Location
Menaggio sits on the Como branch of the lake, in a central position almost directly opposite Varenna and Bellagio; the road to Lake Lugano also starts from here.
History
Fortified with walls and two lakeside towers from 1124, Menaggio was caught up in the wars between Como and Milan; in 1295 the castle passed to the Visconti, and was later destroyed by two 16th-century fires. Its tourist vocation, favoured by the mild climate, took hold in the 19th century with the building of grand hotels; for a period the town was linked to Porlezza by a railway, now dismantled.
What to see
- The upper and lower village: the historic hilltop settlement and the more modern lakefront area, one of the most beautiful on the Lario, with the churches of Santa Marta and Santo Stefano (frescoes by Tagliaferro).
- Villa Vigoni, in Loveno: transformed in 1829 by the patron Enrico Mylius into a meeting place for Italian and German artists, today home to the Italian-German Centre; its romantic 8-hectare park was designed in 1860 by Giuseppe Balzaretto.
- La Crocetta, a scenic viewpoint in the highest hamlet, with its small chapel dedicated to the Alpini.
- Nobiallo, a hamlet crossed by a stretch of the ancient Via Regina.
What to do and excursions
Rifugio Menaggio, on the slopes of Monte Grona, is the ideal base for tackling the Via dei Monti Lariani: the third section of the route, 24 km between Val Menaggio and Val Albano via the San Bernardo pass, offers sweeping views over the lake — details in the dedicated itinerary linked to this page. From the hamlet of Breglia you can also climb to the refuge along a scenic path, or continue towards Monte Bregagno in Val Cavargna.
Getting there
By bus, the C10 line runs roughly hourly from Como to Menaggio (32 km). By lake, the Como Lago pier connects Menaggio by boat and hydrofoil, on the same network that serves Bellagio, Varenna and Cadenabbia. By car from Bergamo airport: A4 towards Milan, then A9 towards Como Chiasso, Lago di Como exit. Details in the practical guide linked to this page.
Festivities
26 December, Saint Stephen, patron saint of Menaggio.