Location
Malgrate lies opposite Lecco, along the inland road of the Lecco branch towards Bellagio.
History
Originally a fishing village, its position facing Lecco put it at the centre of the struggles between Milanese and Comaschi. It became a resort destination as early as the 18th century, later following the industrialisation of the area; at the end of the 19th century it enjoyed its greatest splendour, linked to families such as the Bovara, silk industrialists, and the Agudio.
What to see
- The lakefront promenade, among the most modern and appreciated on the lake, redeveloped in recent years with spaces for families and views of the mountains reflected in the water.
- Palazzo Agudio, a 19th-century building of sober, classical lines, today home to the Town Hall.
- The Chapel of the Plague Dead, one of the best-preserved Manzonian sites in the area.
What to do and excursions
From Malgrate you can reach Pian Sciresa, in the Parco Regionale del Monte Barro (a Site of Community Importance), with trails of various levels; at the hermitage’s belvedere are the Archaeological Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, the Ornithological Centre and the Native Flora Centre.
Getting there
The centre of Lecco is less than two kilometres away on foot, along a flat lakefront promenade; the C40 Lecco-Como bus line stops on Via Provinciale. There is no direct Navigazione Lago di Como landing stage.
Festivities
6 November, San Lorenzo, patron saint of Malgrate.