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Como – A Day Trip to the Capital of Lake Como

The proximity of the city of Como to the beautiful Lake Como on one side and Milan on the other has made it an attractive tourist destination for anyone visiting Northern Italy. In this not-so-large city, you’ll find many works of art, churches, gardens, museums, a theater, a park, and palaces. This perfect combination has already been discovered before you…

If you want a day (or more) that combines nature and scenery with architecture and culture, Como will give you the answer.

How to get there:

By train: From central Milan, at the Milano Cadorna train station, Piazzale Luigi Cadorna, trains depart almost every half hour to Stazione di Como Lago – the journey takes about an hour on direct trains. This is the rail network of https://www.trenord.it/en/ and you can book tickets according to the schedule on the website.

By car: Around the center of Como, which borders the lake, there are several large parking lots where you can park and spend the day walking comfortably and easily. For example: Viale Lecco, 9, Como – Parcheggio

What to do when you arrive in Como?

Assuming the weather is clear and the skies are blue, take the funicular railway (cable car) to get a view of the lake and the surrounding hills. The view is magnificent! Follow the brown signage towards the Brunate funicular to Brunate funicolare, and the address is: Piazza Alcide de Gasperi, 4

Como – Funicular

After that, stroll along the lakeside promenade Lungo Lario Trento, which leads to a charming public park. At the corner where the path bends left in the park, you’ll see an impressive Neoclassical building marked A VOLTA. This is the Tempio Voltiano, a museum dedicated to the memory of physicist Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the electric battery, who was born in the city. You can continue along the lakeside promenade, Passeggiata Lino Gelpi, sit on the benches, pass by the local sailing club, and arrive at the area of villas and gardens. At the end of the promenade, you will reach the gardens of Villa Olmo Parco di Villa Olmo, a large villa built in 1797 to serve as a summer retreat for European nobility. The villa was purchased by the municipality of Como in 1924 and is now open to the public only during exhibitions, while the gardens by the lake are freely accessible during the day.

The walk from the city center along the promenade to Villa Olmo takes about 25 minutes.

The main and large square at the entrance to the old city from the lake is called Piazza Cavour, and when standing in its center with your back to the lake, two parallel streets enter the heart of the old city from either side of the large hotel, Hotel Barchetta Excelsior. Take the left one – Via Caio Plinio Secondo, which will lead you to the cathedral square, Piazza del Duomo. The impressive cathedral of the city, with its turquoise domes, is one of the most beautiful buildings in northern Italy. Its construction began at the end of the 14th century and was completed only in the mid-18th century with a renewal of the dome in Baroque style. The church is made of white marble, featuring a rose window, Gothic spires, and sculptures that adorn it. Those interested can enter and admire the artworks inside. It closes during the week at noon but is open continuously on Saturdays and Sundays.

Como – Cathedral

The street continuing into the city is Via Vittorio Emanuele II, and you will actually enter a network of streets and alleys, bustling with boutique shops, cafes, delicatessens, restaurants, and plenty of wonderful Italian delights.

Another ancient church is located right in the center of the old district, Basilica di San Fedele, and in the square in front of it, Piazza S. Fedele, there is a long-standing bakery and café Pasticceria Aida to take a moment to relax with a cup of coffee and a fresh pastry.

The old part of the city is enclosed by ancient walls, of which you can still see some sections and the gates through which people once entered the city. You can recognize them by the stone towers that were watchtowers of the ancient walls.

Beyond the walls, along the main road from Viale Battisti to Viale Varese, Como’s weekly market operates on Tuesday and Thursday mornings (8:00 AM to 1:00 PM) and on Saturdays all day (until 6:00 PM). This is a market with stalls selling clothing, household linens, various items, food, and beverages.

And speaking of markets, Como hosts a large and colorful Christmas market from late November to early January, at the entrance to the old city, in Piazza Cavour and all the adjacent alleys. Don’t forget!!!

In addition to a pleasant walk in the city and the park along the lake, you can also take a boat ride from Como to other points on the lake. Of course, for this, sunny and clear weather is required. The dock from which the boats depart is located right in front of Piazza Cavour – Lungo Lario Trento

Where to sail? In the end, it doesn’t really matter because everything is beautiful! Wherever you sail, enjoy the view of the well-groomed towns that have attracted European nobility and international celebrities over the years, who built villas or holiday homes along the shores.

Here you can choose and find the schedules to various destinations around the lake, and there is also information about each place.

A strong recommendation is to sail to Bellagio, which is located right in the middle of the lake at the junction of the two arms of the lake, and besides being beautiful, it offers an amazing view north towards the Alps.

Recommended restaurants in the city of Como where you should reserve a spot in advance: