Location
Musso lies on the north-western shore of the lake, dominated by the imposing rocky spur of the Sasso di Musso.
History
The white-grey marble quarried from the Sasso since Roman times was used in major works such as Como Cathedral, and Musso grew up as a quarrymen’s village. A fief of the Malacrida family in the 13th century, in 1522 it was taken over by Gian Giacomo de’ Medici, known as il Medeghino, who built a castle there — destroyed ten years later by Francesco II Sforza, allied with the Swiss — and the chapel of Sant’Eufemia. The village later passed to the Bossi family.
What to see
- The Sasso di Musso, a limestone spur plunging into the lake with views over the entire basin: reachable via a scenic trail from Dongo (11 km, about 5 hours).
- The ruins of the Castello di Musso, on the first buttress of the Sasso.
- The Church of San Bernardo, a small church at the summit, once part of Medeghino’s fortified system.
- The Church of San Biagio, from the late 14th century and enlarged in 1507.
- The chapel of Sant’Eufemia, from the 17th century, in a panoramic position below the Sasso, in the hamlet of Genico.
- The Giardino del Merlo, a botanical garden with exotic species created between 1858 and 1883 by the nobleman Giovanni Manzi on the rocks below Sant’Eufemia.
What to do
You can climb to the Sasso di Musso and the remains of the castle; from the chapel of San Bernardo a trail continues towards Monte Bregagno.
Getting there
The Navigazione landing stages stop at Dongo, from where Musso is reached with a scenic walk of about 15 minutes; the C10 bus line (formerly C110) connects Como to Menaggio and Colico. By car, take the SS340 Regina.
Festivities
3 February, San Biagio, patron saint of Musso.