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.

Understand
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.

Como was the birthplace of the Roman scientists Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, as well as Alessandro Volta, 18th-century inventor of the battery and the man who gave his name to the unit of electrical force – the volt.

Como sits at the southern end of the western branch of Lake Como, in a small basin surrounded by wooded moraine hills. It borders directly with Switzerland, in particular with the Canton of Ticino, the district of Mendrisio and the municipality of Chiasso with which it constitutes a unique urban area, and is about 40 km from Milan.



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 alcohol content 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. The area has a marked tendency to thunderstorms.

History
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. In 77 BC 3 000 settlers were settled in the village on the initiative of Gaius Scipio, perhaps soldiers destined to prevent the incursions of the barbarians. During the first century AD, the town's growth was helped by the donations of Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, both from Como, who built a library, a spa area, and two villas on the lake that no longer exist.

During the early Middle Ages Como was first invaded by the Goths and then by the Lombards; in 951 the emperor Otto I came to Italy and Gualdone, bishop of Como, was among his supporters. During the municipal period, Como was disputed between the rival families of the Rusca (or Rusconi) and the Vitani. Following the ten-year war (1118-1127) between Como and Milan, on 27 August 1127 Como was besieged by the Milanese forces, the walls and houses destroyed, the inhabitants dispersed. With the help of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, in 1158, the city was rebuilt and the defence walls enlarged. Beginning in 1447, Como experienced a brief period of independence with its "Republic of Sant'Abbondio", which however lasted only until 1450, when the city submitted to the Duke of Milan. Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), its most illustrious citizen, invented the battery.

Economy
The Como economy is closely linked to industrial activities, which are made up of various companies operating above all in the textile, engineering, construction, furniture production and publishing sectors, not to mention the dense network of commercial activities. Agricultural activity, especially the cultivation of cereals and fruit, and livestock farming, are also still very important for the city. Furthermore, in the Como area, three areas of growth and new opportunities emerge: boating, cultural industries and horticulture. As far as craftsmanship is concerned, silver processing is widespread and valuable, aimed at the production of traditional-style objects and that of wrought iron applied to public buildings.

By car

 * The E35 motorway (toll is €1.60 for the A9 stretch, €1.10 for the A4 section, about 1.50 for the E35 section west of Milan) runs past Como from Milan, and goes on to Switzerland. There are many exits to Como; avoid Como South, choose the next ones (signed Como Nord and Monte Olimpino) for the city, and the last exit (signed ultima uscita per l'Italia) before Switzerland for Cernobbio, Bellagio and towns on the western lake shore.


 * To reach Como coming from most of Italy, it is necessary to pass through the great motorway junction of Milan. At viale Certosa follow the directions for Como / Varese / Autostrada dei Laghi and then take the A9 Lainate-Como-Chiasso.


 * From Switzerland, Como can be reached via the A2 Basel - Chiasso motorway.

By train
Como 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).



By plane
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.


 * Milan Malpensa Airport . 40–60 minutes drive via the autostrada toll road costing €1.60. Can negotiate with private coach firms outside airport. For the train, go to the ticket office for the Malpensa Express on the lower level of Terminal 1 and buy a ticket for Malpensa–Saronno–Como, which costs about €10. You will get two tickets, for Malpensa–Saronno and Saronno–Como. Take the Malpensa Express (which departs every 30 minutes on average during the day) for a trip of about 20 minutes to Saronno, then take the Trenord train to Como (39-minute trip). The final station is Como Nord Lago, right by the lakefront. The entire train trip will usually take between 1 hour 17 minutes and 1 hour 40 minutes. Trenord timetable.
 * Milan Linate Airport . One-hour drive on toll road costing about €2.70.

One airport in the other direction is in Zurich, Switzerland - from where trains run from Zurich main train station to Como San Giovanni.

Get 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.

By bus
The local public transport network comprises several lines. Some are mostly within city limits (Urbani) and some are Extraurbani (crossing city limits). Bus lines starting with 'C' are the extraurbani ones, which are the ones to catch to go to the nearby lakeside towns. They are provided by ASF Autolinee.

Tickets can be bought at the next to Como Lago station, in tabacchi in the town centre, or on the bus (but at a higher price).

The urbani lines run from the centre of Como to Cernobbio, the Swiss border, the villages to the south of Como, and from the top of the funicular into Brunate.

The extraurbani lines run from Como town centre up along both sides of Lake Como - some others go to the eastern (Italian) end of Lake Lugano, across towards Lecco, and down to the south of Como - the C10 goes along the west of the lake up to Colico via Menaggio, and the C30 goes up the east to Bellagio.

When boarding a bus (if tickets have already been bought), the driver 'validates' the ticket by tearing the perforated end of the ticket off and putting it in a small box at the front. Como buses do not have route plans on board, and the driver does not announce stops (you could ask nicely though). Follow the route with a map to be sure, and check town 'welcome' signs out of the window while travelling.

Bus stops all have a QR code which can be scanned to show the next buses leaving from the stop.

Ferrovie Nord Milano also provides other bus lines connecting Como to Varese.

By boat
Being on the edge of a large lake, taking a boat/ferry can be an easy way of getting around. The Gestione Navigazione Laghi is the company which runs boat services on the lake, and Como has its own boat port.

By taxi
A taxi service is provided by the Comune di Como, local phone numbers are 031-2772, and 031-261515.

Do

 * Football:
 * The rest of Lake Como: you can see some of the lake from Como, so why not explore the rest of it? Take a bus or boat, or drive or cycle to the other small villages and towns along the lake.
 * Football:
 * The rest of Lake Como: you can see some of the lake from Como, so why not explore the rest of it? Take a bus or boat, or drive or cycle to the other small villages and towns along the lake.
 * Football:
 * The rest of Lake Como: you can see some of the lake from Como, so why not explore the rest of it? Take a bus or boat, or drive or cycle to the other small villages and towns along the lake.
 * Football:
 * The rest of Lake Como: you can see some of the lake from Como, so why not explore the rest of it? Take a bus or boat, or drive or cycle to the other small villages and towns along the lake.
 * The rest of Lake Como: you can see some of the lake from Como, so why not explore the rest of it? Take a bus or boat, or drive or cycle to the other small villages and towns along the lake.

Events and parties
Como offers many events. The Como City of Music Festival is held in the most beautiful places of the city. Il Parolario, is an event linked to the Book Fair which includes the participation of some prominent names in literature and journalism. The Musical Autumn is dedicated to classical music, while the Como Città dei Balocchi event is a Christmas event aimed above all at children. Not to be missed is also the Palio del Baraldello: a historical re-enactment event. Also highly anticipated are: the Sant'Abbondio Zootechnical Competition Exhibition, and the Lake Como Festival, a season of classical and contemporary chamber music, which offers great names belonging to the scenario, and which takes place in the villas and in the most evocative places of Lake Como.

Buy
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. Como has a few outlets, one of which is Bennet, located at the roundabout where the road is sign-posted to Menaggio which takes you up the westside of the lake. This is not as large as the Iperal near Colico, but it still has a good sized supermarket. On the first level you will find the Bennet supermarket along with a Geox shoe shop, Swatch shop, cafes and a few clothes shops.

Petrol is considerably cheaper in nearby Switzerland, while diesel is about the same price, so remember to top-up the car in the cheapest place.

Keep the receipt of anything purchased in Switzerland as the Italian customs may ask to see it, and if a large value item, you will need to pay the difference in the two Value Added Tax rates (approximately 13 percent).

Eat
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. The latter are nothing more than the agony of Lake Como, which before being cooked are deprived of the entrails, salted, dried in the open air, then grilled and eaten with polenta, a must in the Como tables. Another second course typical of the place is whitefish or whitefish, which is a very light fish with almost no thorns that is cooked on the grill, with butter and sage. In Como there is no shortage of cheeses, typical products of the alpine area that frames its lake. Among the best known are semuda, lariano and goat zola. A piece of zincarlin can never be missing on the table, it is one of the most typical cheeses of Como, produced from curd or ricotta, always with the addition of aromatic herbs and pepper. Among the cured meats, try the liver mortadella in a nice sandwich, finally, try the intense taste of Tocch, the concia polenta mixed with melted butter and cheese to be accompanied with a good glass of "Nostranei", the typical red of the area. Those with a sweet tooth cannot miss the typical sweets of Como cuisine: let yourself be tempted by the cutizza, the typical Como pancake, and the miascia, a delicacy of "revenge", the ingredients are stale bread.

Most places to eat are open daily. Some close one day a week, but this varies. Times may be susceptible to change depending on the season.

Prices can range from €5 for a good pizza, to €25 for a three course meal in a restaurant, to a top-notch restaurant where the price can escalate to over €50 per person; it depends on whether you are eating somewhere with good food but without all the frills!


 * The most luxurious restaurants in the Como Lake area are the Gatto Nero in Cernobbio, Navedano in Como, and Villa d'Este in Cernobbio.
 * If you are looking for a special place, try the "Locanda" on the Comacina island.
 * Eat where the Italians eat, so avoid the overpriced and often poor-quality tourist traps! Full meals for €10 or less per person is normal (starter, main course, dessert, wine, coffee all included). Restaurants in the historic centre tend to be more expensive, approaching €20. Walk behind Hotel ****** and find a popular pizza-restaurant. Restaurants facing the lake are more expensive. Water from the tap is clean and free, so no need to pay for expensive bottled water.
 * Cheap pub-type restaurants are at Camerlata (5 minutes by car or 10 minutes by bus) – €5 to €10 but no view.
 * In Camerlata the eating house and brewpub Il Birrificio serves fine beer and meals at a reasonable price.
 * Drive to the "Iper" shopping centre in Grandate (10–15 minutes from Como center) for a self-service, freshly cooked meal at its restaurant called Risto. You can expect to spend no more than €10.
 * Wine is very cheap so buy it in the supermarkets (about €5 for a 3/4 liter bottle - decent quality), not in restaurants

Some places reachable by foot from the central area and frequented by the locals are the following.



Drink
There's a multitude of bars and cafes along the shoreline of Lake Como. If you want to get away from the busy tourist spots, you can find quaint little bars hidden away up the many narrow streets or you can retreat further into the village. You normally pay for your drink at the till first, and then present your receipt to the bar staff and they prepare your drink. In many of the bars/cafès you are charged extra if you want to sit down with your coffee rather than stand at the counter.

In summer most people go sunbaking on the lakeshore and then meet in town during aperitivo, which means buffet food for every drink purchased in a bar: depending on the owner it could be chips, pasta, pizza, fruit salad and skewers.



If you are just thirsty and looking for water, in the walled town and nearby areas there are drinking fountains just round every corner. The water is lightly chlorinated and thus safe to drink, but decent to good tasting. The one in Piazza Cavour (on the far side from the lake) is called "Drago Verde" (Green Dragon) because of its decorative shape.

Connect
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.

Go next

 * Isola Comacina — a small island with ruins of several byzantine churches. It was once a town that allied with Milan against Como. The town was destroyed by Como's army in 1169.
 * Ossuccio
 * Bellagio – take a day trip by ferry across the lake to visit the gardens of Villa Melzi and Villa Serbelloni
 * Tremezzina – a town directly to the west across the lake, home to Villa del Balbianello and Villa Carlotta
 * Varenna – a village on the eastern lakeshore to the north, home to Villa Monastero
 * Varese just half an hour by car, an hillside and cozy city with a stunning "Sacro Monte", a devotional complex listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003
 * Milan the capital of the Lombardy region, is a short distance away by train from Como S. Giovanni (40 minutes), bus or car (from 40 minutes depending on traffic).
 * Lake Maggiore (Lago Maggiore) and Lake Lugano (Lago di Lugano) are near to Lake Como and similarly spectacular.
 * Como is right on the border with Switzerland. Remember your passport.
 * Brianza the area between Como and Milan, full of little lakes and 16th, 17th-, and 18th-century villas
 * Brunate; climbing to high altitude via the funicular you can easily reach this village from which you can see an incredible view of the lake and nearby Switzerland.