Lake Como
Set 1100m up a mountain and surrounded by pine forests, this delightful agriturismo offers awe-inspiring views of Lago di Mezzola. The delicious country cooking is full of farm products, including salami, sausages, rabbit, honey, jams and compotes, and is accompanied by wine from the farm's own cellars.
It's handy then that you can stay overnight, too (single/double €65/100).
17.78 MILES
Rising dramatically above the Old Town, this medieval stronghold is Bellinzona’s most visible icon. Head up Salita San Michele from Piazza Collegiata, or…
26.89 MILES
Ride the spectacular Corvatsch cable cars from Silvaplana-Surlej (1870m) to the Murtèl mid-station (2702m), then from Murtèl to the top – at a stunning…
17.59 MILES
On cloudless days, you can see Lake Maggiore from this 13th-century hilltop fortification. The fortress is one of Bellinzona’s most impressive with its…
18.43 MILES
A 1km walk along the (partially wooded) lake shore from Lenno's main square, Villa Balbianello has cinematic pedigree: this was where scenes from Star…
16.37 MILES
The star of the show on a lake shore not bereft of elegant touches, the Villa Carlotta is a fabulous fusion of neoclassical architecture and harmonious…
Santuario della Madonna del Sasso
28.79 MILES
Overlooking the town, this sanctuary was built after the Virgin Mary supposedly appeared in a vision to a monk, Bartolomeo d’Ivrea, in 1480. There’s a…
17.42 MILES
From central Bellinzona, it’s a 3.5km hike south to the Castello di Sasso Corbaro. Perched high on a wooded hillside, the castle has an austere beauty…
27.2 MILES
This elegant 18th-century villa on the banks of Lake Como was once home to composer Vincenzo Bellini is now an award-winning luxury hotel.
1.88 MILES
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…
5.29 MILES
High above Gravedona, this 15th-century stone church offers wonderful views of the lake and surrounding plains. The church protects some 17th-century…
3. Chiesa di Santa Maria del Tiglio
5.71 MILES
This square-based, late-12th-century church has an unusual bell tower (probably added later), which is octagonal at the top and rises from the centre of…
5.85 MILES
The Cistercian Abbazia di Piona has a magnificent setting on a promontory stretching out into Lago di Como. There's evidence that a small chapel was built…
8.4 MILES
Piazza Garibaldi is roughly cobblestoned and it's plain from its time-warped nature that nothing much has changed here down the centuries. Many of the…
10.24 MILES
A scenic stony beach located in Rezzonico. To reach the beach, look for the 13th-century stone castle, built by the Della Torre clan and largely intact …
11.46 MILES
Once an industrial centre, Bellano (5km north of Varenna) is a sleepy lakeside town with a singular sight: the Orrido, a powerful waterfall where the…
12.19 MILES
Soglio (1090m), a hamlet of 300 near the Italian border, faces the smooth-sided Pizzo Badile (3308m). Segantini claimed it was 'the gateway to paradise'…