Visit Torno, Lake Como
The name Torno seems to originate from the Celtic word turn; in fact, it is at this point that the lake turns sharply to the east.
A truly special village. Once you get off the boat, Torno welcomes you to a small and beautiful square that seems designed around the old harbor. You will find yourself in a magical place rich in history. An echo of distant legends leads you to imagine what this village was like before 1500, so powerful that it struck fear into the nearby city of Como.
In fact, thanks to the Order of the Humiliati, Torno became a very important center of wool cloth production, which hosted 5,000 inhabitants at the time, slightly less than Como.
However, even though it was a very fearful town, it was a political choice that decreed its end: Torno decided to support the French, while the rest of the neighboring towns, led by Como, allied themselves with the Spanish and the Sforza. The village was thus sacked and destroyed on June 11, 1522.
A huge number of weapons from those tragic battles were found in the waters in front of the village.
As the witer Benedetto Giovio of Como recalls: in Torno "all the houses went up in flames [...] the churches, rich in gold paintings and organs, were laid bare and desecrated [...]. Then the pier was made to be ruined by the spoilers and the palaces razed to the ground [...]. The people were given to the ban and the substances to the exchequer."
What to do, to visit and to see in Torno
Discovering prehistoric erratic boulders
Walk along Piazza Giovio and take Via Plinio, behind the church of Santa Tecla, on your left. Go up to Piazza Caronti and here, on the left and next to the Banca Intesa San Paolo, a flight of steps named Via Tridi starts. A sign marks the way to Montepiatto and Pietra Pendula.
Keep going uphill following the Strada Regia signs until you reach the intersection with via per Piazzega; then take the stairway following the sign Massi Avelli - Piazzega - Strada Regia per Molina.
READ HERE the ITINERARY
The Church of Torno San Giovanni
As you descend from Montepiatto, once you arrive in the town of Torno, you will surely notice the beautiful 12th-century bell tower with three orders of louvers: single lancet the first and double lancet the next; it is the bell tower of the wonderful church of St. Giovanni. Absolutely do not miss a visit to one of the most beautiful churches on our lake! The interior consists of a single-nave hall; its warm light, majestic paintings and frescoes give the church a really unique atmosphere.
READ HERE the ITINERARY
Museum, villas, monuments and sights
Events, festivals and music in Torno
Beaches and lidos, where to swim in Torno
Lido di Torno.
Best treks and scenic hiking trails in Torno
If you want to go trekking, hiking or nordic-walling on Lake Como and discover trails above the Torno 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.
Come arrivare a Torno