Menaggio the Perfect Location:
Menaggio is about half way up the western side of Lago Como, an attractive and thriving town in the summer months and little more quiet in the winter! Accessible by car from Como at the south end of the lake, or Lugano in Switzerland, across the pass via Porlezza (340) above Menaggio but also by ferry from Bellagio and Varenna (where there is a train from Milan). The heart of the 'old' town gathered around Piazza Garibaldi close to Menaggio's harbour features mostly 19th century buildings in the Italian alpine style painted in muted tones. The higher part of the town has a more medieval aspect featuring narrow alleys, steep stairs and stone buildings. The old and 'new', the shops, restaurants, cafes, public squares and alleyways, the tree shaded lakeshore promenades bordered by flowers, and the well-kept villas form a wonderful and serene place to holiday.
Historically Significant:
Historically this area was originally settled during the Bronze Age by the Gauls, but subsequently conquered by the Romans who established a defensive fort and colony where Menaggio now sits. The town was linked to by a major Roman highway, the Via Regina, to other parts of the Empire over the Alps and the Southern territories.
Because of Menaggios' strategic location on the Via Regina, during medieval times, Menaggio was surrounded by walls (remnants of which still exist),towers, castles and various other fortifications, which historians visit this region of Lake Como to explore.
Centuries later citizens of Menaggio were actively involved in a process (the Risorgimento) a process that in 1805 culminated in the annexation of the region of Lombardia by the Kingdom of Sardegna.
Menaggio:
Crazy Golf in Menaggio, 7 km. Fitness trail in Loveno. Alpine mountain climbing is possible up to 3000m. In Chiavenna, a 30 minute drive away, you can hire a mountain guide. Skiing from cross-country to slalom is possible in 1700 m high St. Moritz. In Menaggio you can hire kayaks, motor boats, water skis and bicycles. There's also a swimming pool and tennis courts. Menaggio is a pleasant, lively town, with idyllic lanes, a bright piazza and outdoor cafes, a beautiful lakeside promenade lined by villas. It's an attraction for many at Lake Como. Culture: on the west shore of the lake around Tremezzo Villas, churches, monasteries, museums, castles and interesting monuments are waiting for you to be admired.
