Sightseeing tours, things to do and place to stay in Bellano, Lake Como.
Visit Bellano, Lake Como
Bellano is a town of about 3300 inhabitants. Its conformation is due to the presence of the stream Pioverna, which divides the municipality into two parts: the first is older and is home to the old harbor, and the second is more modern, where the railway station is located.
Behind the town, the hinterland hosts numerous hamlets and many ancient village cores that even today are populated.
Nowadays the most developed sector is the service industry, but in the last century it was known as the little Manchester of the Lario because of its large factories. When crossing Via Manzoni, which cuts through the town's historic center, you can see lots of portals, courtyards, and hallways of old patrician houses, and again stone staircases or heraldic coats of arms that hark back to the 18th century.
Bellano is now a tourist town and keep attracting people from all over Italy and Europe, because of the presence of prominent artists. Just think of contemporary painters and sculptors Giancarlo and Velasco Vitali or the writer Andrea Vitali, who sets his novels in these places.
Near the lake are green areas and sports facilities such as a multi-purpose field, the Sailing Club Bellano, a bicycle path, and the Lido di Bellano with enjoyable swimming pools. Recently, they have also built The Palasole, a modern sail-shaped building used for hosting the many festivals organized in the village.
The main event is the famous Pesa Vegia, which is celebrated on Epiphany night and attracts lots of spectators every year. According to the legend, it commemorates an event that took place in 1604 during Spanish rule, when a delegation of Bellanesi went by boat to Como to plead for the maintenance of the old weights. In fact, these had been replaced by the new ones, which were more difficult and complicated to apply and so created embarrassment among the local population, consisting mainly of merchants and artisans.
What to do, to visit and to see in Bellano
Le fotografie di Carlo Borlenghi
Carlo Borlenghi was born in Bellano and it was here, on Lake Como, that he began his career photographing local regattas. Thanks to his talent, Carlo established himself as one of the best photographers specialising in regattas, but not only, and was to produce the photographic reportage for all national and international Rolex sailing events. From 1983 he began following Azzurra's exploits, soon becoming an official of the successive America's Cups.
During the 2020 lookdown, Carlo began to dedicate himself to portraits, planning this ambitious project: a choral work that will feature the inhabitants of his town, Bellano. Thanks to the active collaboration of the municipal administration, the project became reality and today Bellano is completely covered, almost house by house, shop by shop, with portraits of its inhabitants.
The Church of Santa Marta
Bellano has one of the most striking lakefronts on the eastern shore of the Lake, with splendid views of the towns and the mountains on the opposite shore. From here, through one of the many small and characteristic streets that jut out over the lake, you can reach Via Manzoni, which leads in front of the Church of Santa Marta. Inside is preserved a precious group of nine wooden life-size statues depicting the Deposition and ascribed to sculptor Angelo del Maino.
The Church of SS Nazaro e Celso
Built in 1348, the church holds inside a beautiful black and white marble flooring that echoes its façade. The nave is decorated by precious frescoes and is supported by pillars made with the local Moltrasio-stone.
The Church of S.Rocco
In the oldest part of Bellano you can find the deconsecrated Church of San Nicolao, currently used for cultural initiatives and concerts. It is decorated with beautiful frescoes which also testify to its past importance.
Deconsecrated church of San Nicolao
In the oldest part of Bellano you can find the deconsecrated Church of San Nicolao, currently used for cultural initiatives and concerts. It is decorated with beautiful frescoes which also testify to its past importance.
Shrine of the Madonna of Lezzeno
In the hamlet of Lezzeno stands the Baroque-style Shrine of the Madonna, built between 1690 and 1704 based on the design by architect Quadrio, to commemorate a miracle that had just occurred two years before on August 6, 1688. On that day, a local peasant named Bartolomeo Mezzera was returning home from work as usual when, as he passed a small chapel, he saw inside that the Madonna depicted in the plaster medallion was weeping tears of blood. That medallion is still preserved and placed in a niche above the altar.
Orrido of Bellano
A must-visit in Bellano is surely the Orrido, a natural gorge created by the river Pioverna whose waters, over the centuries, have shaped gigantic potholes and evocative caverns.
The dark ravines and the gloomy rumble of the Orrido's tumultuous waters make this one of the most striking and well-known destinations on the Lake. Here also stands the Cà del Diavol - the devil’s home - which in the collective imagination is thought to be a fearful location of satanic rituals, making this place full of mysterious charm. An elevated walkway overlooking the water allows visitors to admire the beauty of this truly unique place.
click here to discover ORRIDO of BELLANO
Most stunning sunset over Lake Como
In Bellano you can also see beautiful sunsets over Lake Como.
here all the pics.
Museum, villas, monuments and sights
Events, festivals and music in Bellano
Beaches and lidos, where to swim in Bellano
Coming Soon.
Best treks and scenic hiking trails in Bellano
If you want to go trekking, hiking or nordic-walling on Lake Como and discover trails above the Bellano mountains, we recommend the team HIKING LAKE COMO. Francesca and Mario are professional and passionate certified guides, as well as enthusiastic local people. Contact here
How to get to Bellano
Curiosity and further deepening
Visit the Fiumelatte Caves, Varenna, Lake Como. Mysteries and legends also studied by Leonardo Da Vinci.
Trekking on the route Sentiero del Viandante, wonderful centuries-old path on the eastern shore of Lake Como.
Visit Orrido di Bellano: between nature and satanic legends, a spectacular natural gorge created over millennia.
Among the events in Bellano, the most famous is the Pesa Vegia festival. On the night of January 5th, a lively tradition comes to life, where the sacred merges with the profane.
A small family-run museum with a valuable collection of antique radios from all over the world.