Travelinformation by Rosa Maria Lamberti

Fancy a Walk through Lecco on Lake Como

Cari amici, dear Lake Como friends. Do you know Lecco, in the very south of the eastern branch of Lake Como?

Most of you will say: of course. After all, Lecco is a provincial capital and also famous for the writer Alessandro Manzoni and his work The Betrothed.

But Lecco has to offer much more and I’d like to take you on a walk through Lecco and to introduce you a little closer to this beautiful town.

How to get to Lecco?

Lecco has two train stations and can of course also be reached by boat or bus. The fastest way is to drive by car on the SS 36, exit Lecco Lungolago. You drive directly along the lakeshore into the city. With a little luck you will find a (chargeable) parking lot there.

A City Between the Mountains and Lake Como

In the course of of its long and varied history Lecco has spread between the impressive Grigne mountains and Lake Como.

Walking under the shady trees along the beautiful lakeside promenade you can enjoy wonderful views of the city, the mountains and the lake.

On the opposite side of the street you’ll find the historic centre of Lecco, which runs parallel to the lakeshore. The old town with its beautiful old buildings and squares is really worth seeing. Also a part of the medieval city wall is still preserved.

The Historical Lecco

On the very central Piazza XX Settembre you will find many interesting buildings from the 19th century. I would like to mention especially the Palazzo delle Paure. A museum complex in which, besides an art gallery, there is also the technological, interactive mountaineer museum.

Here you can learn a lot of interesting things about mountaineering in Lecco and about the personalities who made it famous all over the world.

Close to Piazza XX Settembre is Piazza Garibaldi with the Teatro della Società, a wonderful example of the neoclassical style designed by the architect Giuseppe Bovara.

In the 14th century Torre Viscontea you find the Risorgemento Museum.
Continue to Piazza Cermenati, with the monument of Mario Cermenati, founder of the City Museums of Lecco.

There’s Got to be a Little Break

Here, in Piazza Cermenati, you should take a little break. A good option is the Pasticceria Pontiggia. When the weather is fine, you can enjoy your espresso and the divine Dolci on the Piazza with a view on Lake Como. For cooler days there is a comfortable pavilion.

The Basilica of San Nicolò

Freshly fortified, we walk on to the Basilica of San Nicolò, the widely visible landmark of Lecco. The Campanile of the church overlooks the whole city, as if to compete with the mountains.

At 96 metres, it is exactly the same height as Big Ben in London. Because of its special shape, the church tower is popularly called matitone, translated as the (large) pencil.

From ancient writings emerge that the church was already founded in the 7th century.

The original church building is also from this period, but was rebuilt again and again during the following centuries. Also the ground plan was changed. The present neoclassical façade dates from the 18th century.

There is much more to see

Our walk ends here at the Basilica, although there is much more to see. For example the cable car to the Piani d’Erna, the Piazza Manzoni, the Manzoni Villa, the different sights from Manzoni’s novel The Engaged etc.. And last but not least, Lecco is wonderful for shopping.

My tip:
If you liked it up to here, and you want to know more about the city and the province of Lecco, I recommend you the Comer See Reisehäppchen.

Tanti saluti e a presto
Rosa Maria Lamberti