Pianello del Lario

On the western shore of Lake Como, Pianello del Lario is actually a collection of hamlets on the hill that also lead to the lake. It is ten minutes from Menaggio where ferries reach the surrounding towns. A path along the lake leads from Calozzo, the lakeside hamlet of Pianello del Lario, to Musso. The lovely location lets you enjoy the views and activities of Lake Como. A valley road from Menaggio leads inland to Lake Lugano, which is half in Italy and half in Switzerland.

Pianello del Lario is named for the river that flows from the mountains into the lake. The alpine setting is backed by the Swiss Alps. The town has a nice pebble beach along with lakeside restaurants. Here you can enjoy the water activities in the summer such as swimming, windsurfing, and sailing, while skiing is available for winter enjoyment. The marina plays host to an annual Easter regatta, a colorful way to usher in spring!

There are a couple of eateries, a pizzeria, coffee bars, grocery store and bakery. A large supermarket is found just a few minutes away in Musso. To the south are some beautiful villas with gorgeous gardens that overlook the lake.

The church of San Martino was built in the 1500s as an abbey for the monks of St. Christopher of Como. The Renaissance-era church has marble carvings and frescoes, as well as a beautiful triptych. Pianello del Lario is also the keeper of the sailor's flame on Lake Como with its interesting Museo della Barca Lariana (Museum of Larian Boats). To maintain and showcase the sailing history and tradition here, there are more than 600 boats that were built on Lake Como, from fishing and transport vessels to sail boats, gondolas and canoes.

Pianello del Lario is located near Menaggio and Dongo. It is about 1 1/2 hours from Milan.