The Greenway del Lago di Como is a walking route of about 10 kilometres along the western shore of the lake, between Colonno and Griante. It links seven villages — Colonno, Sala Comacina, Ossuccio, Lenno, Mezzegra, Tremezzo and Griante — and partly follows the old Via Regina, the historic road of the western shore.
The difficulty is easy: the official sources describe the Greenway as a pleasant walk suitable for everyone and for all seasons. The surface is mixed — cobblestone, asphalt and dirt paths — and it takes about three and a half hours, not counting stops. The most demanding section is the one between Mezzegra and Tremezzo.
The day is organised in one direction, from Colonno to Griante, returning by boat. Boats and hydrofoils of the Navigazione Lago di Como call at Lenno and Tremezzo; at Cadenabbia there is also the car ferry to Bellagio and Varenna. Along the way there are villas and churches worth a stop: for opening times and tickets it is best to check the official websites in advance.
Colonno, where the walk begins
Borgo di Colonno is the official starting point. The route leaves from Via Cappella, continues along Via Civetta and crosses the old centre. Colonno is a medieval village at the foot of Monte Costone, whose terraced slopes were historically planted with olive trees. The Camoggia stream forms a waterfall before entering the lake.
Towards Ossuccio: the Isola Comacina and the bell tower
Between Sala Comacina and Ossuccio the walk runs along the stretch of lake facing the Isola Comacina, the only island on Lake Como. It was a fortified centre from the late Roman Empire and was destroyed in 1169; today it is an archaeological site with the ruins of the basilica of Sant’Eufemia.
On the lakefront at Ossuccio, right on the route, stands the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena: a Romanesque oratory with a distinctive bell tower whose late-Gothic belfry dates from the 14th–15th century.
The Sacro Monte and the villas of Ossuccio
Above Ossuccio, climbing up from the route, you reach the Sacro Monte di Ossuccio, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003: fourteen Baroque chapels dedicated to the Mysteries of the Rosary along the cobbled path that rises to the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso, at 419 metres above the lake.
Along the lake at Ossuccio is also Villa Balbiano, built at the end of the 16th century for Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio: a private residence, best known to the public as a location for the film “House of Gucci”.
Lenno and Villa del Balbianello
At Lenno the route passes close to the Lavedo peninsula, on which Villa del Balbianello stands, managed by the FAI since 1988 and open from mid-March to mid-November. The villa is reached by boat from the Lido di Lenno or on foot from Lenno.
From Mezzegra to Tremezzo: Villa Carlotta
The stretch between Mezzegra and Tremezzo is the most demanding of the route. At Tremezzo you reach Villa Carlotta, a museum and botanical garden in a late 17th-century villa, with works by Canova, Hayez and Thorvaldsen. The entrance is on Via Regina; check the official website for opening hours and the seasonal calendar.
Arriving at Griante
The route ends at Griante, along the Via Regina. At Cadenabbia stands the Chiesa dell’Ascensione, an Anglican church inaugurated in 1891 for the local English community, one of the first Anglican places of worship in Italy. For the return, the nearest Navigazione landing stage is at Tremezzo; at Cadenabbia there is instead the car ferry to Bellagio and Varenna.
Practical information
- Length: about 10 km (10.5 km according to the Regione Lombardia information sheet).
- Duration: about 3 hours and 30 minutes, stops excluded.
- Difficulty: easy, suitable for everyone and for all seasons.
- Surface: mixed, with sections of cobblestone, asphalt and dirt path.
- Most demanding stretch: between Mezzegra and Tremezzo.
- Season: walkable all year round.
- Return: boat and hydrofoil of the Navigazione Lago di Como with landing stages at Lenno and Tremezzo; at Cadenabbia the car ferry towards Bellagio and Varenna.
- Villas and Sacro Monte: check the official websites for current opening times and tickets.