Why Lake Como Should Be Your Next Destination – And Not Just for George Clooney
Fifth in population after Milan, Brescia, Monza, and Bergamo (in 2015, 84,394 inhabitants were counted), the municipality of Como overturns the ranking in the tourist sense by placing itself in first place among Lombard attractions, thanks to its very particular position. The city shines on the lake that takes its name from it—the Lake Como, of course—immersed in a natural setting characterized by blue waters and vibrant greenery, plains, and hills, all under the shadow of Mount Brunate. The elegant city center opens up in the embrace of a valley on the border with Switzerland, just over 40 km from Milan.
Historical Background of Como
Historically, Como developed starting from the 7th century BC, when the municipality we know today was a simple proto-urban district subjected to Gallic and later Roman rule, under which it became a Municipium in 49 BC. The Middle Ages marked a new chapter in the history of Northern Italy by placing Como ahead of Milan in the Ten-Year War (1118 – 1127), with a total defeat for the former, destroyed and emptied of its inhabitants.
Revenge on the enemy came thanks to the alliance with Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, which allowed Como, in 1158, to repair its walls, strengthen defenses, and participate in the destruction of Milan in 1162. Passing from Visconti and Sforza domination during the 15th century to shared fate with the Duchy of Milan and the Lombardy-Veneto Kingdom, Como was eventually liberated by the Alpine Hunters led by Giuseppe Garibaldi. The 19th century, and spanning into the next, was full of satisfactions, especially in the scientific field: in 1899, a large Volta Exhibition celebrated the centenary of the invention of the battery by Alessandro Volta, a brilliant local citizen. The International Congress of Physics in 1927, organized in the city, became an official watershed of quantum mechanics, further ennobling the Lombard municipality, which later hosted Albert Einstein in 1933 and Enrico Fermi in 1949.
Como Today
Contemporary Como, lively and very liveable, enjoys a significant tourist flow, fostering a flourishing economy and continual improvement of resources. The territory boasts so much to see, constantly optimized by the desire to enhance a truly rich environment. Architectural structures create a harmonious urban fabric both in the center and in the outskirts, full of religious buildings and examples of civil architecture of authoritative design.
Religious Architecture in Como
The three magnificent Romanesque basilicas, San Carpoforo (Como’s first cathedral), Sant’Abbondio (remarkable with its pronounced apse, twin bell towers, and myriad columns inside), and San Fedele (with a choir decorated with fantasy-themed sculptures by the Magistri Cumacini), immediately catch the eye of visitors.
The churches of Sant’Agostino and San Giacomo, along with the Sanctuary of the Santissimo Crocifisso, surround the imposing Duomo, the current Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. This impressive construction, 87 meters long and 75 meters high considering the dome, is designed with a Latin cross plan with three naves and a transept. The Gothic façade is divided into four pilasters that mark the different structural parts, including three richly decorated entrance portals, sculpted and adorned with iconographies of saints that accentuate their sacred character. Inside, the church features frescoes, paintings, and statues, including the Balbiani Vegezzi-Bossi pipe organ opus 1519, an incredible instrument dated 1932 with four pedal keyboards, 69 registers, and a total of 6,515 pipes, with an entirely electric transmission system.
Civil Architecture in Como
Turning our attention to civil architecture, one cannot miss the symbols of Como’s civil engineering heritage, represented by a series of buildings that add to the charm of the city. Broletto, the old town hall, stands alongside Villa Olmo (built by the Odescalchi family on the western shore of Lake Como), the Tempio Voltiano, Palazzo Novocomum (a pioneering multi-storey residential building), the Casa del Fascio, the Asilo Sant’Elia, and the Monument to the Fallen.
These last examples are the works of the brilliant architect Giuseppe Terragni.
The Medieval Legacy and Lake Como
The itinerary also takes in Como’s Medieval Architecture, including the Walls of Como and, above all, Castel Baradello, which dominates the town from an elevated position on the hill of the same name. It features a beautiful Romanesque square tower. Beyond the architectural wonders, the great pride of Como remains its lake, offering various ideal routes for sports enthusiasts and those who prefer cultural experiences alike. Nature lovers can fully enjoy the lake’s serene environment, enhanced by well-equipped navigation lines.
Over the years, the lake oasis has attracted many famous people to purchase villas and estates overlooking the water, such as Hollywood actor George Clooney, who is occasionally spotted on the streets of the city. The atmosphere of Como is completed by its folklore, with numerous religious traditions such as the patronal feast of Sant’Abbondio on August 31, the veneration of the Holy Crucifix on Good Friday, the Feast of San Giovanni Battista around June 24, and the Feast of Sant’Antonio Abate on January 17.
The many events held in Como, such as the Como Città della Musica Festival, Autunno Musicale, September Palio del Baradello, and the Lake Como Festival, further solidify the city’s growing tourism sector. This tourism boom, particularly among foreign visitors, is drawn by the peaceful setting and lake beaches, and is complemented by an economy strongly supported by textile exports—thanks to the highly efficient silk industry and the Educational Silk Museum of Como—and by silver processing.
