Lecco

Lecco is a city located on the southeastern branch of Lake Como, between the pristine waters of the lake and the scenic Orobian Pre-Alps.

Once a medieval hamlet, its historic town center contains well-preserved nineteenth-century and neoclassical style architectures including Palazzo delle Paure. The city commonly referred as ‘that branch of Lake Como‘ is famous for its various ‘Manzonian locations‘ mentioned in the renowned Italian historical novel – The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni.

Strolling through the lakeside promenade lined with stately trees, one can’t help but admire Lecco’s breathtaking landscape.

Located on the right branch of Lake Como, an hour from Milan and just 40 minutes by car from Como, Lecco is scenically the most beautiful town on Lake Como. In fact, just near Lecco the Adda river gives life to the small lake of Garlate, while all around a circle of bizarrely-shaped mountains – including Resegone, Due Mani, San Martino – acts as a natural protection. If the origins of the city date back to prehistoric times, the real development took place in the Middle Ages, when Lecco became a free commune particularly active in the production of silk. The industriousness of the people of Lecco is proverbial and the silk produced along Lake Como is among the finest in the world.

Lecco’s historic town centre and its important landmarks can be visited by an easy and pleasant walk between its two main connecting squares – Piazza Mario Cermenati and Piazza XX Settembre. Piazza Cermenati overlooks Lake Como and contains a dedicated monument to Mario Cermenati after whom the square is named. Behind Piazza Cermenati is the Basilica of San Nicolò (Saint Nicholas), the patron saint of Lecco, sailors and boatmen.

The pristine waters of the southern most part of the eastern branch of Lake Como can be enjoyed along Lecco’s lakeside promenade – one of the longest promenades of Lake Como. It is lined with majestic trees and benches for leisure. Walking along the promenade you can view the Lecco port, the scenic Alpine range of Orobie and Lecco’s side of the Larian Triangle. This triangle is formed by Como to the southwest, Lecco to the southeast and Bellagio to the north of both Como and Lecco.

Palazzo delle Paure (Palace of fears) is a palace in Lecco’s town centre in Piazza XX Settembre overlooking Lake Como and Piazza Cermenati. This nineteenth century, neo-medieval eclectic style palace was built on a part of the fortified village’s old town wall. It served as the customs house until 1964 where Lecco’s citizens came to pay their taxes and hence its peculiar name. On the tower is the Visconti family’s marble coat of arms representing a snake with a child.