Como is a picturesque town in northern Italy located on the bank of a huge lake with the same name. Coming from noisy big cities, here you can put your soul at rest. And since the city is very small, all its attractions are gathered almost in one place.
Lake Como is an hour's drive from Milan, so you can easily get there by train or bus.
First of all, you should come to the waterfront. On one side you will see a beautiful lake, framed by the green hills and, on the other side, there is Downtown that deserves special attention. Right in the middle of it, you can find the pier and ticket offices. Would you like to go boating in the lake? Take a ticket and go ahead!
When you come to the breakwater going into the lake, you will see an interesting composition, "Life Electric", dedicated to the famous scientist of the XIX century, Alessandro Volta. It appeared here quite recently, in 2015. By the way, in the city park there is a museum also named after him. It looks very picturesque especially in summer.
The Cathedral, Duomo di Como is a defining local landmark. This majestic church is referred as an icon of the city. It is a perfect example of Gothic church style and, by the way, its construction began back in the XIV century. The square with the same name in front of the cathedral is also remarkable.
Broletto Palace, the residence of the governors of Como, is a well - preserved architectural monument that is, for sure, worth a visit, if you are in this city at least once. The palace was built in the XV century. It is definitely a Gothic construction, but has noticeable Renaissance influence.
Porta Torre. There are surprisingly many well-preserved buildings in Como that date back to the Middle Ages. For example, here you can see a defensive tower of the Romanesque style of the late XII century. Despite its few centuries age, all the 4 floors of it look harsh and unapproachable. Of course, the monument has been very well looked after, but, still, it is very impressive.
Silk Museum. Como is remarkable not only due to its gorgeous views, but also due to its excellent silk. Silk has been manufactured in the surroundings of the city for already 500 years. So, these lands have something to be proud of. There is a museum, located at Via Castelnuovo, 9. You can visit it from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturday the place is open only until 1 p.m. One ticket is €10.
After visiting the museum you can just wander around this very picturesque city in its Downtown, which is surprisingly beautiful without any exaggeration. It is also very green at any time of the year, even in winter.
Funicular. In clear weather, a fantastic view opens from the top of the hill in Brunate, where you can climb with a cable-car Funicolare Como-Brunate. Its entrance is at Piazza Alcide de Gasperi, 4 and it is open from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on Saturday.
The cost of a round trip is €5.50.
Ferry
cars on Lake Como
You can use a ferry with a day ticket for €25 and take a ride to see the resort villages located on the lake - Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna. Take 1-2 hours walk in each town and return in the evening.
