History · Lake Como · Italy
7 historic sites to see in Lake Como
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Villa Monastero, Castello di Vezio and Como Cathedral. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 8–9 hours across 4 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 8–9 hours
- Areas
- Varenna, Como and Tremezzina (Tremezzo and Lenno)
Historic sites in Lake Como
Garden · Varenna
1.Villa Monastero
A house museum shows furnished rooms from its time as a private residence.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Couples
- History
Castle · Varenna
2.Castello di Vezio
The terrace looks down on Varenna, Bellagio and the central lake, and the castle hosts falconry displays with birds of prey.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours including the walk
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- History
- Active
- Outdoors
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Religious site · Como
3.Como Cathedral
Inside are 16th-century tapestries and paintings by Bernardino Luini and Gaudenzio Ferrari. Statues of Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, both born in Como, flank the main door.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Museum · Como
4.Tempio Voltiano
It displays his original instruments and documents, and sits at the start of the promenade to Villa Olmo.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Island · Tremezzina (Tremezzo and Lenno)
5.Isola Comacina
Small boats shuttle across in a few minutes in season, and the island's single restaurant serves a long-running fixed menu.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · Tremezzina (Tremezzo and Lenno)
6.Sacro Monte di Ossuccio
It is one of the nine Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy listed together by UNESCO, and the climb gives views over Isola Comacina.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Views
- Off the beaten path
- Active
Religious site · Colico
7.Abbazia di Piona
The monks' shop sells herbal liqueurs and honey, and the walk out along the peninsula is quiet and wooded.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Architecture
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Varenna | Villa Monastero and Castello di Vezio | 1–1.5 hours + 1.5 hours including the walk |
| Como | Como Cathedral and Tempio Voltiano | 45 minutes + 45 minutes |
| Tremezzina (Tremezzo and Lenno) | Isola Comacina and Sacro Monte di Ossuccio | 1–2 hours + 1.5 hours |
| Colico | Abbazia di Piona | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 3 free, 4 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Isola Comacina; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Varenna and Como): Villa Monastero → Castello di Vezio → Como Cathedral → Tempio Voltiano, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Tremezzina (Tremezzo and Lenno) and Colico): Isola Comacina → Sacro Monte di Ossuccio → Abbazia di Piona, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 5 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Still low season with a reduced ferry timetable; a quiet month for Como city and walks, with snow on the peaks.
- January: highs of 7°C (45°F), about 6 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold and quiet; many central-lake hotels, restaurants and villa gardens are closed, but Como city carries on and clear days give sharp mountain views.
- November: highs of 11°C (52°F), about 9 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Grey and damp, with many villas and hotels closed for the winter and a reduced ferry service.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Varenna — Pastel houses, a lakeside walkway and a railway station on the eastern shore
- Tremezzina (Tremezzo and Lenno) — Grand hotels, Villa Carlotta and the Greenway path along the western shore
- Como — A walled old town, the cathedral and the funicular at the southern tip
More of Lake Como
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Lake Como?
Villa Monastero. A former Cistercian convent turned villa, Villa Monastero has a long, narrow botanical garden of about two kilometres following the shore south of Varenna, with citrus, palms, agaves and lake views.
+Which of these are free in Lake Como?
Como Cathedral, Sacro Monte di Ossuccio and Abbazia di Piona.