Must see
A selection of villas, gardens, churches, walks and villages around Lenno. Many places can only be admired from outside, which is part of their charm. Tap “Find out more” on any card for details.
Villas and gardens
Villa del Balbianello (Lenno)
The villa on the tip of the Dosso di Lavedo peninsula, a film location, with a panoramic loggia over the lake. Reached on foot from Dolcelago (about 1 km from the centre of Lenno, uphill) or by water taxi from Lido di Lenno.Find out moreCloseBuilt in the 18th century on the tip of the Dosso di Lavedo and now run by the FAI, it is one of the most photographed villas on the lake, with a loggia overlooking the water on both sides. Films such as “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” and “Casino Royale” were shot here. From Dolcelago you can walk there: from the centre of Lenno the path is about 1 km long, uphill and partly unpaved (about 25 minutes), not suitable for pushchairs. Alternatively there is a water taxi from Lido di Lenno. Book online and check the FAI website for opening days, including the pedestrian entrance.
Villa Carlotta (Tremezzo)
Museum and large botanical garden overlooking the lake. You can also walk there from Dolcelago, or take the local bus or the ferry (“Tremezzo – Villa Carlotta” stop).Find out moreCloseNeoclassical villa with a museum and a large terraced botanical garden, known for its azaleas and rhododendrons and for plants from around the world. You can also walk there from Dolcelago, along the lake or on the Greenway, or take the local bus or the ferry to the “Tremezzo – Villa Carlotta” stop, about 400 m from the entrance.
Villa Sola Cabiati (Tremezzo)
Neoclassical palace also known as “La Quiete”, once owned by the Serbelloni family, with its façade and park on the lake. Not open to visitors: admire and photograph it from outside, along the Greenway.Find out moreCloseThe neoclassical palace, also called Villa La Quiete, was built in the 17th century by the Duchess of Carretto and later passed to the Brentano and Serbelloni families, who enlarged and remodelled it; the 1813 façade is by architect Francesco Bernardini Ferrari. The pediment bears the Serbelloni coat of arms. It cannot be visited, but you can see it when walking between Lenno and Tremezzo, on the stretch of the Greenway that passes through Bolvedro.
Villa del Balbiano (Ossuccio)
Historic Giovio family mansion between the Dosso di Lavedo and Comacina Island, rebuilt in the 17th century by Abbot Gallio. Private: view it from outside.Find out moreCloseBetween the Dosso di Lavedo and Comacina Island, in Ossuccio, it is one of the lake’s most important historic mansions. It belonged to the Giovio family: in 1537 the historian Paolo Giovio describes it as fallen into ruin, and in 1637 Abbot Marco Gallio had it restored, reshaping the façade and adding richly decorated portals. It is private property: admire it from the lake or from outside.
Villa Melzi gardens (Bellagio)
The English-style garden on the lakefront, a short walk from the Bellagio landing stage.Find out moreCloseVilla Melzi’s English-style garden stretches along the Bellagio shore, with shady avenues, ponds and rare plants. The neoclassical villa can be admired from the garden, which offers wonderful lake views. It is a few minutes’ walk from the Bellagio landing stage.
Villa Serbelloni gardens (Bellagio)
Terraced park with rare and exotic plants at the tip of Bellagio. Open only on guided tours.Find out moreCloseThe villa’s park, on the tip of Bellagio, descends in terraces towards the lake among rare and exotic plants, with views over both branches of the lake. It can only be visited on a guided tour; information and booking at the Bellagio tourist office.
Villa Monastero (Varenna)
Former convent on the lakeshore, now a house museum with a botanical garden along the water.Find out moreCloseFounded around the year 1100 as a Cistercian convent, the villa was later turned by its owners into an eclectic-style residence. Today it is a house museum surrounded by a botanical garden with plants from all over the world; a magnolia leans out over the water. In the 19th century it hosted artists, musicians and writers.
Villa Olmo (Como)
Como’s most majestic neoclassical villa, with a large lakeside park and temporary exhibitions. Worth seeing even from outside, along the lakeside promenade.Find out moreCloseConsidered the most majestic villa on the lake, it was begun in the late 18th century and completed in 1812 by the Odescalchi marquesses. Since 1925 the municipality of Como has used it for cultural events and exhibitions. It has a large park on the lake and is an easy walk from central Como along the lakeside promenade.
Villa Saporiti – La Rotonda (Como)
Neoclassical villa with a round central hall that hosted Napoleon in 1797, now the seat of the Province. Best photographed from outside, on the Borgovico lakefront.Find out moreCloseKnown as “La Rotonda” for its circular central hall, it was built in neoclassical style in the late 18th century and named after Marquess Saporiti, who bought it in 1858. Napoleon was hosted here in 1797. Since 1950 it has been the seat of the Province of Como: admire it from outside, with its lakefront exedra, on Via Borgovico.
Churches and culture
Sacro Monte of Ossuccio and the Madonna del Soccorso sanctuary
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003: 14 chapels built between the 16th and 18th centuries along the climb to the sanctuary. A beautiful walk on foot from Dolcelago, with a wonderful view.Find out moreCloseThe Sacro Monte of Ossuccio is one of nine pre-Alpine Sacred Mountains made UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2003. Its 14 chapels, built between the 16th and 18th centuries along Viale del Santuario, depict the Mysteries of the Rosary. At the top, about 400 m up, the Madonna del Soccorso sanctuary holds a white marble statue and a painting dated 1501. It can only be reached on foot: from Dolcelago it is a beautiful walk, with a wonderful view over the lake and Comacina Island.
Santa Maria Maddalena (Ossuccio)
The Romanesque bell tower with its Gothic-Moorish spire is considered a symbol of the lake.Find out moreCloseThe Romanesque bell tower, topped by a later Gothic-Moorish spire, is considered one of the symbols of the lake. It stands in Ospedaletto di Ossuccio.
Chiesa di San Giacomo (Spurano, Ossuccio)
Twelfth-century Romanesque church on the shore with a sail-shaped bell tower, directly facing Comacina Island. Reached on foot along the Greenway.Find out moreCloseA small gem of Como Romanesque architecture, it dates from the 12th century and has a distinctive sail-shaped bell tower. It stands on the shore at Spurano, Via Provinciale 16, directly opposite Comacina Island, and can be reached on foot along the Greenway, roughly halfway along the route.
Santo Stefano, crypt and baptistery (Lenno)
Lenno’s Romanesque church preserves an 11th-century crypt, with cross vaults and Carolingian and Romanesque capitals. Next to it, the octagonal San Giovanni baptistery.Find out moreClose
In Lenno, on Piazza XI Febbraio, the Romanesque church of Santo Stefano stands on the remains of an early Christian building and was modified in the 16th and 17th centuries. Of the oldest building only the 11th-century crypt remains, trapezoidal in plan, covered by cross vaults resting on eight slender pillars with Carolingian and Romanesque capitals. Next to it stands the octagonal San Giovanni baptistery.
Comacina Island
The lake’s only island, with ruins of early basilicas and the Antiquarium museum. Reached by boat; an entrance fee applies.Find out moreCloseThe lake’s only island holds the remains of a basilica with its crypt, several medieval churches and old walls, plus the Antiquarium museum in a 12th-century hospital building. The island also has the Artists’ Houses, rationalist buildings by Pietro Lingeri. It is reached by boat (public ferry or water taxi) and an entrance fee applies.
Walks and views
Lake Como Greenway
A pleasant walk of about 10 km through seven villages, just a few metres from Dolcelago. You can do it in stages, returning by bus.Find out moreCloseThe Greenway is a pleasant hike of about 10 km (6 miles), with plenty to see in every season. It runs through Colonno, Sala Comacina, Ossuccio, Lenno, Mezzegra, Tremezzo and Griante and passes just a few metres from Dolcelago. You don’t have to do it in one go: you can walk it in stages and come back by bus. Along the way you pass the ancient Strada Regina, Romanesque churches, villas such as Balbianello and Carlotta, and Teresio Olivelli park in Tremezzo.
San Benedetto in Val Perlana
Loop hike from Dolcelago: the Sacro Monte of Ossuccio, the Romanesque monastery of San Benedetto and the Acquafredda Abbey (about 4¼ hours, for fit walkers).Find out moreCloseA walk rich in history and art that starts right from Dolcelago: you climb to Ossuccio along the Via Crucis of 14 chapels (built between 1635 and 1714) up to the Madonna del Soccorso sanctuary, then enter the Perlana Valley as far as the monastery of San Benedetto (817 m), among pine and larch woods. The monastery dates from the 11th century and its church is an important example of Romanesque architecture; the monks left in 1298, and every year on 1 May the local people gather there for Mass. On the other side of the valley the path descends towards the lake and passes the Acquafredda Abbey, founded in 1153 by the Cistercian monk Enrico of Morimondo Abbey, with the church of Santa Maria dell’Uliveto frescoed by Fiammenghino. Then you return to Lenno. About 4¼ hours in all, 600 m of ascent, with some steep climbs and descents.
San Martino (Griante)
A small white church “glued” to the hillside above Cadenabbia and Griante: a walk up through alleys, fields and woods.Find out moreCloseA small white church that seems glued to the slope above Cadenabbia and Griante. From Cadenabbia climb to Griante through the old village lanes, then from Piazza San Rocco follow the blue San Martino signs through fields and woods.
San Domenico (Breglia)
Panoramic chapel at about 800 m, perched above the lake, on an easy loop from Breglia (3 km, about 1 hour) that continues to the Madonna di Breglia sanctuary.Find out moreCloseThe little chapel, at about 800 m, juts out over the lake and offers a view over the centre of the lake: Menaggio with Monte Crocione, Bellagio with Monte San Primo and the Corni di Canzo, Varenna with the Grigne. The loop starts in Breglia (a hamlet of Plesio, reachable by bus, with free parking near the church of San Gregorio): a track through chestnut woods leads to the chapel, then a forest path and a meadow reach the Madonna di Breglia sanctuary, with its stairway and 14 Stations of the Rosary. The return is along an easy lane. About 3 km, 1 hour, easy, 80 m of ascent.
Rifugio Menaggio and Monte Grona
Climb from Breglia to a mountain hut at 1,400 m on the southern slope of Monte Grona, with spectacular views of the lake and mountains (1 hour 45 minutes, steep).Find out moreCloseRifugio Menaggio (1,400 m) stands on the southern slope of Monte Grona and offers a spectacular view of Lake Como and the surrounding mountains. The walk starts in Breglia (by car, or by bus from Menaggio, the same starting point as the San Domenico loop): the climb is steep, about 1 hour 45 minutes with 650 m of ascent, on a trail marked red-white-red. From the hut, in about 15 minutes, you reach the Pizzo a Coppa viewpoint, with views over the lake, the Menaggio valley and Lake Piano and Lake Lugano. Experienced, well-equipped walkers can continue to the summit of Monte Grona (1,736 m), the chapel of Sant’Amate (1,623 m) or Monte Bregagno (2,107 m).
Villages and towns on the lake
Bellagio
The “pearl of the lake”, at the tip of the Lario triangle. By ferry from Lenno, changing at Cadenabbia or Menaggio depending on the timetable.Find out moreCloseAt the tip of the Lario triangle, it is called the “pearl of the lake” for its stepped lanes, villas and gardens such as Villa Melzi and Villa Serbelloni. From Lenno it is reached by ferry, with a change depending on the timetable.
Varenna
Fishing village on the eastern shore, with Villa Monastero and its lakeside promenade.Find out moreCloseFishing village on the eastern shore, with colourful houses on the water, a lakeside promenade and Villa Monastero. Reached by ferry.
Menaggio
Small town with a lakefront and a lively square, close to Lenno and linked by ferry.Find out moreCloseLively small town with a lakefront, a little harbour and a central square, not far from Lenno and linked by ferry.
Como
The provincial capital, with the Cathedral and the walled old town. By ferry from Lenno or by local bus.Find out moreCloseThe lake’s main city, with the Cathedral, the walled old town and lakeside villas such as Villa Olmo and Villa Saporiti. From Lenno it is reached by ferry or local bus.
Events and traditions
Tuesday market in Lenno
Weekly market on the lakefront, mornings only.Find out moreCloseEvery Tuesday morning the Lenno lakefront fills with stalls. It runs in the morning only, a few minutes’ walk from the house.
Day trips
Lugano (Switzerland)
Swiss city on Lake Lugano, with a lakeside promenade and an old town of narrow lanes. Bring an ID card or passport.Find out moreCloseElegant Swiss city on Lake Lugano, with a lakefront, squares and a historic centre. You need an ID card or passport to enter Switzerland.
Bergamo
Upper and Lower Town: art, history and food, enclosed by the UNESCO-listed Venetian Walls.Find out moreCloseBergamo is one of the most fascinating cities in Lombardy, famous for the striking contrast between the modern Lower Town and the historic Upper Town, enclosed by the imposing Venetian Walls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strolling through squares and medieval lanes, with breathtaking views, you can discover art, history and an excellent culinary tradition on a pleasant day trip.
Milan
The Cathedral, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, La Scala theatre and Leonardo’s Last Supper in Santa Maria delle Grazie (book well in advance).Find out moreCloseThe Cathedral, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, La Scala theatre and, in Santa Maria delle Grazie, Leonardo’s Last Supper, which must be booked well in advance.
St. Moritz (Switzerland)
Famous Engadine resort between lake and mountains, known for winter sports. Bring an ID card or passport.Find out moreCloseRenowned resort in the Engadine, Switzerland, between lake and mountains, known for winter sports. You need an ID card or passport to enter Switzerland.