Coast road along the western shore of Lake Lecco

You will arrive in Lecco by first crossing the bridge over the Adda River, which was wanted by Azzone Visconti in the 13th century, and then going up to Villa Manzoni, the house where the poet and writer Manzoni used to spend his holidays from childhood to boyhood. This villa, which was built in the 18th century, now hosts the artistic and historical-documentary section of the Civic Museums (Musei Civici). Going on for approximately 800 metres northwards, you will get to Palazzo Belgiojoso, located in the district of Castello. It is a building of great value which was built in the late 18th century and which now hosts the following museums: the Archeological Museum, the Museum of Natural Sciences and the Planetarium. Following Corso Matteotti up to the lake, you will get to Piazza XX Settembre, the very heart of the city. The tower ‘Torre Viscontea’, the only part of the castle which survived the demolition works of the castle, overlooks the square. If you follow Lungolario northwards you will leave Lecco. You can walk through Sentiero del Viandante, an ancient path of Roman origins which once connected the city of Milan to Switzerland. This way is still viable for 45 kilometres starting from Abbadia Lariana, where you can visit the Civic Museum Setificio Monti. If you go on, the first town you will come across is Mandello del Lario, where you will find the Museum Moto Guzzi and the renowned factory of motorbikes. Going further, just before reaching Varenna, is Villa Monastero. This house-museum in eclectic style is an old Cistercian monastery of the 13th century which underwent many improvements. Beyond the sumptuous interior, it is also worth seeing its beautiful garden. If you follow the coast road you will get to Bellano. Here you may decide to take a bold step by walking for half an hour through an equipped path that leads to Orrido, a natural gorge formed by the river Pioverna. Before Colico, on the hill of Olgiasca, is the Abbey of Piona (Abbazia di Piona), in Lombard Romanesque style, together with its beautiful Benedictine cloister dating back to the 13th century. You have reached the northern end of the Lake Como, where the fortress ‘Forte Montecchio’ overlooks the shores and Alpine passes. This defensive structure, built between 1911 and 1914 on a rise to the North of Colico, is very well preserved.