Location
Torno lies on the Como branch of the lake, along the eastern road towards Bellagio, just after Blevio.
History
Settlements here may date back to pre-Roman times; the village alternated periods of splendour (over 5,000 inhabitants until the 15th century) with moments of crisis, marked by conflicts with Como, which sacked it in 1515 and destroyed it in 1522 in alliance with the Spanish. Manufacturing and trade have always been the favoured activities of Torno’s inhabitants, and the lake has more than once given up ancient weapons from the battles fought here.
What to see
- Villa Pliniana, built in the late 17th century, takes its name from the intermittent spring described by Pliny the Elder and his nephew Pliny the Younger: it hosted, among others, Stendhal, Byron, Foscolo, Rossini, Liszt, Bellini, Puccini, Volta and Napoleon. Owned by the Ottolenghi family since 1983, it is today a luxury resort.
- The church of Santa Tecla, Romanesque and frescoed, on the small square by the harbour: the iconic image of Torno.
- The church of San Giovanni Battista, pure 12th-century Romanesque, with a carved portal said to hold a nail of the Passion.
- Villa Zita, a municipal park open to the public, with statues.
- The small harbour, a Navigazione landing stage and one of the most characteristic views of the village as seen from the lake.
What to do
You can climb up to Montepiatto (600 m) and Piazzaga to discover the massi avelli boulder-tombs, including the famous Pietra Pendula, a mushroom-shaped regional natural monument. The village is also crossed by stretches of the Strada Regia.
Getting there
The Navigazione Lago di Como has its own landing stage in the village; bus line C30 Como-Bellagio stops at Bivio Palanzo. By car, you arrive along the SS583.
Festivities
23 September, Saint Thecla, patron saint of Torno.