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Lake in Lombardy, Italy
Photo: Mænsard vokser, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Lake Como (Lago di Como; also called: Lario) is in the provinces of Como and Lecco in Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is part of the Italian Lake District. It has been popular with visitors since the early 20th century for its combination of fresh air, water, mountains and good weather.
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Take a cable car then hike down to Colonno (~2 hr).
Torno, one of the most picturesque villages perched on this lake shore, is the starting point for the itinerary to Piazzaga. Following the red arrows to the “strada regia” and the signs to Molina, Piazzaga/Massi avelli you will take the path along a mule track, along which you can find views on the lake, a Roman stone arch and a rich wildlife. You will then get to a stone bridge on a stream and by keeping your left you will head towards the “massi avelli”, erratic boulders where tombs have been graved. You then go ahead to Piazzaga, take a nice break and eat or drink some typical and traditional food in the Crotto and enjoy the impressive view on the whole lake.Then slowly go to Montepiatto and visit the "Pietra Pendula " and go back to Torno.
Discover all the towns around Lake Como where you can spend a pleasant day on the lake with the possibility of swimming in the clear waters to enjoy a day of relax and fun. Lake Como is full of lidos and beaches, so a tan on Lake Como is guaranteed.
Lake Como is surrounded by some imposing peaks, which are reflected in its waters and render the landscape unique. The valleys surrounding Lake Como are some of the most beautiful areas in the Prealps, rich in vegetation and populated by numerous animal species. It is a homogeneous area from which many excursions start along old military roads and trails towards mountain pastures and refuges. The Grigna, Resegone and Legnone are important mountain ranges, but San Primo and the Pizzo di Gino, which encircle the lake, become especially atmospheric and unforgettable during long summer sunsets and in the warm autumn light that encircles their contours, in winter whiteness and in the spring freshness. The mountains and valleys include the whole local area around the lake, with hills and mountain ranges that rise from the plain and enclose countryside and villages, reliefs and woods: Valsassina, Valvarrone, Valle San Martino and Val d’Esino, Val d’Intelvi, Val Menaggio, Val Cavargna, Val Solda and the valleys of the Upper Western Lario. Lake Como’s mountain ranges offer endless opportunities for excursions and trekking
By train
Regular trains run from Milan to Como (which has 2 stations: Como San Giovanni and Como Lago). Como San Giovanni Station is outside of the centre, but there are buses that stop there.
By bus
By boat
Several boats and hydrofoils a day travel all the way up the lake from Como to Colico stopping at most of the towns en route.
By train
On Lake Como a railway is available only on the eastern shore of the lake, with stations between Lecco and Colico.
By car
Roads run up and down most of the shores. On the Western Shore, road works are common and travel duration can vary greatly. You can expect to average 40–60 km/h.
By motorcycle
The entire lake area is popular with motorcyclists from all over Europe.
By bicycle
On Lake Como you can ride with rental bike shops available for easy biking itineraries and rental services without guide, bikes can be rent with special accessories and with free delivery at hotels…
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very exclusive Borgo near Varenna, is called the "Portofino of Lake Como", the whole town was sculpted by sculptor Giannino Castiglioni, purposely kept secret to maintain VIP privacy, often taken off the maps. Many empresses, queens, princesses and nobles found refuge and peace in Lierna for centuries. The Villa di Plinio, called Villa Commedia, is from Ancient Rome times. Lierna is historically a holiday resort of the high international nobility (the village is the place where the Knightly Order of the House of Savoy was founded) and of international celebrities and VIPs who want absolute privacy. Lierna Lake Como is the most portrayed place in the paintings of the whole of Lake Como over the centuries and enjoys the most view of Lake Como overlooking the tip of Bellagio.
in front of Lierna, 10 minutes by boat, has nice views at the top of the lake. The Rockfeller family villa was in Bellagio.
nice views at the top of the lake, but the town is not that attractive. There is a World War I fort with guns nearby, open one day a week.
at the southern end of the lake, the lake's main town is a good base and, although not as attractive as some of the other towns, it remains an elegant resort. The town has a population of 80,000 people and has Roman or pre-Roman origins.
a mountain village, at the end of Lierna Mountain, that hosted the Wikimania conference in 2016.
Inverigo is a village in the Province of Como in Lombardy. It is on the border of the land of Brianza.
the town at the end of the south-eastern branch of the lake. Population of 45,000 people.
the main town on the western shore, it's attractive and not as touristy as Bellagio and Varenna opposite. Parking your car is a nightmare. It has a youth hostel (often full at weekends). Has a nice pedestrian-only area, around two squares at the lake-front or Lungolago with shops, coffee-bars, hotels, ice-cream parlours (gelaterie) and restaurants. Along the lake-front there's a mini-golf with a snack-bar.
a village in the southwestern leg of the lake
a very small town about half-way between Como and Bellagio on the western leg of the lake.
a village close to Varenna
a town in the southwestern leg of the lake
beautiful little town, now part of Tremezzina, and right across from Bellagio. Main attractions are Villa Carlotta with its splendid botanical garden and nice waterfront, and nearby Villa del Balbianello.
another attractive town on the eastern shore opposite Menaggio and Bellagio. Worth visiting for the attractive and relaxing gardens of Villa Cipressi and Villa Monastero. Also has the remains of a castle (Castello di Vezio) where a falconer gives shows occasionally. The castle is a steep hike, with a rise of many hundreds of vertical feet.
an island near Tremezzina
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