Easy Como
Events

The lake's elegant southern gateway: a walkable historic centre, the Duomo, the lakefront promenade and the funicular ride up to Brunate for panoramic views.

Things to do

The best of Como

  1. Como Duomo and Piazza Duomo
    No. 01

    Como Duomo and Piazza Duomo

    The cathedral is a four-century palimpsest — Gothic at the base, Renaissance through the middle, an 18th-century Baroque dome on top — and the small piazza in front, flanked by the pink-and-white striped Broletto, is the natural starting point of any walk through the city. Step inside for the rose window and the silk-weavers' tapestries; entrance is free.

    View on Google Maps
  2. Ride the funicular up to Brunate
    No. 02

    Ride the funicular up to Brunate

    Seven minutes from the lakefront to a 715-metre balcony directly above the city, with the southern basin laid out below. Runs year-round, roughly €7.20 return, every 15–30 minutes. Buy tickets online in summer — the queue can swallow an hour on busy weekends.

    View on Google MapsRead more
  3. Villa Olmo and the lakefront walk
    No. 03

    Villa Olmo and the lakefront walk

    Follow the lakefront promenade west from Piazza Cavour for about 25 minutes, past the Life Electric monument, the war memorial and the Sinigaglia stadium, until you reach Villa Olmo — a neoclassical villa from 1780 whose gardens are open to the public year-round. Inside there are rotating contemporary art exhibitions in summer.

    View on Google Maps
  4. Walled centre and the Volta legacy
    No. 04

    Walled centre and the Volta legacy

    The medieval hexagon of city walls still traces the old town: enter through Porta Torre and wander the rationalist quarter (Como was the birthplace of Italian rationalism in architecture). Stop at the Tempio Voltiano on the lakefront for Alessandro Volta's original instruments — a small museum that takes 30 minutes and explains why the unit of voltage is named after a man from this town.

    View on Google Maps
  5. Swim at Lido Villa Olmo
    No. 05

    Swim at Lido Villa Olmo

    The most accessible swimming spot in the city: two outdoor pools, a fenced lakefront beach, a bar and loungers, all set inside the grounds adjacent to Villa Olmo. Open roughly mid-May to mid-September, day entry around €10. Arrive before 11am on weekends in July and August.

    View on Google Maps

Good to know. Como is generally very safe, but it's a busy tourist city: in the crowded lakefront spots — especially the restaurants and bars facing the road around Piazza Cavour — keep an eye on bags, phones and wallets. Pickpockets work the high-season crowds, so stay aware while you're distracted by the view.

Practical info