COMO
ARGEGNO (20.3 KM)
HISTORY
It is the country of the gods of the gods, in fact the name, which has Roman origins, derives from two plaques found in Brienno that speak of the Roman Publio Cesio Archigene in charge of erecting altars to the gods. Since ancient times it has been a fortified center inserted in a vast defensive system.
In the Middle Ages two castles were erected there. One of these, built in 1270 by Antonio Castello, a follower of the Guelphs Vittani, was a stronghold in the bloody struggles against the Ghibellines Rusconi. This work is remembered in the 11th and 12th centuries during the Como and Como civil wars. The fort was part of a defense line and was connected with those of Sala, Lezzeno and Nesso. The other castle with the Viscardi tower was built in the center of the village, the tower, the last testimony of the building, collapsed in the year 1876.
PLACES TO VISIT
Tradition has it that on 1 January the town is transformed into a stage with the representation of the Nativity. An event of strong cultural impact and of great impact
Church of SS. Trinità, built according to the plan of the engineer Cesare Nava, was built to replace the old church located in the center of the town. It rises in the estuary of the Telo river. It dates back to the early twentieth century and was consecrated on August 24, 1929 by Bishop Adolfo Pagani. It is a neo-Romanesque building.
The Sanctuary of Sant'Anna stands three kilometers from Argegno, on the provincial road that climbs to Schignano. Among the sacred places also the church of San Sinio, until 1632 was the matrix of the SS. Trinity of Argegno. It is of Romanesque origin, remodeled in the 17th century and completed in the 18th century. The alleys of the town that wind from the lake area are also interesting.
BELLAGIO (29.5 KM)
Bellagio and Civenna are a single reality. It was the novelty of 2014, in fact, on 21 January the Regional Council gave the go-ahead for the merger of the two municipalities into one that, as desired by the inhabitants, took the name of Bellagio furuno the insubrants who lived free and independent until upon the arrival of the Gauls, capitulated by Belloveso, who, around the year 600 BC, having defeated the insubrified, settled in Milan and Como and, occupied the banks of the lake, created a garrison at the extreme point of their conquest, Bellagio. Then came the Gallo-insubriums.
PLACES TO VISIT
Along the banks of the Bellagio promontory there are many ancient noble residences, each surrounded by parks and secular gardens. Some of them - as in the case of Villa Melzi and Villa Serbelloni - are open to the public.
VILLA SERBELLONI
This villa dominates the town center and is owned by the Rockerfeller foundation of New york. It was built in the 15th century in place of an old castle razed to the ground in 1375, and was subsequently remodeled several times. Today you can only visit the gardens, a suggestive tangle of paths surrounded by vegetation, groves with old trees, others with exotic plants, rose gardens, flower cultivations. The paths, in addition to the villa, lead to the Convent of the Capuchins at the Sfondrata, a residence on Lake Lecco, built, in fact, by the Sfrondati family.
VILLA MELZI
It rises instead on the western lake, on the coast road that leads from Bellagio to Como. Its park is full of ancient finds.
BASILICA OF SAN GIACOMO
Example of Lombard Romanesque art created by the Comacini Masters. Inside there are mosaics from the 1900s.
CHURCH OF THE MADONNA DEL ROSARIO:
In San Martino in Romanesque style, rarely open to the public.
SANTA MARIA A LOPPIA
Small Romanesque basilica in the park of Villa Gerli.
CHURCH OF SAN GIORGIO
Romanesque church inside which there is a wooden statue of the Madonna della Cintura
CHURCH OF SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA
Baroque construction with wooden altar, inside the fresco of the Madonna delle Grazie.
IN CIVENNA THE PARISH CHURCH OF THE SS MATERNO AND AMBROGIO.
The first reconstruction dates back to 1659 and then underwent a new intervention in 1728 which was joined by the stone bell tower. Sanctuary of the Madonna di Loreto and Sommaguggio. In the 1900s, the last restorations that brought to light a three-light window in the apse, of probable medieval origin.
BLEVIO (4 KM)
Blevio was included in the parish church of Nesso and its territory also included "Sant'Agostino". With the "Reform of the city government and Como countryside", the town of Blevio was separated from the parish church of Nesso and united in the civil territory by the city of Como.
Following the reform of the municipal system ordered in 1926, the municipality was administered by a podestà. In 1930 a disabled area of territory was detached from the municipality of Blevio, aggregated to the municipality of Brunate.
PLACES TO VISIT
Blevio is one of the first coastal towns in the province of Como where magnificent residences arise. A ups and downs of enchanting paths for romantic walks. Among the sacred places, the church of SS Epimaco and Giordano, in perfect Baroque style. And then there is the church of the immaculate, the new parish, built by Carlo Lucini.
BRIENNO (16.9 KM)
In the local dialect the mountains are in fact indicated with the word "bric" Significance is also the assonance with the Celtic words Brennan or Brehin (leader, leader, summit).
We find however Brienno in the statutes of Como when the maintenance of the via Regina was imposed. He was involved in the war between Como and Milan and, in 1497, Ludovico il Moro donated the whole town to Lucrezia Crivelli.
PLACES TO VISIT
Nestled in the mountains, it is one of the most beautiful villages on the lake, a small village holiday area to be discovered, made up of very narrow characteristic streets. Among the sacred places, the parish church of SS Nazaro and Celsore, the church of the immaculate or Madonna di Rocca. Finally, the proposal is for the church of San Vittore, now Sant'Anna.
BRUNATE (7.5 KM)
In the second half of the 19th century, the municipality of Brunate became a favorite holiday destination thanks to its climate and geographical position.
Until now Brunate had remained a small mountain village, isolated from the city. It was only in 1817, the year of hard famine, that the mule track was built, called via delle Scalette which, passing through the former Capuchin hermitage of S. Donato, led to Brunate from the city.
Almost half a century later, a carriage was also built connecting the territory to the city.
PLACES TO VISIT
In addition to the magnificent view overlooking the first basin, you can admire the Swiss Alps and the Lombard and Piedmont plain; among the artistic monuments to visit, we find the Voltiano Lighthouse, the parish church and the numerous villas.
The main panoramic points are the Belvedere in via Pirotta, the Bonacossa square and the large churchyard of the church of S.Andrea, the Pissarottino, the roundabout in Via Monterosa, the roundabout in the Marenghi park in S. Maurizio and the lighthouse above. There are several excursion destinations.
Among the itineraries, the "backbone of the Lariano triangle", an altitude path that connects Brunate with Bellagio.
Brunate is also the town that "dominates" Como while remaining tied to the capital with the umbilical cord of the funicular.
CAMPIONE D'ITALIA (26 KM)
HISTORY
It is an Italian territorial island, in Swiss territory: hence the specification "of Italy" added to the toponym in 1933. Its customs regime is that of Switzerland and the currency and the Swiss franc. The story then tells withthe suppression of the monastery of Sant'Ambrogio which over the years underlined the strong ties with Millano. It was annexed to the Cisalpine Republic, then to the Lombard Veneto and the Kingdom of Italy.
PLACES TO VISIT
The casino is certainly the biggest attraction in the area, a structure that has made the fortune of the municipality, now an imposing structure overlooking the town, designed by Maria Botta. The artistic path opens with the Church of Santa Maria dei Ghirli, overlooking the lake. It dates back to the early Middle Ages and is an authentic example of sacred art. From there the center of the village can be reached thanks to the panoramic walk that runs along the lake along which the 11th century oratory of San Pietro is located. In the main square the Church of San Zenone, a civic art gallery with traces of the Magisteri Campionasi.
CERNOBBIO (5.6 KM)
Cernobbio, which the territorial division of 1240 attributed to the Porta Monastero district of the city of Como, was added to the villages of Como in 1284.
Under the new territorial compartment for the year 1791 there was annexation in the second census district of the province of Como. In 1929 the suppressed municipalities of Piazza Santo Stefano and Rovenna were added to the municipality of Cernobbio.
PLACES TO VISIT
Enchanting village with its elegant lakefront attracts tourists from all over the world. The Grand Hotel Villa d’Este. The most famous hotel in the world every year hosts the best of the bourgeoisie and aristocracy, with guests arriving from all over the world.
Villa Erba: a fascinating structure, today home to a fairground. Its garden is accessible for visits. Parish church of San Vicenzo. It is located in the heart of the village, together with the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception or the Blessed Virgin of Grace. The hamlets of Rovenna, Santo Stefano and Monte Bisbino are also attached to Cernobbio.
COLONNO (23.3 KM)
Colonno still preserves the plan of the medieval village with narrow streets, houses leaning against each other and alleys that flow into small open spaces on the lake. In the Middle Ages the fortunes of the village were linked to those of the Comacina island, so much so that the current Parish church was for a long time a simple Oratory belonging to that Pieve. From 1927 to 1950 the town was administratively aggregated to Sala Comacina and Ossuccio.
PLACES TO VISIT
Parish church of San Michele Arcangelo. It was built in 1800 on the site where there was a Romanesque oratory of which there are still some traces in the bell tower and in some fragments of fresco on the back wall of the presbytery, dating from 1300 and 1400. It is located on the lake. The building has a single nave and frescoes that adorned the vault of the presbyters. In the 1600s a lateral nave dedicated to the Madonna del Carmelo was added to the church. It was consecrated in 1773 by the bishop Mugiasca and rebuilt in the late nineteenth century.
DOMASO (53.8 KM)
HISTORY
Domaso's first news dates back to the first decades of the XII century, when he took part in the ten-year war between Milan and Como. Among the most important historical and architectural testimonies is the parish church of San Bartolomeo; for civil architecture, a nineteenth-century villa is revealed, seat of the town hall and the Mountain Community.
PLACES TO VISIT
Important stages for the visit of Domaso the 13th century church of San Bartolomeo, inside 16th century frescoes, 17th century stucco and baroque furnishings, as well as a crucifix dating back to the 16th century, the work of the engraver Lierni di Como and the altarpiece of the altar of the "Madonna and Child with St. Peter", attributed to Morazzone. The itinerary could continue with Villa Camilla, on the lakefront, built in the 17th century. Surrounded by a large park it has, in its gardens, artificial caves of nineteenth-century tuff and a great variety of plants characteristic of the Domaso vegetation.
DONGO (48.4 KM)
HISTORY
In the municipal era it was a walled village of which a very small remnant with an arched door remains in Piazza Vertua Gentile. In particular, Dongo is remembered as the protagonist of the end of fascism. It is precisely here that on April 28, 1945 the fascist hierarchs captured the day before by the partisans between Musso and Dongo were shot while attempting to escape with Mussolini to Switzerland.
PLACES TO VISIT
At the port at the neoclassical Manzi palace, the work of the architect Gilardoni, with frescoes by Appiano, today it is the seat of the town hall. Near the bridge, on the Albano, the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Lacrime. To visit the church of Sanra Maria in Martinico, built in the 11th century and restored in the early 1900s, inside the silver processional cross, a gift from F. Ser Gregori in 1513.
The Sanctuary Madonna delle Lacrime, dating back to the 16th century, is known all over the world, dedicated to a Madonna frescoed in a chapel, kept on the high altar. The construction of this church is due to a miracle that occurred in September 1513 in which the Madonna wept.
The Church of S. Stefano of Romanesque origin. Inside there are sixteenth and eighteenth century frescoes; a fifteenth-century baptismal font and S. Salterio stucco statues.
FAGGETO LARIO (14 KM)
The Gauls and the Silo of Lemma distinguished themselves in the manufacture of barometers and telescopes in England and in the silk industry in Lyon. The Pizzalas of Molina were famous in the goldsmith's art: Carolo Piazzala was a goldsmith in Madrid and worked for the Queen of Spain. The Apalanzo Franks and Braga made their fortune in Germany as textile merchants. The emigrants of the three hamlets always showed a strong attachment to their land, supporting and greatly enriching the religious and social life of the communities.
PLACES TO VISIT
The press that is located in a municipal property. This ancient stone cottage was built specifically to house the monumental structure. In ancient times it also contained the plant for obtaining walnut oil. The sacred itinerary passes from the church of San Giorgio, to that of San Giuseppe to get to Sant’Ambrogiio and Sant’Antonio.
For trekking lovers, the most alternative routes are suitable for all hikers. A splendid panorama that can be admired along the paths. The Festa del Torchio is very much felt, every year in October.
GERA LARIO (58KM)
HISTORY
It is located in an area north of Lario, in the plain dominated by the mountains of southern Mesolcina. A cradle of natural and architectural wealth with a great history. In the center, many traces of that glorious past, still clearly visible and in good condition. Organized along the route of the Regina road, it has an urban fabric made up of buildings of various nature, of sixteenth-century, seventeenth and eighteenth-century origins to culminate with rustic architecture.
PLACES TO VISIT
Church of S. Vicenzo It dates back to the 15th century and is part of the pattern of the other high Larian churches of the same age, with a single large nave with a beamed roof in sight set on three masonry arches that descend to the ground. To close the square presbytery with ribbed vaults, a grange frescoed wall descends open in the center by a triumphal round arch. The gabled facade has a round oculus in the upper part and two long acute trefoil windows on the side of the portal which was protected in later times by a pronaosu by two columns in "molera"
GRAVEDONA AND UNITI (52 KM)
HISTORY
Gravedona ed Uniti was formed only in 2011 from the merger of the three municipalities: Consiglio di Rumo, Germasino and Gravedona. Consiglio di Rumo is located on the right bank of the Liro and the agglomeration was created around the center of San Gregorio. Germasino is located on the slopes of Mount Cortafo and is crossed by the road that leads to the San Jorio pass, towards the Mesolcina Valley. Gravedona, the largest town, is one of the most important centers of the Upper lake. It rises between the slopes of the Sasso Pelo in the north and the plain of the Liro torrent in the south.
PLACES TO VISIT
In addition to being a pleasant holiday resort, Gravedona is appreciated for its architectural works, starting with the church of Santa Maria del Tiglio, a Romanesque work. Also interesting is the Parish Church of San Vicenzo, Palazzo Gallio and the Church of SS Gusmeo and Matteo up to the church and convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Germasino is a meticulous village with an original historic center within which the parish church of Saints Donato and Clemente was erected. A Consiglio di Rumo instead deserves the church of San Gregorio, in addition to the one dedicated to San Giovanni Battista in Brenzio.
GRIANTE (32 KM)
HISTORY
Over the years Griante has hosted famous people: Giuseppe Verdi composed the most beautiful arias of La Traviata in the quiet of Villa Ricordi (Villa Margherita). Stendhal set in this country much of his masterpiece: the Charteuse de Parme. Longfellow dedicated wonderful lyrics to Griante. Here are characters such as Queen Victoria of England, Nicholas II of Russia, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Prince Umberto of Savoy, Pope Pius XI and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer who called Griante "my second homeland". Many pages of modern history have been written in this small town overlooking Lake Como and which the Celts called 'Griant-Tir', the land of the sun. On the lake the town also includes the hamlet of Griante.
PLACES TO VISIT
Villa La Collina. Built by the Suardi family and became the summer residence of the German chancellor, Konrad Adenauer. Today it is home to a foundation and then there is Villa Margherita Ricordi which hosted Giuseppe Verdi. Parish church of Saints Nabore and Felice inside which two eighteenth-century paintings depicting the martyrdom of Saints Nabore and Felice, "The Last Supper" attributable to Gaudenzio Ferrari or his workshop and the "Madonna Assunta" by Alessandro Maganza, pupil of the Titian.
Finally, in Cadenabbia, the Anglican asked for it, it was built to meet the needs of the English community which began in the area during the 19th century and until the eve of the Second World War.
LAGLIO (16.3 KM)
HISTORY
It has Roman origins as confirmed by the discovery of a funeral plaque at the beginning of the last century. Between 1928 and 1948 it was a unique municipality with Brienno, but now the territory includes Laglio with the four hamlets: Germanello, Ossana, Soldino and Torriggia. It has always been a fishing village and still maintains its original structure. In the conflict between Como and Milan, the country allied itself with Como suffering the destruction of the inhabitants of the island. In the 15th century it became a fiefdom of Lucrezia Crivelli, until the lordship of Francesco Gallio in 1647.
PLACES TO VISIT
The country still maintains a strong tradition today: the "ax masters", real artists in the woodworking for pleasure boatbuilding. To visit the source "Buco dell’Orso", a karst cave with an opening at 670 meters above sea level, hundreds of meters deep and with an underground lake.
A symbol of the country is the pyramid of Joseph Frank, a funeral monument of the nineteenth century; the pyramid is intended to remind the doctor of the Habsburgs who fell in love with this village and decided to end his days looking at the beautiful shores of Lake Como.
San Giorgio, the parish church with stucco and friezes by Stefano Salterio and then the Oratorio dei Confratelli del Santissimo sacramento, on the right side of the parish church, with eighteenth-century decorations and an altarpiece, depicting the Madonna of the Rosary, by Carlo Innocenzo Carloni with its altar in stucco by Stefano Salterio. Laglio is also famous for the wonderful villas overlooking the lake. Including also something by George Clooney.
LAINO (32 KM)
HISTORY
The first findings date back to the Romanesque age, but the true evolution and dated Middle Ages. He participated in the war between Como and Milan and, in the XII century, it became a fief of the Trivulzio and in the XV century it passed to the Rusca up to the Maliani.
PLACES TO VISIT
Trails and paths through the mountains are a peculiarity of the village enriched by art and sacred places of great interest. Among the first stops, the Quaglio house with the facade of the '700 with, inside, numerous works of art. Artistic masterpieces also in the various private and municipal villas. Among the monuments of worship the parish church of San Lorenzo and the church of San Giuseppe built at the behest of the Quaglio family. The visit to Laino is completed with the castle and the church of San Vittore.
LEZZENO (21.4 KM)
HISTORY
Of Celtic-Ligurian origin, it was later annexed to Roman Italy. From the early Middle Ages and until 1780, Lezzeno was part of the "Pieve d'Isola" with all the events that followed. Federico Barbarossa put iron and fire on the island, plundering it with similar fate for his allies, including Lezzeno. Under the dominion of Como, Lezzeno in 1300 declared himself part of Ghibelline. In 1535 the Lezzenese were subjected to the empire of Charles V. The Spanish domination will last until 1736, when all of Lombardy was annexed to the Austrian empire, after the Napoleonic parenthesis, Lezzeno returned to the Austrian hand and thus remained until the Unita 'Italy.
PLACES TO VISIT
Parish Church of S. Quirico and Giulitta with the fresco of the Presbytery by Giulio Quaglio; next to the Parish Church, the Oratory of Santa Marta with the remains of 16th century frescoes And valuable stuccos from the 17th century. And then the Church of San Giuseppe built by the lake in the late 1600s. The walks in the numerous hamlets of Lezzeno offer particular historical and architectural features such as the 17th century Villa Citterio, surrounded by a beautiful public park overlooking the lake. The particular morphology of the Lezzeno area offers spectacular views with boat excursions to admire the various hamlets inhabited on the coast, the white cliffs of the Grosgalle and the Blue Grotto. Lezzeno is also appreciated for its gastronomic particularity: the “Missoltini”, lake fish (agoni) dried in the sun and cooked on the grill.
MENAGGIO (35 KM)
HISTORY
The origin of the first settlements dates back to prehistoric times, to the Neolithic age, as confirmed by the numerous archaeological finds. The first inhabitants had to be the Gauls who in 196 BC had to give way to the Roman advance, led by the consul Claudio Marcello. The toponym derives from a Latin personal Maenus with the addition of the suffix "anus" typical of predial or Menacius formations.
PLACES TO VISIT
Numerous are the villas of the exponents of the most noble Lombard families who, over the centuries, have chosen it as a privileged summer resort. Particularly rich is the sacred architectural heritage, which includes the parish church of Santo Stefano with three naves and richly frescoed. Also worth visiting is the church of San Carlo which opens onto a square surrounded by ancient walls. The church of San Giusto dedicated to San Brizio, just outside the town.
MOLTRASIO (9.2 KM)
HISTORY
Moltrasio was always a location favorable to human settlement due to the presence of dense vegetation and related game, a fishy shore and land suitable for agriculture. Especially for the Romans, then, the shores of the lake were sought after for the construction of villas and spas.
Immediately after the year 1000 Moltrasio experienced its heyday.
PLACES TO VISIT
Church of SS. Martino and Agata. The imposing stone facade, which stands on a narrow square, dates back to a recent expansion of the building. The church, already existing in 1207, preserves Romanesque remains in the stem of the bell tower.
It was remodeled in the 16th and 17th centuries and extended in 1935. The interior has a single large nave with four side chapels and a polygonal apse. At the time of the pastoral view of Bishop Lazzaro Carafino in 1632, the decoration of the two side chapels in the presbytery had already been completed.
PIANELLO DEL LARIO (50.8 KM)
HISTORY
In the early Middle Ages it belonged to the monastery of San Carpoforo di Como, as a royal court. Its denomination was "court of Musso" since it was inserted in that territory. The abbey palace, a castle surrounded by walls and equipped with a moat and a church, dedicated to San Martino, were a point of attraction in his life in the 14th century.
PLACES TO VISIT
The parish church, renovated in the 19th century, constitutes the most important element of the artistic heritage of the place; its cusp bell tower dates back to the fifteenth century, while in the second half of the fifteenth century the cross in gilded silver which is kept inside can be dated. A 17th century oratory and the Perpenti house, which underwent changes to the original structure, complete the picture of the historical and artistic heritage. The path along the hamlets is interesting. Sant'Anna is curious about the seventeenth-century church. The Tre Terre, Scarpagiano, Ravezzano and Cosilia. The first stop is at the church of the Madonna della Notte.
PIGRA (35.3 KM)
PLACES TO VISIT
The breathtaking view already makes tourists who dream of a little relaxation dream. Parish church of Santa Margherita. It has very ancient origins, the first documents date back to 1400 which led to the detachment from the parish of Castiglione d’Intelvi, eighty-six years later. Outside, on the facade, a prothyrum with two columns. It is found south of the country. Oratory of San Rocco. In the center of the village that dates back to the Risorgimento era. The facade is very simple and inside there are numerous decorations.
POGNANA LARIO (11.8 KM)
HISTORY
The first findings make a leap into the past, in Roman times, thanks to the discovery of tombs along the Rovasco stream. Even today in the central village there are medieval walls in the castle area. In the following centuries it was linked to the fief of Nesso.
PLACES TO VISIT
Parish church. The first stage of the Via Crucis to reach the church of San Rocco. The construction was carried out thanks to the Rebay family. There were several donations from the family. It has an ancient nave and wall paintings dating back to the 1800s.
Church of San Rocco; The facade dates back to the 1700s in Baroque style, a contrast with the interior that proposes archaic forms.
Church of San Miro. The origin is Romanesque and was dedicated to Saints Nazaro and Celso. The current building is evidence of the '400 although the bell tower is of the XI century mark.
PORLEZZA (43.3 KM)
HISTORY
It underwent the domination of the Gauls and the Romans, as evidenced by archaeological finds. It presumably owes its origin to its location, particularly favorable to exchanges and communications between the opposite shores of Lake Lugano. Belonging since the dawn of Christian civilization to the Milanese diocese rather than to the Como one, in the Middle Ages it was the seat of a parish church. Feudal court under king Berengario Il passed through the centuries through various lordships: Muttoni, Visconti, Lampugani, Medici, Este.
PLACES TO VISIT
The Romanesque oratory of San Maurizio (10th century), the center of the medieval courtyard, with mullioned bell tower (12th century), buried by a landslide in the 14th century, has recently been brought to light. The baroque parish church of San Vittore. The church of Santa Maria is worth a visit. A trip also in the hamlets: Rezzo, Palo, Tavordo and Begna, each one is a testimony of history.
SALA COMACINA (24.7 KM)
HISTORY
Over the years numerous finds were brought to light which underline and confirm its history. The link with the Middle Ages, on the other hand, led to relations with the Comacina Island, in the municipality of Sala. Always known as a fishing village, only today has it become an interesting and renowned tourist resort. A five-star landscape that summarizes the beauty of Lake Como.
PLACES TO VISIT
We start from the main square and admire the fresco that dates back to 1500. The parish church of San Bartolomeo still retains traces of its origins: a fifteenth-century relief (Crucifix) walled outside the apse and three frescoes already outside but torn and currently located in the presbytery. The first is a San Critoforo of considerable size, datable to the 14th century, it also dates back to Siputa, very close to Como, the Second Master of Santa Margherita, which we believe is also active in the crypt of the parish church of Lenno. A Sant’Antoni Abate is more archaic.
The current structure is the one against reformed with the apse rebuilt in 1703. The interior with a single nave is dominated by the works of art of the presbytery: the altarpiece (Madonna and Child with Saints) by Giovanni Mauro della Rovere the fiammenghino placed in the fourth decade of the seventeenth century; the contemporary wooden choir; The glory of San Bartolomeo frescoed on the vault by Carlo Carloni. There are also works of Baroque art along the walls of the basilica.
SORICO (59.5 KM)
HISTORY
The town, already in Romanesque times, was crossed by the Regina road that passed through Calchera where, in the Middle Ages, a shelter was made for pilgrims. There are still strong signs of fortification in the town today as it has always been an important route and a nerve center.
PLACES TO VISIT
Oratorio di San Fedelino is located at the foot of Mount Peschiera, on Lake Mezzola, at the point where the Mera Parrocchiale di Santo Stefano flows. It dates back to Romanesque times and in 1444 it became a parish and plebane from that of Olonio. Sanctuary of San Miro. It can only be reached on foot and dominates the town, as well as the lake. It is linked to the life of the saint. Bugiallo. In this hamlet there is the church of San Giovanni Battista. At the center of the village the oratory. Dascio. Here there is a newsstand from the Baroque era. Albonico. It overlooks the lake of Mezzola.
TORNO (6.9 KM)
HISTORY
The area was already inhabited in pre-Roman and imperial times. Center of ancient and troubled history, it has lived times of wealth and splendor and epochs of destruction and poverty, The tornaschi dealt with industry (cloth manufactures) and control the trade in transit on the first basin the trade in transit on the first basin of the Lario West. These activities led them to clash with the Comaschi who, after a looting of the city by the Swiss in 1515, destroyed it in 1522 allies with the Spaniards. In 1870, during dredging of the port, weapons were found dating back to naval battles that took place from the 13th to the 16th, now in the museum of Giovio di Como. In 1995 a spearhead was found which, restored and framed, is located in the town hall.
PLACES TO VISIT
Apart from the splendid panorama, there are several possible visits to sacred places. Church of S. Tecla, located on the lake on a pitch and directly on the port and dates back to 1480. Church of S. Giovanni Battista of the fourteenth century with a characteristic bell tower. Villa Pliniana one of the oldest Larian houses, was of interest to Pliny the Younger. In 1573 Count Anguissola built the villa in the south. Ugo Foscolo and Gioacchino Rossi stayed there.
TREMEZZINA (30.4 KM)
It is one of the last municipalities born in the province of Como from the merger. Since February 4, 2014 the municipalities of Lenno, Mezzegra, Ossuccio and Tremezzo constitute in fact the territory of Tremezzina. The municipality of Tremezzina was established for the first time in 1928, following the merger of the municipalities of Lenno, Mezzegra and Tremezzo. It was suppressed in 1947 and the pre-existing municipalities were reconstituted in its place.
PLACES TO VISIT
IN TREMEZZO- Villa Carlotta a place of rare beauty, the perfect combination of masterpieces of nature and art. Over 70 thousand square meters of gardens and museum structures. It dates back to 1600 and was the work of the Marquis Giorgio Clerici. Villa Amalia, built on a project by Pietro Lingeri on behalf of the Italian motorboat association Lario. With a ship shape overlooking directly on the lake. Parish church of S. Lorenzo. It dates back to the late 1700s. Also worth seeing is the funeral chapel of the Sommariva family, the church of San Bartolomeo, the church of S. Pietro a Volesio, the church of the black Madonna.
IN LENNO (27.4 KM) - Torre di Villa is the only one still existing although, according to historians, it was not erected for military reasons, but for the collection of taxes. It has rather late origins, the building underwent around 1960, a restoration intervention maintaining the suggestive aspect of ruin.
On the alpine road that leads from Alpe di Lenno to the Tremezzo Mountains there are a series of trenches and fortifications dating back to just before and during the First World War.
IN MEZZEGRA (29.7 KM) - Parish church of Sant’Abbondio. The church was rebuilt in the 1700s. Fortunately, the Romanesque and adjacent church was saved and adapted and as a parish house. The probable foundation of the ancient church dates back to 1100 and some of these remain now incorporated in the new church. During the seventeenth century the church underwent radical changes. As early as 1602 the oldest paintings had vanished and therefore the vaults were painted by Giovanni Antonio De Mattis. It was around 1630 that the altar was built and frescoes painted on the side walls. The so-called New Church was founded in 1702 and consecrated in 1724, while the bell tower was built between 1728 and 1746; the church was modernized in the Rococo style and the frescoes entrusted to Giulio Quaglio. There are several walks and enchanting places that characterize the municipality, also shared with the hamlet of Azzano.
OSSUCCIO (26 KM) - Numerous churches are located on the mainland: those of San Giacomo and Santa Maria Maddalena from the 11th-12th centuries; those of Saints Agata and Sisinio and San Benedetto of Romanesque origin and that of Sant’Eufemia. The sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso from the 16th century, later remodeled, is also important for the worship without the altar. Civil architecture also has some fine examples on the spot: Villa Balbiano, built in the 16th century.
OSPADALETTO - It is a rural center with the Maddalena church and villas along the coast. The church dates back to the mid-1100s and a long giuspatronato dei Giovo Combachi hospitium is annexed to it.
SPURANO - It is a fishing village with the Palazzo della Torre.
