Vigorous vegetation surrounds this popular holiday resort which, with its small charming villages lying as on a string of pearls, offers romantic hours. The lake is the third largest lake in Italy and is located in the Lombardy region in the northern part of the country.
In the course of times, the lake and its surroundings have inspired writers and poets, e.g. the English poet Wordsworth who was completely wrapped up with its beauty.

The landscape at Lake Como

The vegetation of the area is rich and varied, and in combination with the deep blue water and the surrounding tall mountains, the landscape appears idyllic and picturesque. 

Large cities by Lake Como: Como and Bellagio

You will find many shops, interesting streets and nice restaurants as well as all sorts of entertainment in the city Como. Interesting architecture is, among others, the Roman Chiesa di Sant´Abbondio with its beautiful frescos from the 15th century as well as numerous magnificent villas from the 19th century.

Bellagio is certainly worth a visit, not least because many people call it the most beautiful city of Italy. You cannot deny that the city is impressive, but we may leave it to the individual to decide whether this is a correct statement. Visit one of the exquisite restaurants or stroll through the narrow and steep streets and enjoy the wonderful flowers, magnificent villas or pompous hotels.

Tourist attractions by Lake Como

Experience the Duomo – or the cathedral that by its walls is showing parts of the historical development, the Gothic as well as the Renaissance.

In the small village, Tremezzo, you will find Villa Carlotta, a museum of Baroque sculptures from the 18th century with a fantastic park of 14 hectares.

In Menaggio, you can enjoy a relaxing visit in one of the many cafes on the central square, Piazza Garibaldi. From here, there are boat trips so you can explore the lake from one end to the other.

Sports activities by Lake Como

You can go with a cable car from Como to the mountain top, Brunate, from where there are possibilities of trekking. 
Furthermore, Menaggio is a good starting point for hiking and cycling in the area.  Here, it is also possible to do water-skiing as well as other water sports activities.
Furthermore, the area offers activities such as underwater fishing, horseback riding, golf and tennis playing.

Gastronomic characteristics of the area around Lake Como

The local specialities from the area offer something to everybody’s liking. Among others, we recommend fish dishes based on fresh fish from the lake (agoni, trout, lavarello and  misoltini).

The climate by Lake Como

The climate of the area is generally mild; in the summer, the average temperature reaches approximately 30 degrees in the daytime, a heat that is always comfortable because of the fresh breezes from the mountains surrounding the lake.

Some of the photos are kindly lent out from the Italian Tourist Office. Photographer: Fototeca ENIT.