The church of San Lorenzo stands in Regoledo, one of the frazioni of Perledo, on the slope that climbs from the lake towards the Valsassina. The village is touched by the Sentiero del Viandante, the old road along the eastern shore of the Lario: the half-stage between Bellano and Varenna passes through Regolo — as the official trail manager calls the hamlet — before dropping down towards Vezio.
History
Regoledo was the birthplace of Giovanni Battista Fumeo, a painter active in the 17th century, one of whose works the church holds. In the 19th century the hamlet was known above all for the Grand Hotel Regoledo, a large hydrotherapy establishment linked to the railway station by a water-powered funicular that ran from 1890 to 1960.
What to see
- A statue of San Fermo kept inside.
- A 17th-century altarpiece of the Madonna and Child, the work of Giovanni Battista Fumeo, a painter from Regoledo.
- Along the mule track climbing from the lake, a Sentiero del Viandante trail guide notes a 19th-century crotto frescoed with the scene of the cavalcata della botte (the “ride of the barrel”).
Getting there
Regoledo is reached by car from the road that climbs from the lakeshore towards Perledo and the Valsassina. On foot, the Sentiero del Viandante runs through it on the half-stage between Bellano and Varenna: a little further on, heading towards Varenna, the trail descends to the headland of the Castello di Vezio.
Practical information
- The reference parish is that of San Martino di Perledo: for opening hours and services it is best to contact the parish.
Heading north, the same stage of the Sentiero del Viandante continues towards Bellano and, beyond the town, towards the Santuario di Lezzeno.