail cuttings from Italy in small envelopes to yourself and about 100 of your best friends, some should get thru :)

Steve, I know exactly where you are going with that. Ed, shhh! Wills, bite your tongue. Thanks, Gregg, Wayne.

The tree was a block away from a gas station we stopped at right on a Lake Lugano. It did not seem to belong to anyone in particular, so I helped myself. Serendipity at work. The Lake Maggiore and Lake Como areas do not seem to be as fecund so far. We still have the Veneto area, the Greek mainland and three of its islands to mine before the trip is done.
All this incredible beauty and figs too!! Life is good.

Shes a beauty and looks like raspberry jam

Frank, I've heard the Lake Lugano area is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  I lived in Geneva from 2002-03 but unfortunately never made it across the alps to visit that area.  I wasn't into figs then so if I visited now I would definitely be on the lookout for interesting varieties like the one you found.

Another great day in Northern Italy's lake region. Found a good looking tree in Stresa but could not sample the wares. Toured Lake Como and viewed Clooney's villa from afar.

Steve, the Lake Lugano region is incredibly beautiful. We even took a day trip to the Bernina Pass in the San Moritz area last week that knocked our socks off. You were lucky to have lived in the region.

Enjoy your travels but keep us posted when you can.

That fig looks incredible.  Great photo's!

Wow Frank, the second picture in that set is one of the prettiest fig pictures I have seen. You are lucky to be having such an experience. Good to hear the taste is as good as it looks. Perhaps it is so good because it is pollinated? It would be great if it could be grown here in the States without need for the wasp.

Mike in Hanover, VA

Really nice Frank, and thanks for sharing your trip and fig sampling adventures with us! Safe travels.

Mykonos.....jackpot!!!
More to come

Sounds like you might be having too much fun, don't you go moving on us Frank. 

Have fun Frank!  Take some videos for future family history!

Today we toured Olympia, site of the ancient OIlympics. Just outside the site at a rest-stop,,, big tree with big green figs with red flesh. Took photos and tasted one but having trouble attaching picture due to poor internet connection sitting at a seaside cafe sipping espresso. It had a rich flavor.

Somewhat disappointed in what I've seen of the Greek fig trees so far. Many have already lost their leaves and there are 100's of green figs still speckling the trees that will never.ripen. Why?
I am looking at one right now just a few feet from me as I post this and it has finger like leaves, many of which are withered and falling from ??fig rust?? In Greece. Why?
The tips of the branches are healthy and showing new growth with many immature figs which will never ripen.

Anyway, Venice and Padova in 2 days for new fig adventures. Then back home. Sigh.

Wow, sounds like a dream vacation!  Thanks for the updates.  Maybe some of our Greek fig friends can chime in on what you observed.

Keep the photos and posts coming, I will PM you when you get home to get info on the tour. Since I am retired and doing the traveling thing, this sounds like a winner.

One more great fortuitous find! This one is located a few hundred yards from the Piazza Roma train station in Venice, very close to the Grand Canal. It is a huge healthy shade tree with benches underneath for weary tourists to sit and rest. I managed to pull a half ripe fig off the tree and opened it up to find a deep reddish colored flesh.
I think it might be. a Broggiotto Nero,

Wayne, I would highly recommend this fig tour to all fig lovers,

Air France pilots have gone on strike and our return flight may be in jeopardy. Let's hope so. ;))

Frank, the little green figs in Greece may be the Profichi crop of a caprifig.  The figs in the photos look terrific.  Please add me to your list.  I'm sure you got at least 10,000 pieces to give away and I'm #3,028 on the list.   ;)

Nice

Ok, we just got back and I am happy to report that this vacation could not have gone any better. I changed the name of the thread as I plan on adding more pictures and using it as an archive of the trip.

Fig spotting can be great fun while traveling even for those who have no particular interest in figs. More to come....

hi Frank
i just found this topic...
you ware just an hour drive from me and i didnt know it. (olympia is less than 1 hour from patras)
i would have made your trip to greece one to remember...
any way 
i am glad you had fun.!!!

Glad you made it back ok.  sounds like a wonderful trip!

Hey Frank, can't wait to see those photos (even the non-fig ones). :)

Frank, maybe your photos will be enough to convince my wife to go on a european fig tour as well, even though she's not particularly fond of figs!

Welcome back Frank!