|
Bellagio is a must for anyone visiting Lake Como. Ferries cross hourly from Varenna, ten minutes by car or train from Lierna. During the summer months, ferries leave twice a day from Lierna's own landing stage. Click here for Ferry timetables. |
There are several historic villas open to the public around the lake. Perhaps the most famous is Villa Balbianello, directly in front of Bellagio, accessible on foot or by motor launch. It is famous for its beautiful gardens, as are Villa Melzi in Bellagio itself and Villa Carlotta in Tremenico, where there is a magnificent display of azaleas and rhododendrons each April. (The Grand Hotel has some nice pictures). In Varenna you can walk around the Villa Cipressi (actually a hotel) and Villa Monastero gardens
Further afield, Chiavenna is a pretty town to walk around. You can visit the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo with its baptesimal font made from the local oilstone, once the basis of a local industry, the Castle of the Counts Balbiani , the archaeology museum, the botanic gardens perched on crags overlooking the town and the fascinating Park of the Giant Potholes, a geological leftover from the Ice Ages. A great place to eat out and try local specialities such as dry cured beef, known as "bresaola" which is aged in the many crotti in and around the town.
Bergamo old city, still surrounded by 15th century walls, is famous for its historic piazzas and churches, such as Piazza Vecchia and Santa Maria Maggiore, remarkable for their Romanesque architecture and for their richly decorated interiors.
Sophisticated Como, like Milan, has a beautiful Duomo and all the Italian shops you could ask for. Como is the centre of the still thriving silk industry once providing employment and an income for many families in the Lake Como area. 10 minutes from Lierna at Abbadia you can visit a silk museum showing how silk was once spun. At Premana in the Valsassina there is, somewhat surprisingly for its mountain location, a stainless steel industry producing knives and scissors. Worth a visit is the Folk Museum.
Mandello, also 10 minutes from Lierna, is the home of Moto Guzzi motorbikes. If you fancy a spin, they are available for hire. In the summer months there's hardly a night goes by without some kind of festivity in the market square down by the lakeshore, to which visitors are always welcome.
If you're coming in the winter months, good skiing can be had at Bobbio in Valsassina (journey time 45 minutes), Madesimo(1¼ hours) and San Moritz (2 hrs) . At Cainallo (40 minutes), directly above Varenna, there is a nice nursery slope, very cheap ski hire and ski pass - just right for beginners.
Motorboats and rubber dinghies can be hired by the day at reasonable rates from "Nautico Gigio" based at Riva Bianca in Lierna. (No nautical license is required for boats up to 40hp).
Windsurfing is practicable from the beach near us at La Punta. Many windsurfers enjoy the conditions off Lecco in the mornings. Those without their own gear can hire from a company at Dervio further along the lake.
Fancy some water skiing? You can do it at Orso Maggiore, just south of Abbadia.
The mountains, the lake, the villages and people provide an inspiration for photographers and artists. The moods of the weather; the height of the sun; the form of the clouds provide an ever changing opportunity and challenge for artistic talents.
Watch chef Moreno prepare typical Lombardy dishes in his restaurant kitchen and then enjoy eating them in his restaurant. A fluent English speaker, he will answer any queries you may have. He provides transport to and from his charming restaurant "Il Caminetto" in the hillside village of Gittana.
