Lombardy, Lake Como, Menaggio
Menaggio is situated half way up the western shore of the lake and has a pretty lakeside promenade and harbour to sit around. The town square is compact and lively and there are an assortment of small piazzas with cafe's and restaurants to relax at. The old town, sloping up the lakeshore, is appealing by virtue of its attractive setting. Included in this area are the the hill community of Cremia and the antique fishing village of S. Maria Rezzonico (San Siro).
Menaggio makes an extremely good centre because of its transport links. Ferries arrive there from the northern and southern ends of the lake, and cross the waters to Varenna and Bellagio, while buses run to Lake Lugano, and along the lake, making it easy to visit all of Lake Como's attractions. Regarding the villages in the area, and in the words of a fellow traveller, 'I think there is a moment during every trip that captures the collective essence of the entire experience.... in this case it was Castello Rezzonico which turns out to be a real 14th century castle that is now a private residence. We decided to explore. Walking along the right side of the castle wall we were led to a long descending walkway..... So down we went. And down. And down. Suddenly we were aware of something new. It was really quiet. And beautiful. The shallow rise long run cobblestone stairs were very regular with solid stone along each edge. The doors to the homes along the way were individually unique and obviously selected and cared for with great pride. There were potted plants on the cobbles and window boxes above. The light was dim and the feeling was peaceful.
Finally, we reached the bottom and to our surprise the walk opened up to a beautiful piazza...with a bench. What was before us was Lake Como from a most spectacular view. We were looking directly at the crotch of the 'Y' with the leg to Como fading off to the right and the leg to Lecco to the left. It occurred to us ...'the people of Rezzonico live with this beauty every day''. Meanwhile, at 100 mt above the lake is the village of Cremia which is made up of several small hamlets surrounded by chestnut groves and vinyards with beautiful views over the lake
Why Menaggio- Very central location in the middle of the lake, handy to most attractions
- The atmosphere in the antique villages of Rezzonico and Cremia
To do in the Menaggio area- Explore Menaggio and the villages of Rezzonico & Cremia
- Visit the gardens and village of Bellagio, Argegno and Lenno
- Hike up to Mt Grona or follow the Via della Regina for a bit
- Play golf at the Menaggio golf club
- Walk around the gardens of Villas Cipressi & Monastero at Varenna
- Visit Como and the gardens between there and Cernobbio
To do further afield- Take a trip up the valley and over to Lake Lugano
- Visit Como and Milano
Our rentals in the Como, Bellaggio, Menaggio, Varenna area include villas, apartments and self-catering accommodation in wonderful holiday settings to ensure that your vacation in the area of Lake Como is a memorable experience.
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