Lake Como & Its Surroundings

By Catherine Richards

Franz Liszt lived on Lake Como. Pliny and Virgil lived here as well in Roman times and they called it the most beautiful place in the world. It hasn't changed. From the hills above the lake, you can see the Matterhorn in the distance. This is based on our

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hunter Publishing
• Release date: Oct 30, 2010
• ISBN: 9781588439802

Catherine Richards

Catherine is Head of English at a secondary school in Rotherham and has been writing since she could hold a pen. She met Luke and began writing this novel on the BBC Get Writing Forum.

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Lake Como & Its Surroundings

Catherine Richards

HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC.

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Maps by Kim André, Lissa Dailey & Toni Carbone

©  Hunter Publishing, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Brief extracts to be included in reviews or articles are permitted.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is correct, but the publisher and authors do not assume, and hereby disclaim, liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential problems caused by information in this guide, even if such errors or omissions are a result of negligence, accident or any other cause.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities contain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and companies disclaim any responsibility for any injury, harm, or illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every effort was made to insure the accuracy of information in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any liability for loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential travel problems caused by this guide, even if such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.

The Lakes

History

What to See

What to Do

Where to Go

When to Go

Lago di Como/Como Town

Location/Geography

Economy

The Climate

History

Practicalities

Getting Here

Getting Around

Shopping

What to See & Do

Como Town

The Villas

Around the Lake

Adventures

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

The Food of Lombardy & Como

Regional Cuisine

Nightlife

The Lakes

Perennially popular, a visit to one of Northern Italy's lakes never fails to delight. With views that inspired Roman poets and Renaissance painters, a host of 18th-century writers and 19th-century composers, the Italian and Swiss-Italian lakes are not to be rushed. Forget about doing the lakes in a week. These are places to savor, to discover and, above all, places to unwind. A week on one lake alone would never be sufficient, and it's no surprise that visitors return year after year to discover just a little more. If the beauty of the lakes were not enough, with their glass-like surfaces and the brightly-painted fishing villages huddled close to the shore, there's the backdrop of snowed-capped mountain peaks to inspire.

Then there's the climate – each lake is blessed with a micro-climate that allows palms, figs, olive trees, lemons and pomegranates to flourish. Lake Maggiore is known worldwide for its spring display of camellias, Lake Iseo for its olives and for the Franciacorta and its wines, while Lake Garda is famous for its lemons and olive oil. The gardens and parks on every lake delight garden-lovers and horticulturists the world over. The gardening heyday was undoubtedly the 18th and 19th centuries, as European aristocrats, royalty, composers, writers and a fair share of simply the very wealthy, escaped to the lakes for health or pleasure.

History

The Italian lakes lie across the ancient trade routes through the Alps, their geographic importance making them strategically vital for thousands of years.

After the Romans came the Franks, then the Hungarians. In the 10th century much of Lombardy fell to the great Otto I, King of the Saxons. The Middle Ages saw battle after battle, as Milan, Como and Venice fought it out. The 12th to 15th centuries was the era of the city states: Milan, under the Viscontis and the Sforzas, Verona, under the Scaligeri, and Venice. They slugged it out continually. After the feuds and intrigues of the early Renaissance, much of Lombardy fell to the Spanish under King Charles V in the early 16th century. In 1713, after the Spanish War of Succession, the Austrians took control of Milan and most of Lombardy. For the next 80 years or so, under the cultured Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II, Lombardy underwent great economic and cultural reform. Theaters, streets, parks and villas were built, the majority of which survive today. Then it was Napoleon's turn to dominate the region, a brief period at the turn of the 19th century, followed by the Austrians again, though this time with none of Maria Theresa's culture.

In the middle of the 19th century, the unification of Italy began, and the areas around the lakes saw bloody battles with tremendous loss of life. It wasn't until the latter half of the 19th century, and the early 20th century, that tourism took off. The lakes and the valleys beyond were discovered by the traveling British,