Location
Oliveto Lario lies along the road from Lecco to Bellagio, on the Lecco branch of the lake.
History
The name recalls olive cultivation, once among the main activities on the lake. The hamlets of Limonta, Vassena and Onno probably date to around 800 (earliest confirmed records in 835); Onno was rebuilt after a late 19th-century flood. The three hamlets were joined into the comune of Oliveto Lario in 1927.
What to see
- In Limonta, the Church of Saints Ambrose and Bernard (remade in Baroque style in 1673, with a 14th-15th-century polyptych) and the Sanctuary of Madonna del Moletto (1606, frescoed by the Recchi brothers), perched over the lake among olive groves.
- Vassena, the administrative centre, with the Church of Saints Nazarius and Celsus (18th century).
- Onno, with the Church of Sant’Anna and that of San Pietro Martire, and a free pebble beach among the most popular in the area.
- The historic villages of Limonta Alta and Onno, preserving period lanes and houses.
What to do and excursions
From Onno you can climb Monte Megna, while from Vassena a path leads to the viewpoint of Civenna; from there you can continue towards Bellagio, the last stop on the internal Lecco branch. Another climb, also called the “sasso di Onno”, leads to Monte Oriolo passing through the Crezzo basin.
Getting there
From late March to early October the Navigazione ferry, on the Bellagio-Lecco route, stops at Limonta, Vassena and Onno; by car follow the narrow provincial road from Valmadrera that climbs towards Bellagio through the three hamlets.
Festivities
28 July, Saints Nazarius and Celsus, patron saints of Oliveto Lario.