On the left bank of the Adda, just downstream from the Ponte Azzone Visconti, Pescarenico is the only place in Lecco that Alessandro Manzoni names explicitly in The Betrothed — which is why it remains the heart of any Manzonian trail through the town.
History
The village’s name comes from the fishing rights granted in the 17th century to the families living there, over a stretch of the Adda between the lake and Lake Garlate that was particularly rich in fish; Pescarenico became part of the municipality of Lecco in 1757. Manzoni describes it as “a small cluster of houses… inhabited by fishermen, and by people who worked on nets and boats”, and it is from here, near the mouth of the Bione stream, that he has Lucia flee by boat to escape Don Rodrigo’s designs, in the famous “Farewell to the mountains” scene. Along the cycle path towards Rivabella, between Via Battello and Via Buozzi, a plaque still commemorates the night of the protagonists’ flight.
What to see
- Piazza Era, the heart of the village, once called “Piazza del Pesce” (Fish Square) in memory of the old fishing trade.
- At the landing, a “lucia” — the traditional boat of Lake Como — recalling the boat used for the protagonists’ escape in the novel.
- The church and convent of Fra Cristoforo, where Manzoni set the home of the Capuchin friar, a few steps from the square.
Getting there
Pescarenico is reached on foot from Lecco’s historic centre by crossing the Ponte Azzone Visconti, along the route of the Manzonian Lecco itinerary.
Practical information
The village is freely open to visit at any time, on foot.