Location
Carate Urio lies on the first stretch of the western shore of the Como branch, about ten kilometres from Como.
History
Carate Lario and Urio were originally separate municipalities, both of ancient origin (Gallic tombs, Roman inscriptions). During the medieval conflicts between Como and Milan they sided with Como. In the 17th century Carate became a fief of the Gallo family, and Urio, in the 18th century, of the Della Porta family. The two municipalities were administratively unified in 1927. The writer Liala was born here.
What to see
- Church of SS. Quirico e Giulitta (Urio): Romanesque, among the oldest in the Lario area, with a 12th-century bell tower, first documented in 1490.
- Church of SS. Filippo e Giacomo (Carate): 19th-century layout.
- Church of Santa Marta: reached by a stairway with 14 small chapels of the Via Crucis, with 15th-century frescoes.
- Castello di Urio: a villa with an English-style garden and crenellated turrets, today a conference venue.
What to do
From the lake, steep mule tracks climb toward the Monti di Carate or di Urio, along the Via dei Monti Lariani, up to the summit of Monte Colmegnone.
Getting there
The Navigazione’s Primo Bacino loop stops at Urio, about 36 minutes from Como; by car you follow the SS340 Regina.
Festivities
3 May — Saint James and Saint Philip, patron saints of Carate Urio.