Como – Italy’s most dramatic lake

Standing on the shoreline of Lake Como as the dusk sky illuminates the still waters, a faint mist rolling down from the surrounding hills and mountains that encircle it, you could be forgiven for thinking that Italy doesn’t get much better than this. And as it becomes half-light and the distant illuminations on the other side of the lake gather strength and laughing voices in a returning boat mingle with the shouts of busy waiters in a beckoning restaurant nearby, you might decide that many people are right, Lake Como is the most beautiful place in Italy. As always, such extravagant claims only have any truth in the quieter months of the year when the atmosphere around the lake has a wistful and romantic quality, unlike the place in summer when many would find the ugly face of mass tourism too much to bear.
Indeed the Italian Lakes, and Lombardy’s Lago di Como in particular, have been highly regarded since Roman times and this area is full of cultural associations as well as being the haunt of visiting aristocrats. Wordsworth waxed lyrical about this ‘treasure’ and it is still little changed from its heyday in the 19th century when it was an extremely fashionable destination. The moderate climate that allows vines, olives and lemons to flou-rish in sight of snow-capped peaks, the combination of clear, deep water and high mountains and the close proximity to Milan, Bergamo and a number of other cities has proved an irresistible cocktail of all that’s good about Italy to many visitors.
A fifty kilometre long inverted ‘Y’ shape reaches close to the Swiss border at its northern end and at the south-western tip lies Como, the elegant city that gave its name to the lake. At the end of the south-eastern leg sits the busy commercial centre of Lecco. The lake gets more peaceful as you head north from here and at the middle of the upturned ‘Y’ are Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna, occupying three equally beautiful sites.

Como

Como itself has commercial, even industrialised, surroundings and is famous for its silk and textile industries, supplying Milan’s fashion trade with many of its materials. However, the old city centre is well worth visiting, in particular for its wonderful 14th-century Gothic-Renaissance cathedral in Piazza Cavour. Here, after a stiff espresso in one of the outdoor cafes, you can launch off to admire the 15th- century reliefs and fine Gothic rose window on the facade of the duomo and the main west doorway flanked by Renaissance statues of Pliny the Elder and Younger, both born in the city. Next door is the Broletto, the elegant Gothic former communal palace. Another interesting place to visit is the lakeside Tempio Voltiano devoted to the achievements of the 18th-century physicist Alessandro Volta who was responsible for the volt measurement as well as inventing the battery. For a fine view over this area, take the funicular up to the hill above Como.

Lecco’s Favourite Son

From Como you can explore the lake by taking one of the relatively fast boats that travel its full length, stopping off to visit some of the most popular places. The other southern lakeside city, Lecco, is a busy and industrialised place associated with one thing in particular in the minds of most Italians. This was the setting for I Promessi Sposi, (The Betrothed), probably the most famous of all Italian novels, written in the early 19th century by Lecco’s most renowned son, Alessandro Manzoni. A monument to him presides over the northern approach to the town and the Villa Manzoni on Via Amendola is now a museum dedicated to the author with his study furnished just as he left it. Otherwise this is not the sort of town most would visit on holiday, except to take advantage of its good transport links. Apart from excellent bus and train services, there is a cable car to the Piani d’Erna from where you can hike off into the mountains.
To many it is the central area of the lake that is most enchanting and full of romance. North of Como there is the small island, Isola Comacina, famous for its folklore and music festival during the Feast of San Giovanni Battista in the last week of June. From here one can take a boat to the Villa Balbianello, located on a spur on the west bank but not accessible from that side. This is one of the finest villas of the Italian Lakes and with its near neighbour, Villa Carlotta (see article in the garden section of this issue), it is one of the high points of the regular garden tours that are made around the lake. Close to the Comacina landing stage is the Locanda dell’Isola Comacina (tel +39 0344 55083) which has been run by the Pricilla family for nearly 40 years and offers excellent food, with beautiful views and entertaining hospitality.
Six kilometres north of Como is the quiet lakeside town of Torno occupying a superb position with excellent views of the southwestern leg of the lake. It has a charming little harbour offering several places to eat and hotel accommodation including the Albergo Ristorante Vapore located right on the waterside (tel +39 031 419311).