An ode to Lake Como

A glacial lake in Lombardy, Italy, Lake Como is a big draw for its easy elegance and the Italian art of slow living, writes Devapriya Sanyal.

One of the reasons why one must visit the Como district besides the fact that it is immensely picturesque and one of the largest freshwater lakes in Italy is the fact that it was here that Mary Shelley wrote her celebrated novel Frankenstein, one of the greatest literary works in Western literature.

If you happen to visit Milan for whatever reason, chief among which may be simply shopping, you must plan a day trip to the town of Como. It is a short 45-minute drive from the capital of the Lombardy district, Milan. Once there, an added bonus is a cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria Maggiore completed in 1770, which is gorgeous, to say the least.

After you visit the cathedral, which can be a short one, admiring the Gothic structure or a long one if you wish to attend a service, you can wander the streets and shop from the myriad shops lining the narrow alleyways, including fresh vegetables and fruits. If you haven’t had time to eat your breakfast you can gorge on delectable pastries, bread and slices of pizzas available in one of the many bakeries dotting the narrow bylanes lain with cobbled stones.

After an hour’s worth of visit in the town of Como, we headed to the island of Bellagio, which is a must-see but more of that later. The drive to the island from the mainland is lined with the blue steely cold waters of Lake Como on your right and tall, craggy rocks on your left. You may get a crick in the neck looking from one side to another, impatient to catch the fleeting gorgeous scenery on your DSLR or phone camera. As we drove along the lake, I marvelled at the huge expanse of Lake Como whose waters are fed by the melting snows of the Alps and stretch a good 146 sq km making it the third largest lake in Italy.

The mist started descending from the mountains and while it was thrilling all the time, I was thinking of the unfolding game between Mary Shelley and Lord Byron who challenged her to tell a ghost story which finally ended in the creation of Frankenstein. The rolling mist gathering at the foothills of the mountains also meant that I would miss seeing some of the sprawling and luxurious villas facing Lake Como. The ones I caught a glimpse of included a large villa in startling white surrounded by pristine green rolling lawns owned by the Pirellis, the tyre tycoons.

On the way to catching the ferry to Bellagio, we got caught in heavy rains but thankfully it didn’t last long and we set off on a ferry that helped me take stock of the enfolding scenery which looks straight out of a postcard no less. The ferry ride to Bellagio is 15 minutes and the island is situated at an extremely enviable position on Lake Como. Bellagio sits at the very spot where the lower lake splits into two branches, Lake Como continuing to the southwest and Lake Lecco to the southeast and the photos that you can take from this spot will remain unbeaten on your entire Italian trip.

There is an upper part of town, along Via Garibaldi, and a lower part along the lake shore lined with restaurants, shops and a flower-filled waterfront promenade. The two parts of the town are connected by a series of streets which are more like staircases.

Salita Serbelloni is the most famous of these staircases and offers a stunning view of the lake. This wide series of steps leads up to Via Garibaldi lined with shops, galleries and restaurants, where you can indulge in coffee at one of the many quaint cafés, have a gelato or two or dine on slices of different varieties of pizzas (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options are available) priced at 6 Euros.

Afterwards, you can take a stroll along the lakefront lined with trees, flowers, and wonderful views and wait for a private boat tour of the surrounding areas dotting the lake where you can get to see some of the picturesque villas belonging to the rich and the famous. We spent a whole day at Bellagio and returned to Milan late in the evening.

You can of course visit other villages and towns dotting the lake but Bellagio remains one of my best memories from my Italy trip and it is sure to be one of yours as well.

Bellagio: ‘The Pearl of Lake Como’

Bellagio is known for its villas, gardens, and views. Here’s a sneak peek into the Pearl of Lake Como.
Villas: Bellagio is famous for its villas and their parks, including the gardens of Villa Serbelloni, which are considered some of the most beautiful in Italy. 
Views: Bellagio’s location at the tip of a promontory on Lake Como offers unparalleled shoreline and Alpine views.
Old-town atmosphere: Bellagio’s old-town atmosphere is a major part of its reputation.
Sports tourism: Bellagio is a destination for sports tourism, with many cycling routes.
Basilica of St Giacomo: This 12th-century Romanesque church is a must-visit for art and history enthusiasts.