How to visit Menaggio Castle; a walk around the walls of the ancient fortress built in the 10th century AD

Our route begins at the Boat Tour kiosk in front of the Hotel du Lac.
From there you can see the arcade of the Tosi fish market. Above the arches is visible a large painting depicting the Miraculous Fishing narrated in the Gospel according to Luke. The Menaggio painter Bruno Azimonti wanted to pay homage to one of the oldest activities in the village. 

This building was the ancient entrance across from the port of Menaggio. You have to imagine this port as the only landing place on the lake and forget the whole lakefront of Menaggio, which was developed after the 18th century. From this portal the town branched upward, opening into a cone shape, until it embraced the walls of the ancient castle. There is evidence that the small streets we now walk were often underground tunnels. The castle then was destroyed by the Grisons in the medieval religious wars. 

As soon as you enter the small lane between the Tosi fish market and Aldo Savorani's store, you will notice a sign pointing to the Fortress, an house of medieval structure. A few meters later on your left, an arched doorway closed by a grate is visible. Have a look at how a medieval house looked like; at the end of this room you can also see cells, probably remnants of a prison.

Leaving the very narrow Via delle Rose we cross the roadway and go up Via Caroni skirting the parish church of Santo Stefano.
Stephen's Church is located in the historic center, is a building that dates back to the 1700s. It is a three-aisle building with frescoes by Tagliaferro, as well as several notable works of the Lombard and Flemish schools. The altar is surrounded by 18th-century copper-oil medallions.

You now take the small street next to the church, Via Enrico Caronti da Blevio, and turn to the first street on the right, Via Leone Leoni.
Here on your right, you will find the store that sells the traditional Canaja de Menas liquor. Canaja in the local dialect means rogue. The inhabitants of Menaggio were called rogues by Martin Luther following the town's alleged turncoat to the famous German theologian and reformer.
You will often find the name Canaja among the various businesses in the village; if you want to rent an electric bike turn to Canaja Ebikes.

A little further on the right you will find the KodaK. This used to be the entrance to the old St. Stephen's parish church; right here passed the via regina and thus the apse faced the lake. 
Try browsing through the historical photos on display. They depict famous people who frequented Menaggio in years gone by; you won't find movie stars and fashionable influencers, but rather politicians and people of intellectual depth such as German Chancellor Adenauer.

In front of Kodak at number 9 a photo panel tells you about the epic of the old Menaggio-Porlezza railway, now decommissioned and turned into a bike path. The train was mainly used for commercial transportation and by early British tourists.
Since the nineteenth century, there had been a state-of-the-art system that organized transportation between the Lombard and Swiss lakes, a major project to interconnect the Lario, Lugano lake and Maggiore lake.
English tourists arrived in Lugano by train. The train station was just in front of the port, by boat they would cross Lugano lake and reach Porlezza where the railways to Menaggio started. Once they reached Menaggio they could easily move to the other Larian areas by boat; it is no coincidence that the old station of this railway was located at the present gasoline pump in Menaggio, right in front of the pier.
The narrow gauge and steam locomotive train made its first trip on November 17, 1884 to end its service after only 55 years, at the beginning of World War II.
This little train was also widely used by golfers. Right here in Menaggio there is the second oldest golf club in Italy which was established by Englishmen and silk merchants. The banker Enrico Mylius was the first president.

After a few meters you’ll come to a fork in the road, where you notice a panel of route D, an itinerary dedicated to the last hours of Benito Mussolini, who was captured and executed in this area.
ROUTE A: SALVATION ROUTES TO SWITZERLAND.
ROUTE B: THE PARTISAN ROUTES BETWEEN THE TWO LAKES.
ROUTE C: THE PARTISAN ROUTES IN THE UPPER LAKE.
ROUTE D: MUSSOLINI'S LAST HOURS.

Turn left and go up Castellino da Castello Road. The white building on your left at number 1 housed Mussolini on the second last night of his life.
This road went directly up to the castle and was the main road of Menaggio where the wealthiest families used to live. Look at the importance of the portals and behind these walls expect swimming pools and sumptuous gardens.
At number 17 take a look at a beautiful eclectic villa in the style of Villa la Gaeta.
At the top of the hill you can begin to glimpse the majestic crumbling building built in the 19th century on the ruins of the old castle by the Castelli family from Milan. 

We come then to an intersection and here two roads go up. To the left there is a flight of steps and to the right the road continues and a last path descends.
In front of you the walls of the original fortress rise, it’s the core of the historical castle. 

We would like to point out two curiosities:

Here, on your right, notice a house with a marble plaque: it’s the birthplace of Gabriele Malagrida. But who was he? 
Gabriele was an Italian Jesuit missionary, much loved in the Portuguese colonies of Brazil and an influential figure in the political life of the royal court in Lisbon. However, Gabriel had an enemy at court, the Prime Minister Carvalho and also the future Marquis of Pombal. Carvalho was trying to rebuild Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake, which Gabriel preached was the punishment of a just God on a sinful community. Carvalho became enraged by Gabriel’s implicit accusation toward the government and convinced King Jose to have all Jesuits removed from the court. Not enough satisfied, he then succeeded in having Gabriel convicted of heresy, thanks in great part to the influence of his brother, who was head of the Spanish Holy Inquisition.
Gabriel was burned in Lisbon, along with thirty-two others, on September 21, 1761.

The second curiosity concerns the entrance in front of you, an arch closed by a green gate. It was the entrance to the Mantero nursery, one of the oldest in the province of Como, built by the Mantero family (famous silk manufacturers) to serve their female workers.
The first Mantero silk factory was established in Menaggio, in a bend in the Senagra river just nearby. 400 women worked there divided into three shifts. The silk factory was productive around the clock.

But let’s go back to our route!

You now find yourself at a fork in the road. Taking the road to your right, you around the walls of Menaggio Castle, and at the end you will return to this point from the stairway that comes down from your left. Here, do not expect an actual castle, but what remains of its perimeter walls. The original ancient castle, in fact, dates back to the 10th century. It was considered impregnable at the time, until it was besieged and destroyed by the Grisons and finally declined during Spanish rule.

Well, continuing then the path to your right, enjoy the simple walk through the medieval heart of Menaggio. One of its wonders is the small Church of San Carlo, built in 1612 on the ruins of the ancient castle. After a few meters, the perimeter walls of the ancient fortress will be clearly visible. Go down the small flight of steps to the left and take via Fabbri, thus returning to Gabriele Malagrida's house.