Como Italy
Frequently Asked Questions
Boats set passengers down on the lakefront, a couple of steps from the historic centre. Arcades and squares follow immediately, and the Roman grid plan makes orientation easy.
Yes, easily. The Duomo, piazza San Fedele, the silk museum and the pedestrian streets can be covered unhurriedly in a morning. The Brunate funicular also leaves from the end of the lakefront.
The cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, begun in 1396 and only completed in 1744. Its facade blends Gothic tracery with Renaissance balance, while an eighteenth-century dome crowns the whole. Entry is free, which has become rare in Italy.
By funicular, at the end of the lakefront: about seven minutes to reach the village perched at 715 metres. Allow an hour and a half round trip, more if the view holds you, which it almost always does.
Its nickname, balcony of the Alps, is no exaggeration: the view plunges over the city rooftops, the notch of the lake and, on clear days, the Alpine chain as far as the snowy summits. Easy paths extend the walk between Liberty-style villas and hanging gardens.
From the fifteenth century the city grew rich weaving the silk that dressed Europe's courts, and the great fashion houses still source here. The silk museum displays looms, dyes and antique fabrics.
The pairing that works: the historic centre and the Duomo in the morning, then the Brunate funicular. A sailing to Bellagio takes a good hour each way: too long for a short call.
Yes, but count the time. Regular boats link nearby Cernobbio, or push on to Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio in the heart of the lake. Bellagio requires a good hour's sailing each way. Short calls should settle for the view from Brunate.
The euro and Italian; English is widely spoken in this area heavily visited by international travellers. Cards work everywhere, including for the funicular and lake boats.
The end-of-day ritual: residents come out to walk along the quays, with no particular destination. Joining in is probably the simplest activity on offer here, and one of the most pleasant. A gelato cone in hand completes the exercise.
