Travel Guide Lac De Côme

The visitor who descends for the first time on the shores of Lake Como (Lario is his second name in Italian) cannot avoid being seized by the same wonder as Stendhal is still young officer. Romantic, romantic, rich in natural beauty as well as cultural, this corner of paradise enjoys a mixed climate at the foot of the Alps. The road along the west bank (Strada Regina) follows the same transalpine route marked by the Romans. A thriving region in the Middle Ages, it is in the seventeenth and eighteenth century that it acquired its international reputation as a resort, with the construction of sumptuous villas. With its toppled "Y" shape, Lake Comme is the third lake of Italy on the surface, but it is also the deepest. It is a glacial lake, which receives Adda north at the exit of Valteline Valley. The river springs from lake Lecco, at the southeastern tip. The wooded mountains surrounding the lake all fall apart in water, leaving little room for beaches. The road and the small bourgades have therefore hung on the banks in a sometimes acrobatic way. The essential local activity is not bathing, not recommended, but rather sailing and windsurf that exploit the impetuous winds in the morning and evening. Water skiing and outboard races are also very practiced. The western branch of the lake presents winding banks with golfers and kinds of calanques with beautiful villas, picturesque historic towns and a little more important. All of these localities share fast-paced venelles and small ports where it is not rare to see a lucia, a typical barrel topped with a woven wooden roof. The eastern shore is more uniformly vertical; here rises the small peninsula of Piona, where the Cistercian abbey of Santa Maria remains. Between the two branches of the lake is the peninsula of Bellagio, a little difficult because of the very narrow road along the coast. However, it is one of the most chic localities in the lake and certainly unavoidable, where you may have the opportunity to cross some Hollywood stars. TransportCar. Motorway A 9 (Autostrada dei Laghi). For the city of Como, exit "Como Centro" or Monte Olimpino. To continue along the west bank, exit "Lago di Como" and cross the coast on the SS 340. For Lecco and east coast communities, follow the SS 36 which also connects Milan.Train. Como, Lecco and the east bank are the only ones to be served by the train. To reach Como San Giovanni station (north), Milan-Como-Chiasso line from the central station in Milan (≈ 89 20 21 - www.trenitalia.it). Departing from Milano Cadorna (+800 500 005 - www.trenord.it), train every 30 min that serves all the stations between Como and Milan, arrival station Como Lago (facing the lake), the nearest to the city center.Boat. Navigazione Lago di Como (≈ 800 551 801/+39 031 57 92 11 - www.navigazionelaghi.it). Connections between all the towns of the lake, more frequent in high season (April-October). Possibility to cross the lake by vehicle and two wheels between Menaggio and Varenna, Bellagio and Cadenabbia.Bus. Regular bus lines to reach the communities on both shores from Como, Piazza Matteotti. A few lines: C 10 serves all cities between Como and Colico; C 30 Como-Bellagio; C 12 Menaggio-Lugano. Tickets between 1.30 and 5.80 € by distance, for sale at Piazza Matteotti kiosk (++39 031 247 311 - www.asfautolinee.it).