hikes-and-walks near Rifugio Stella

Photo: Ktulu

Como is Lake Como's largest city where you will find shopping, works of art, churches, gardens, museums, theatres, parks and palaces. Places to go inlcude the Duomo, the Basilica of Sant'Abbondio, Villa Olmo, the Volta Temple and Museum, the Teatro...

A series of chapels depicting Christ’s final journey to Mount Golgotha. The traditional 14 stations have been added to with a 15th dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows and are located in a rectangular square in front of the parish church, dedicated to...

Located in the center of Lecco, this church was built in memory of the fallen of World War I. Constructed in the Romanesque Revival-style, it has horizontal stripes of alternating white stone and granite from the Chiavenna valley. The bell tower is...

Small church dating back to the eleventh century dedicated to Santa Margherita and linked to the cult of the Saints Hermits Larian. Its location is strategically significant as a testimony to its military origin, in defense of the Valsassina and...

In 1688, a plaster relief of the Madonna of Sorrows kept in the small chapel of Lezzeno is said to have cried. And thus, in 1690 a Sanctuary was built in her honour. The work designed by Giovanni Battista Quadrio, was completed in 1704. Today we can...

The Stone of Preguda, a rock composed of granite ghiandone, is incorporated in the Church of Sant’ Isidoro. The Stone of Preguda, on the slopes of Moregallo, is a rock composed of granite ghiandone, from the Val Masino and is the most famous...

This parish church can be reached through an uphill street passing by the Baroque chapel of the Crocetta. The 19th century front is very elegant and shows a typical Greek design by the architect Bovara. Inside it hosts an altar dating back to the...

The Chapel of the dead to Crocetta is the oldest and most impressive votive chapel in Malgrate. With baroque architecture, it dates back to the sixteenth century and houses bones, probably of the dead from the plague. Not documented, the chapel is...

Photo: Mattana

Octagonal building with drum and porch hexastyle made following the discovery (1624) of the image of the Virgin now altar. Factory completed in 1630, but with following reconstruction (porch redone in 1742 and the bell tower in 1912). Outside of the...

Photo: Davide Veniani

According to tradition, the church was built in the thirteenth century, at the behest of a crusader returning from the Holy Land. According to another legend, the church was built on a refuge belonging to the order of the Templars. Positioned on a...

Photo: K.Weise

Built in 1576 by St Charles Borromeo as a temple for the nearby convent of Capuchin Friars. It contains one of the most collections of art in Lecco: nine glass houses containing compositions of polychrome wax that represent the seven scenes from the...

The parish church of Saints Nazaro Celso with the black-white Gothic front, was built in 1348 by Giovanni Ugo di Campione and architects from the valley Intelvi. The church has some beautiful rose windows and frescoes of the Lombard school. The...

Photo: Peverelli Lecco

The church stands on a hill that dominates the valley. The current building is the result of a series of operations occurred over the centuries. Rebuilt on top of the pre-existing building, in the 16th century the church was formed of only one...

The construction of the church began in 1791 and ended in 1823 requiring the works of several architects: Clemente Isacchi, Giuseppe Pollack, Giuseppe Bovara and Simone Cantoni. The church hosts a crucifixion of 1879 by Mosè Bianchi and a painting...

Photo: A ntv

Main church in Lecco dedicated to the saint patorn of sailors. Its structure is in Neoclassical style thanks to the architect Giuseppe Bovara who worked on its enlargement and contains 17th century furniture, a baptismal font of 1596, Romanesque...

Photo: Claudine Frère

Near the top of the Ghisallo pass stands the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ghisallo. Its name, according to the legend, comes from a certain "Ghisallo" who, in the Middle Ages, near the pass was attacked by bandits. He made a vow to the Madonna to...

This is one of the oldest churches in the Lake Como area and the oldest one in Varenna. Dated back at the 11th century, this Church is defined by the Belfry built toward the lake, as usual at that time, and it keeps inside few frescoes from the 14th...

Consecrated on 1313, the parish church of San Giorgio is a small masterpiece of the 14th century Lombardy architecture. Located in the main square, this is a basilica with nave and two aisles embellished by a rose window and a fresco portraying...

Fellaria Glacier is located in Valmalenco (SO), upstream of Lake Gera and Bignami Refuge. To reach the lake, from the refuge, you continue following the Marson Glaciological Trail towards the eastern tongue of the glacier.The lake is located in a...

15 minutes to Lake Como going up from Menaggio, the Grotte di Rescia are a series of caves unified to a single complex at the beginning of the 20th century, wind along a tourist route of about 500 mt on the mountain slopes, on the eastern shore of...

“Path of Expression”, which was inaugurated in 2014, goes through the Regional Forest Valle Intel and it is an interesting trail to visit where visitors can encounter along this magical trail between art and nature, many wooden sculptures and carved...

Lago Darengo is a beautiful mountain lake situated at 1790 m. altitude. The ideal starting point is from Crotto Dangri (650 m) above Gravedona ed Uniti, 10 km away from Lake Como and 3 km after Livo village (be carefull on the last 3 km which are...

A hike that starts not far from Como with spectacular views of Lake Como and the Italian and Swiss Alps, Monte Colmegnone (m 1.383) is also known as Poncione di Laglio. The altitude gain of the hike is about 1000 meters. You can reach it from either...

The Gazzirola (also known as Garzirola) 2112 metres, is a mountain of the Lugano Prealps on the Swiss-Italian border. It is a moderately difficult hike in Val Cavargna near Lake Como. This hike rewards you with sweeping panorama over Lake Como (you...

Located a few kilometers from Bellagio in the Larian Triangle. Highest of all mountains on the promontory, it offers unparalleled views of the lake and breathtaking panoramas. Along the way you will encounter large boulders (Pitera Lentina) left...

Spectacular views of Lake Como reward your hike to Pilone and Sasso San Martino, the mountain that is directly above the town of Griante. This is an easy to moderate hike. It takes about 1.5 to 2.5 hours to walk to Pilone, and another 45 minutes to...

This cave is located above Tremezzo lasting a little less than half a day and is one of the easiest ones to undertake. The entrance of the cave is reached after 50 minutes of walking while the entire cave (400 meters) takes about 2 hours to...

Jurassic cave located just north of Erba. The entrance is enormous frequently compared to Milan’s Cathedral at about 45 meters in height, 38 wide and over 400 in length. Use of the cave dates back to Paleolithic times as evidenced by flints and...

The Kilometer of Knowledge (Chilometro della Conoscenza) is a path on the western shore of Lake Como - a kilometer long - that starts from Villa Olmo, crosses a bridge through the municipality of Serre, Villa del Grumello, and ends at Villa Sucota....

Located above the village of Cernobbio, it is the starting point of the famous route known as “Via dei Monti Lariani", a hiking and cycling trail of 125 km on the mountains of the western shore of Lake Como. Many of the villages connected by the...

One of the most interesting areas in Lombardy from a geological, geomorphological, and paleonthological point of view. Highlights include: Limestone pavement (karstic phenomenon); stratified rocks and caves; "Acqua del Fò", a monumental a...

The Prim’Alpe Visitor’s Centre is the starting point for this interesting trail near Canzo. The hike is easy, even for young aged children. During your trek you will meet elves, gnomes, the drunken donkey and other many interesting figures, together...

Sighignola is a mountain of the Como Prealps, located on the border between the Italian region of Lombardy and the Swiss canton of Ticino. A panoramic terrace just below the summit, and directly on the Italian side of the border, provides a...

Crocione in Italian means large cross, and that is what adorns the top of Monte Crocione, a 1641 metre peak directly above the town of Griante. From here you will experience breathtaking views of Lake Como, and the Swiss and Italian Alps....

A gentle hike to the small chapel of San Domenico (800m) which rewards you with a spectacular view of Lake Como and the surrounding mountains....

Monti di Nava (850m), also referred to simply as Nava, is an area of alpine pastures in the mountains above Griante and at the foot of Monte Crocione. It was traditionally used for grazing animals such as cows and goats during the summer months, and...

Inside Como’s walled city are many pedestrian friendly squares. Explore Piazza Fedele’s cafes or restaurants in an ambiance that is a bit more quiet than the Piazza Duomo....

Monte Palanzone is a mountain 1436 meters high--only second to Monte San Primo in the area. It can be reached in several ways but the most populare is from Como via the funicular to Brunate, location of the lighthouse and centuries old church,...

Montepiatto is a small settlement of houses scattered in the mountains above Torno. After a windy path a several steep staircases, you'll be awarded with beautiful views of the Como lake basin....

Il Rogolone is one of the biggest oak trees in Europe. It stands in a clearing in the woods near Velzo. The tree is almost 300 years old is 25 m high and its trunk has a circumference of 790 cm. Il Rogolone can be reached over an easy path either...

The Bear's Cave or Bear's Hole, is found on the northern extreme of Laglio, in the Torriggia area, at about 400 meters above Lake Como. You arrive by climbing from Torriggia via a mountain path. The grotto is famous for the petrified bones found...

One of the most walked and photographed passageways in the heart of Bellagio that is home to fashionable boutiques, restaurants and a variety of shops. This is just one of the many narrow streets that can be explored affording riveting views of the...

The whole territory of the Larian Triangle and, in particular, its westernmost end, is characterized by the abundant presence of so-called "erratics" or "boulders" left behind by glaciers. Those found in Torno and Blevio have been declared national...

Monte Legnone is the highest peak in the immediate Lake Como area. The view from the top is definitely unforgettable. Monte Legnone is 2,610 metres high making it the highest peak in the Lake Como area. It is located at the north end of the lake,...

A spectacular balcony over Lake Como, this hike will reward you with some of the most breath taking views of the lake. Monte Bregagno can be reached by first going to the town of Breglia by car or by bus. From there you can hike to Rifugio Menaggio,...

The Greenway" is a leisurely and pleasant walk between Colonno and Cadenabbia following traces of the Antica Strada Regina, the antique connection road was built by the Romans. This 10 km long itinerary leads through ancient villages with wonderful...

Situated above the town of Menaggio; from Rifugio Menaggio you can reach the top of Monte Grona (1736 m) from where one can admire one of the best views of the Pre-Alps; if the day is clear enough, many peaks of the Alps from Monviso to Bernina....

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