Lago di Como's northernmost towns of Dongo, Gravedona and Sorico once formed the independent republic of the Tre Pievi (Three Parishes) and were a hotbed of anti-Catholic heresy. Now they’re more popular with water-sports enthusiasts than Inquisitors, with Sorico the most northerly of the towns guarding the mouth of the Mera. The river flows into shallow Lago di Mezzola, once part of Lago di Como and now a bird-breeding nature reserve.
Follow the path of the river to the tiny Oratorio di San Fedelino, with its 1000-year-old fresco of Christ and the Apostles. It’s only accessible on foot or by boat from Sorico. The C10 bus provides service from Sorico to Como (two hours), stopping at towns along the lake's west side.