Como
Discover Como
Como is a city at the southern end of Lake Como in Lombardy, Northwest Italy. It has a population of 84,000 (2015). The border with Switzerland is at the northwestern end of the city. Como has always been an area of intense activity, as it has been a crossing point between Central Europe and the Mediterranean over the centuries. Built by the Romans at the end of the Piedmont road, it was an important communication point between Rome and its northern territories. Until the end of the 1980s, Como was famed for its silk.
What to Experience in Como
Taste of Como...
You will be spoiled for choice when eating out on Lake Como. From small pizzerias to top-end expensive restaurants, you can be sure to find a place that suits your budget and taste. Fish predominates in the restaurants on Lake Como, as you might expect. You will also find polenta – a golden-yellow Italian cornmeal made from ground maize. Meat dishes are also on the menus; often pork, beef, chicken, rabbit or venison. The Como cuisine has developed over the centuries on the basis of the food resources of the area, therefore mainly linked to lake fishing and alpine pastoralism. Much used is freshwater fish, which provides the basis for some typical dishes such as boiled rice or risotto with perch, whitefish in "carpione", fried bleak and above all the famous missultin. Polenta has a place of honor in Como cuisine, typical are: polenta uncia and tocch; which are often accompanied with meats. The potato gnocchi, the salami called brianzetta, the Californian beef and the poor ultadell dish are excellent; among the cheeses the semuda cow's milk cheese stands out, together with zincarlin. Among the desserts, on the other hand, they deserve to be mentioned: the miascia cake, of ancient origins and the matalocch. Courses based on freshwater fish dominate, the basis for some typical dishes such as risotto with perch, whitefish in "carpione", fried and marinated in vinegar with the addition of onion and wild thyme, fried bleak, small fried lake fish, and the famous misultin.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Como into what it is today.
The classical authors, starting with Pliny the Elder who reports the words of Origines, a lost work by Cato the Censor, attribute the foundation of Como to the Orobi lineage. Archaeological evidence attest to the flourishing of a civilization, called the culture of Golasecca, in the first millennium BC, especially from the mid-7th century BC until the Gallic invasions of the 4th century BC. It was the centre of a vast, culturally uniform territory, extending from Bergamo to Ticino. In these centuries Como, which was located further south, where the hamlet of Prestino is today, developed a civilization that is called Comense or della Ca 'morta. Como was a commercial and cultural intermediary between the Villanovan civilization and the Celtic civilizations across the Alps (Culture of Hallstatt). In Roman times Como was one of the two terminals of the via Novaria-Comum, a Roman road that connected the municipia of Novaria (Novara) and Comum (Como) passing through Sibrium (Castel Seprio). Via Regina also passed through Como, a Roman road that connected the river port of Cremona (modern Cremona) with Clavenna (Chiavenna) passing through Mediolanum (Milan). Starting from the 4th century BC the town of Como became depopulated and its necropolis exhausted. With the arrival of the Gauls, Como lost its importance and entered a period of decline....
Climate
The Como winter is relatively affected by the mitigating influence of the lake water mass. The minimum temperatures in November, December, January, February and, sometimes, March can normally drop below freezing and are usually accompanied by high humidity. On the other hand, the fog that characterizes nearby Brianza and the Po valley is completely absent, already partially present beyond the hills south of the so-called "convalle", or rather the city centre. Snow is quite frequent, although discontinuous depending on the winter, with average annual snow values that rise from the valley (about 20/30 cm per year) towards the peripheral districts (about 40/50 cm per year). Summer is relatively hot, although the period of maximum heat is rather short (no later than two consecutive weeks). On some occasions it can reach 35/36 °C. The rainfall is quite high, with an average of around 1,500 mm per year and higher in the northernmost districts.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsComo has good train connections with Italy and Switzerland (which is just next to the town). It has two main stations: Como San Giovanni and Como Lago - both used to get into the town. Tickets can be bought at ticket machines in stations - be prepared to use these instead of going to a ticket office, as not many can be found open. Trains are run by different companies, including SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) and Trenitalia (owned by the Italian state). Como has no airport of its own, but nearby Milan has several, including Malpensa and Linate. Connections between Milan and Como are easy to make: bus shuttles run between both airports and the centre of Milan (for up to around €10 per person) - from where trains can be caught from one of Milan's train stations to one of Como's train stations. One airport in the other direction is in Zurich, Switzerland (ZRH) - from where trains run from Zurich main train station to Como San Giovanni....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Many small towns and villages surround Lake Como and it is recommended that you try to explore as many as you can whilst in the Lake Como area, spending the mornings on the west side with the afternoons on the east side of the lake, that way you will always stay in the sun. Roads in the area outside Como are narrow, and parking in some of the nearby villages and towns can be limited, so public transport can be better when visiting these places, especially when a bus ticket can only cost around €4 per person. The centre of Como, however, is rather compact and can be covered easily on foot. Bikes (and electric scooters) are popular with locals, and can be a quick way to get around - the town's tourism website explains how bikes can be hired. The local public transport network comprises several lines. Some are mostly within city limits (Urbani) and some are Extraurbani (crossing city limits).
Where to Stay
There are two good wi-fi spots: the Como bar on Volta street (eight minute walk southeast from the water taxi) and the sushi bar on Bergovico street (well hidden, but worth it, it is about a fifteen minute walk south from the water taxi). Good internet connection is at the hotel Barchelleta Excelsior.
Money & Budget
The lakeside villages are more limited with regard to clothes shopping but they do have some designer shops and shoes shops are plentiful. You will also find lots of shops with handmade crafts, and there are great for gourmet food, wine and olive oil. Menaggio and Bellagio are probably the best for shopping. However, there are a couple of large undercover shopping centres. Foxtown is a large discounted designer outlet just over the border in Switzerland and takes approximately 20 minutes to get there from Como. There is also the Iperal shopping centre, located at the northern tip of the lake near Colico. This has an amazing supermarket as well as many other shops, sports, shoes, clothes, make-up, and electrical stores.
Safety Information
Glimpses of Como
Lake Como, Varenna
green trees near blue lake under blue sky during daytime
white and brown concrete building near body of water under blue sky during daytime
Dolce far niente
Peace #1
white concrete building near body of water during daytime
houses near body of water under cloudy sky during daytime
couple standing on concrete bridge near body of water during daytime
a large city with many buildings
green trees near body of water and mountain during daytime
Lake Como, Varenna
green trees near blue lake under blue sky during daytime
white and brown concrete building near body of water under blue sky during daytime