This Is Italy
The Greenway del Lago di Como is a beautiful walking route of about 10,5 km along the varied and impressive landscape on the western shore of Lake Como. The route takes you past various atmospheric villages, landscapes and sights. You will pass Colonno, Sala Comacina, Ossuccio, Lenno, Mezzegra, Tremezzo and Griante, among others. The greenway can be walked all year round and offers a different spectacle every season.
Especially when the weather is perhaps a bit cooler or a bit rainy, this tour is recommended. The route is easy to do for anyone with reasonable mobility. Also for children and the elderly. The ascent is a maximum of about 250 meters, just like the descent. There are a few short steep sections but nothing that should cause any problems. Moreover, you can easily divide the 7 stages over several days (or holidays).
In this article we would like to take you on the route of the Greenway.
Table of contents
Stage 1: from Colonno to Sala Comacina
The greenway starts on the southern side of Colonno, where you will find a bus stop and parking spaces. If you want to start on the other side, at Griante, you can of course do that too. In this route we assume the start at Colonno.
Simply follow the signs for the Greenway del Lago and go up Via Cappella. Continue along Via Civetta until you reach the historic center of the village.
Here you cross the bridge over the Pessetta and find yourself on a part of the old Roman road Strada Regina. In ancient times, this road was the main connection between Como and the countries north of the Alps.
Stage 2: from Sala Comacina to Ossuccio
After a pleasant walk of about 20 minutes through olive groves, you will arrive at the cemetery of Sala Comacina.
Continue along the pebbled path to the left of the San Rocco Chapel to visit the medieval center of Sala Comacina. The path leads along the ancient Via Regina and offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Church of San Bartolomeo, the lake and the island of Comacina.
Stage 3: from Ossuccio to Lenno
After the bridge over the Premonte valley, you will arrive in the village of Ossuccio, which is part of the town of Tremezzina. The cobbled path takes you to the main road at Spurano. Carefully cross it to reach the Church of San Giacomo e Filippo, which dates from the 10th to 12th centuries. You can take a break here to enjoy the beautiful view or visit the historic hamlet of Spurano.
Then carefully cross the main road and follow the narrow stairs in the direction of the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Soccorso. At the first intersection, turn right (via Andrea Castelli) and walk through the village. After 500 meters on the right you will find a public park and a playground where you can take a break at the bar, while enjoying the view of the late Gothic bell tower of Santa Maria Maddalena and the island of Comacina.
At the roundabout, go straight through Andrea Castelli and at the end of the street, descend towards the town of Isola, passing the parish church of Santi Eufemia e Vincenzo. Cross the main road and walk past the beautiful Villa del Balbiano.
Stage 4: from Lenno to Mezzegra
After crossing the bridge over the stream Perlana you arrive in the picturesque historic hamlet of Campo. The path leads you through narrow alleys, past the entrance to Villa Monastero and then, after a short, less scenic area, continues past Dosso di Lavedo on the right and a small campsite on the left.
Just after Hotel Lavedo you will find a path on the right that leads to Balbianello villa leads, a 1 km off-route walk, which is well worth the effort. Please note that the villa's pedestrian entrance is open from mid-March to mid-November, on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. You can buy tickets for the garden only or the villa and garden.
Walking along the greenway will take you to Lido di Lenno from where you can catch a boat to Villa del Balbianello. The greenway follows the lakeside promenade, passing the medieval tower of Villa Aureggi, the square with the church of Santo Stefano and the baptistery of San Giovanni Battista, until you reach the jetty.
Cross the narrow bridge over the Pola and follow the path that leads to the lake, where you will find a café and a small beach, opposite Hotel San Giorgio.
Stage 5: from Mezzagra to Tremezzo
Past the San Giorgio, a small path leads to the main road. Carefully cross Strada Regina and go uphill for about 10 minutes to reach Mezzegra and Via Pola, where you turn right.
At the next intersection, turn left onto Via Pola Vecchia, then follow Via Brentano to the right, past the Oratory of San Giuseppe, to the Parish Church of Sant'Abbondio. From the church you can enjoy a beautiful view of Lake Como and Tremezzina.
Instead of Via Pola Vecchia, just before you pass the Oratory of San Giuseppe, you can also choose the route below, which is simply called Via Pola. This road becomes Via 24 Maggio, which takes you past the spot where Mussolini and his mistress were executed in 1945.
After the church, go down a little and pass the Casa dei Presepi, with its valuable permanent collection of nativity scenes and dioramas, to reach the eighteenth-century Palazzo Brentano. The greenway route continues through the historic hamlet of Bonzanigo and then by road at the 17th century Palazzo Rosati.
From here, go down towards the lake and turn left onto Via delle Gere.
Stage 6: from Tremezzo to Griante
After the bridge, enter the village of Tremezzo through the historic hamlet of Bolvedro and descend to the lake.
From this point to the end, follow the footpath along the lake shore and the main road. After the Bolvedro stream, you will soon pass the Villa La Quiete and continue on, leaving the parish church of San Lorenzo behind and exploring the scenic Parco Teresio Olivelli with its elegant fountain.
After leaving the park, follow the path along the lake shore. The building on the other side of the road is Villa Mainona, home of it Museo del Paesaggio del Lago di Como.
After passing through the porch of the Hotel La Darsena, you will reach the Tremezzina Tourist Office and then the Tremezzo jetty, where you can carefully cross the main road to reach the small chapel of San Bartolomeo and then under the characteristic covered walkway with its cafes and shops.
If you like, you can deviate a bit from the route here to wander through the narrow alleys and streets of the historic hamlet of Tremezzo. Just before the Grand Hotel Tremezzo and the famous Villa Carlotta with its beautiful gardens you return to the greenway of Lake Como.
Stage 7: from Griante to the end of the greenway
After the Villa Carlotta car park, you will arrive at the village of Griante and the hamlet of Maiolica with its bars and restaurants and the Anglican Church of the Assumption, opposite the ferry. Here you can optionally get on the boat and return to the starting point.
In the last stretch of the greenway you can admire the most beautiful villas and gardens, mainly built in the last part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, when tourism in Tremezzina gained momentum with visitors from Greater Britain and Germany.
The route ends where the path ends, at a bus stop and a bar. You can also turn left into the village of Griante, which is home to La Torre Vecchia, one of the best pizzerias in the area.
More information
Greenway del Lago di Como (in English)
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