5 lovely towns around Lake Como, part 1

Italian lakes

Summer events on Lake Como

Italian lakes

Summer events on Lake Como

Near Lake Como there are many summer events which can liven up your holiday evenings.

We Italians love to go out with our friends and families: it is the perfect way to enjoy the warm summer evenings, listening to live music, eating some food, simply relaxing while the kids are having fun playing their games or on a carousel.

The summer festivals are pleasant occasions to spend the evening in a good company, to share relaxing moments with your family and friends, to relish fresh and typical dishes and to enjoy beautiful landscape. You will find very easily the summer events in your surroundings, as each city offers a rich summer festival calendar.

I would like to take this opportunity to list the 4 events near the Lake Como you cannot miss.

[divider height=”30″ style=”default” line=”default” themecolor=”1″]

1) Menaggio Summer Fireworks

I consider the Menaggio Summer Fireworks the most thrilling event near the Lake Como.
It is entirely dedicated to fireworks and it is held on 10^th August.

You can enjoy the amazing fireworks show, along the lake’s shore. They are also accompanied by the music, which gets to event even more breathtaking. You’ll enjoy the sparkling show and the charming poetry of the reflection of the lights on the surface of the lake, which magnifies the amazing effect.

The lights show begins at 10.30 and, while you’re waiting for the show to begin, you can get a nice refreshment at the stalls at the lake side. If you are really hungry and a plain snack is not enough, the kitchen service is available at the lake side park, where you can satisfy your hunger with a selection of tasty traditional dishes.

[divider height=”30″ style=”default” line=”default” themecolor=”1″]

2) Festival of Pizzoccheri

The other event I would like to introduce is the Festival of Pizzoccheri and I bet you are wondering what pizzoccheri are! It is the typical food of this region: they look like grey tagliatella, where the color is due to the special kind of flour, mainly buckwheat. The oldest records of the buckwheat crops in this area date back to the 17^th century and, as this kind of cereal can grow easily in the mountains, it became the simplest basic ingredients very soon.

Pizzoccheri are traditionally served with pieces of potatoes, cabbage, Valtellina cheese, butter, garlic and sage. Pizzoccheri are not only a delicious dish, but also a tasty way to learn about the flavourful local culinary tradition.

The Festival of Pizzoccheri is held on 27^th and 28^th July in the Molgisio Municipal Park in Tremezzina – Lenno and, apart from pizzoccheri, it offers many other local specialties and products.

[divider height=”30″ style=”default” line=”default” themecolor=”1″]

3) Como Music festival

Como City of Music is the most appreciated summer festival by music lovers.

In 2019, the Como City of Music celebrates 12 years of activity. The schedule of the events, which be held from 27^th June to 13^th July, is ample and various and you can count several music shows and dance activities in many locations in the city of Como.

You can listen to different music shows: from the lyrical opera La Traviata, which is the opening event this year, to the contemporary music such as the famous composer Ennio Morricone’s soundtracks or the Italian rock band Negrita.

The program of the Music Festival is so various and appealing that it won’t disappoint you.

[divider height=”30″ style=”default” line=”default” themecolor=”1″]

4) Friday evening’s Craft Markets

You can enjoy the evening craft market in Menaggio. It’s a lovely market especially because many of the stalls are place along the amazing lake side promenade.

You can take a walk among the stalls of the local artisans and buy your friends some nice gifts or marvelous handmade pieces that will always recall your holiday on the Lake Como.

These are only some suggestions of summer events near the Lake Como. I’m sure that being parto fo these festival will add amusement to your summer evenings.

Are you coming to Lake Como? Discover our gorgeous villas!

Easter holiday near Lake Como

Italian lakes

Easter holiday near Lake Como

Spending your Easter holiday near Lake Como is a great idea! This area gives its best during spring time, with milder temperatures and trees and flower in blossom.

You can enjoy both religious and cultural events. Among those, I chose 3 that I found particularly interesting.

The first one gives you the opportunity to discover something about the religious and historical heritage of Lake Como. The second is perfect for exploring the cities. The third will make happy children and adults.

Let’s start!

Kissing the Cross

During Easter Week an ancient crucifix is ​​displayed in the Sanctuary of the Holy Cross in Como.

People believe that it performed many miracles.

The legend says that some pilgrims coming from North Europe picked it up in Paris and left it in Como in 1401 as a sign of gratitude towards the Celestines, a religious brotherhood that had helped the pilgrims during their stay in Florence.

The crucifix became popular after the miracle of 1529.

On the evening of Holy Thursday the members of a religious brotherhood organized a procession. When they reached a bridge they found the road blocked by two large chains, set up by the Spanish governor to protect the city from the raids of the French cavalry nearby. The captain of the guards refused to open the chains and the brothers decided to pass under them. However, when they lowered the cross, one of the chain tore, freeing the passage.

The popular devotion increased over time, especially after the Second World War when people started to believe that the crucifix had protected the city from bombing.

For all these reasons, the display of the crucifix for Easter is a real event, during which residents and visitors line up to kiss it.

On Good Friday, it is possible to admire the ancient crucifix in a procession along the streets of the city.

Easter Street Markets

Easter is a joyful celebration that coincides with the arrival of spring and the start of the tourist season.

During you Easter Holiday near Lake Como you can enjoy the mild temperatures, the blooming flowers and some lovely street markets that are held in the towns that overlook the lake.

The cities of Como, Lenno and Menaggio are just a few example.

On the stands of the markets you will surely find typical foods, wines, handcrafted souvenirs, art pieces, useful tools, books, clothes and much more.

If you are looking for nice souvenirs, the street markets are the right place.

One thing I like about street markets is that they give you the chance to blend with the local people.

Treasure hunts at the Historical Gardens

Every Easter some of the most beautiful historical gardens of Italy host special treasure hunts dedicated to children and adults. While children are having fun, adults can enjoy a walk through these wonderful locations, the colors and the scents of flowers and trees.

This year, 3 historical villas are going to open their gardens to the treasure hunts: Villa Olmo in Como, Villa Melzi d’Eril in Bellagio and Villa Carlotta in Tremezzina.

This experience will give you amazing memories of your Easter holiday near Lake Como.

Final Thoughts

I want to finish the short article talking about food!

During your Easter holiday near lake Como you can taste different typical dishes, available only in this period.

The typical treat of Easter is the chocolate egg. You can find chocolate eggs in different sizes and prices, for children or adults, made with different ingredients, wrapped in colorful paper or decorated by hand. The only thing that doesn’t change is the content: every egg hides a surprise! It’s always fun to crack a chocolate egg, find out the surprise and then share the chocolate splinters with the your loved ones.

Discover our exclusive villas near Lake Como. Visit our website.

Pesa Vegia in Bellano, one of the most beautiful folkloristic events at Lake Como

Italian lakes

Pesa Vegia in Bellano, one of the most beautiful folkloristic events at Lake Como

Pesa Vegia in Bellano is an event that you should add to your to-do-list if you are spending the Christmas holidays on Lake Como.

Every 5th of January this celebration mixes history, religion and legend with the lovely background of Bellano.

It’s not only a folkloristic procession, but a sort of show that takes place in some of the most evocative corners of the town, involving hundreds of actors dressed in vintage clothes.

Something about Bellano

I’ve already written something about Bellano in a previous article.

This lovely town is on the eastern shore of Lake Como and it’s divided into two parts by the Pioverna creek. On one side of the creek is the old city, with the little port, the ancient patrician houses, the stone stairs and the narrow streets. On the other side is the modern city, where the train station is located. The Bellano lakefront is one of the best belvedere on the lake, you can see the surrounding mountains and the other villages on the coastline.

The most famous attraction in Bellano is the Orrido, a canyon created by the creek through the centuries. The roar of the water and the high rocks make it very evocative and mysterious. You can find the same mysterious atmosphere in another place called Ca ‘del Diavolo, the house of the devil. A legend says that in this old building lived an evil man who used to kidnap young girls. For this reason, still nowadays, the bells of the village ring at a certain time of day to warn the girls of the danger.

Pesa Vegia

In addition to the beauty of Lake Como and its surroundings, one of the most interesting things enjoy is the folkloristic event called Pesa Vegia in Bellano. 

Pesa Vegia means ‘old weights’ in dialect.

This celebration takes place on the night of the Epiphany and its bizarre name comes from an alleged historical episode.

During the Spanish domination the government imposed new units of measurement for weights, but this created confusion and difficulty for traders and craftsmen in Bellano. So a delegation of citizens went by boat to Como to ask for the permission to use the old units of measurement.

Meanwhile, the other citizens of Bellano gathered near the shores of the lake around bonfires and waited until late at night for their fellow citizens to return.

When they finally saw the boat they all shouted “Pesa vegia or Pesa nova?” (old weights or new weights?), and the answer was “Pesa Vegia”(old weights). People began to rejoice for the good news when someone realized that it was also the eve of the Epiphany. Therefore they arranged a long procession to recall the arrival of the Three Wise Men and walked through the streets of the town, stopping for drinking and eating at the hostelries that stayed open until morning.

It was the year 1606 and since that time every year, on the 5th of January, this event is commemorated by the people living in Bellano.

The procession of the Three Wise Men, the bonfires by the lake, the mooring of the boat are the main events, but every year Pesa Vegia is enriched with some news details, such as the reading of the edict from the balcony of the Hall, the living native scene, the castle of King Herod and more.

As you can see, sacred and profane are mixed.

As I’ve already said, Pesa Vegia in Bellano seems like a huge show, set up along the streets of the town, with actors, animals, costumes and scenic designs. It’s a truly engaging experience and for this it attracts many visitors. People not only watch the performances, but they also make part of it.

Don’t think of Pesa Vegia as an event that lasts just a couple of hours. The 2019 edition has a very interesting program that starts on the morning of January 5th and ends the evening of the day after.

You can visit the Orrido, check the Christmas markets, take part in all the historical reenactments until the bonfires are lit on the pier at midnight. On Epiphany you can attend the Governor’s speech, but also enjoy warm glass of vin brulé, mulled wine, at the main square and wait for the final fireworks show.

Obviously, the beauty of the village of Bellano is the background to all this and is always available to you.

So, if you are at Lake Como, please come and visit Bellano. I’m sure you’ll like it.

Are you planning your holidays on Lake Como? Take a look at our website.

How about skiing near Lake Como? Valsassina is waiting for you

Italian lakes