Near the cathedral, two adjoining palaces house the museums of archaeology and history. If your taste runs to something more modern, Como was a hotbed of Rationalist architects, who laid the foundation of Modernism. The poster-child building of this movement is Como’s Casa del Fascio, designed in the early 1930s by Giuseppe Terragni. Como town is quite enchanting, a destination that combines some of the most stunning scenery in the world with compelling art, architecture, and history. I hope this guide helps you get a better idea of what to expect and plan your visit.
Cómo: With an accent
The Museo Storico Giuseppe Garibaldi features the decisive battle of the Risorgiamento (when Italy gained liberation from Austria) that took place in the hills overlooking Como. The former palazzo includes furnished period rooms and exhibits showing local traditions and history. Especially fine and well-displayed is the collection of handmade lace.
So you should really consider your overall itinerary when choosing what to prioritize. You can find more info about these museums on the official website of the city. Alessandro Volta – the Italian physicist who invented the electric battery – may be Como’s most famous son. The Volta Temple (Tempio Voltiano) was built in his honor in 1927; 100 years after his death. It is an excellent example of Romanesque military architecture – huge in scale, impossible to breach, and with four rows of arches on the inner wall. 40 meters high, Porta Torre was originally part of the city wall itself but is now free-standing.
In addition, you can find some nice food tours and cooking classes, which are really nice to do if you have a few hours to spare in Como. In a country famous for its churches, you can probably imagine that there are many more churches to see in Como than just the main cathedral. Indeed, there are numerous churches in Como city where you can admire the beautiful architecture and religious artwork.
- Polychrome painting and gilding on the side altars “update” the older look of the rose window and deeply carved main altar, but the mix is harmonious.
- You can also see two statues beside the door depicting Pliny the Elder and his nephew Pliny the Younger.
- Instead, we’re using it to introduce a manner in which something can be done.
- This will give you enough time to explore the old town, visit the Cathedral, and walk along the lakeside promenade.
The perfectly landscaped terraces and gardens surrounding the villa are all original to their early-1800s design to frame lake views with cypresses and statues. You can save some climbing and get a good overview of the town and lake on the Bellagio Express, a miniature tourist train. The 25-minute circuit includes panoramic views, and you can get off at various places, such as the Melzi Park. Como is no stranger to tourists, having been a favorite of upper-crust Romans, whose villas predated those of royalty, and Hollywood stars who have favored it more recently. The lake between its steep, wooded shores is beautiful enough, but on either side rise mountains, and to the north, the Alps, making the views even better.
Como can be used to introduce a conditional clause in circumstances where we want to emphasize the gravity of the potential consequence. When we want to give some examples to illustrate what we’re talking about, we can introduce them with como. This expression is less formal than using por ejemplo, which translates literally as for example.
Boat trips on Lake Como
Completed in the 1960s, this reinforced concrete structure is shaped like a ship and dedicated to Our Lady of the Miracle, the protector of mariners in distress. In 1400 the Duke of Milan – Ludovico Sforza – decided to plant mulberry trees around Lake Como to feed them. At that point, the Como silk industry was born, although production methods at the time were laboriously slow. For practical information about visiting the museum, see the official website. You can’t really miss the adjacent gardens, Giardini del Tempio Voltiano. This is a lovely place to sit for a while and admire the museum’s neoclassical architecture.
Como Museums
Palatial Villa d’Este, built for an English queen and now a luxury hotel, sets a high standard for lake villas, with terraced gardens climbing the steep hill behind it. The rest of the town isn’t quite so grand, but it has a nice holiday air, some chic shops (look especially for Como silks), and several outstanding Art Nouveau villas. Villa Olmo is one of Como’s most popular attractions and one of the most beautiful villas of Lake Como. This splendid villa is located on the lakeshore in the northwestern part of the city.
Map of the best places to see in Como city
It’s also the best way to admire the stunning scenery along como hacer una aplicacion web con python the shores of Lake Como. In addition to the views from the hill, you can also climb the spiral staircase (143 steps) to the top of the lighthouse itself. It has since been restored to its former splendor and has been maintained by the municipality of Como since 1925.
Como Cathedral
- As the lake steamer approaches Bellagio, you’ll see a swath of green bordering the shore.
- Especially fine and well-displayed is the collection of handmade lace.
- The exterior is covered in intricate decorations representing mulberry leaves, silkworms, and other motifs related to silk production.
- In the high season (mid-April to end-October), it’s normally open daily except Wednesdays, from 10.30 am to 6.30 pm.
It falls into the category of a direct question like we saw above, with cómo clearly acting as a question word. While the easy translation of cómo in English is how, sometimes the better translation can be other options such as what or why. This basically comes down to the way the questions are formed in the two languages.
Another monument to native son Alessandro Volta, the Volta Lighthouse, stands atop a hill, and when it’s open you can climb to the top for even more sweeping views. With its proximity to Milan and Lugano and good transport connections (railway, highway, and ferries), Como can be a good place to stay when exploring the area for a few days. However, if the weather is nice and your time is limited, there are so many other amazing places to see on Lake Como!
It’s also sometimes used as an exclamation or interjection, including as a way to ask someone to repeat what they just said. The city itself centres on the modern Piazza Cavour, which opens onto the lake and divides the lakeside promenade into eastern and western sections. Several towers of the old fortifications survive, notably the Tower of Porta Vittoria (1192).
The civic museum has archaeological collections, and there is also a museum of the Risorgimento (the 19th-century movement for Italian political unity). We started off with cómo, whose main use is as a question word, usually translated as how. We also saw that cómo is sometimes used as an exclamation or an interjection, whether on its own or as an element in expressive phrases.
This is similar to the English modifiers of around, about, or kind of. It’s also a good Spanish equivalent to the English expression like for introducing vagueness. This use of como differs from the previous one, in that we’re not making a comparison. Instead, we’re using it to introduce a manner in which something can be done.
The funicular is also a gateway to the mountain trails and is a major hiking hub. If you have a couple of hours to spare, a two-hour climb from Brunate brings you to the summit of Monte Boletto. It’s worth the walk from the center to see this exceptional example of an early 11th-century basilica built in the Lombard Romanesque style.
Be sure to include it as part of your stroll through the city and you can also see the statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi that stands nearby. Dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the cathedral is laid out in a typical ‘cross’ style, with a nave and side aisles leading to a transept beneath the dome. The dome is quite beautiful and has a top lantern with many windows to flood the cathedral with light. The result is a wonderful blend of architectural styles, including a Gothic facade, a Romanesque bell tower, and a Baroque dome. Indeed, Duomo di Como is considered to be one of northern Italy’s most beautiful monuments. The many flowerbeds and blossoming trees lend color to the streets whilst the city’s atmosphere is laid-back, with plenty of cozy cafes where you can sit and enjoy a slice of local life.