Sightseeing in Lake Como
Below is a growing list of historical buildings, places of interest, museums and galleries in the City of Como and surrounding western arm of Lake Como.
For further information click on the image or title for the Google Maps link or website link for further information.
Some of these venues may be closed due to the season or funding issues. Please check with each venue before attending, also, advance booking may be required, or visit by appointment only. For some venues - it is more about the enthusiasm in the promotion, than content, language translation or overall visual experience.
Please contact us via social media to recommend a place of interest that you have personally visited and enjoyed in Lake Como.
Broletto di Como
Piazza del Duomo, 22100 Como
The Broletto di Como adjoins the ancient Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta-Duomo di Como).
The construction dates back to 1215 and was built in the Gothic-Romanesque style while the Renaissance elements of the façade date back to the 15th century. The Broletto is currently used as a congress hall and for art exhibitions.
Tempio Voltiano
Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 1, 22100 Como
The Tempio Voltiano is a museum dedicated to Alessandro Volta, a scientist and the inventor of the electric battery. He was born in Como in 1745 and died in 1827
In 1800 Alessandro Volta invented the ‘Voltaic Pile’ an early version of the electric battery. Inside the Temple is a small museum with equipment and documents on display that he used to carry out his experiments.
Villa del Balbianello
Via Guido Monzino, 1, 22016 Tremezzina
The Villa del Balbianello is located in the Comune of Lenno. Built in 1787 on the former site of a Franciscan monastery.
The Villa is known as the film location for the James Bond movie Casino Royale’ filmed in 2006, starring Daniel Craig as the MI6 agent James Bond. Also, the Villa was used as a film location for the Star Wars feature film, Episode II Attack of the Clones (2002).
The Villa is now owned by the National Trust of Italy and is part of the association of Grandi Giardini Italiani.
Duomo di Como
Piazza del Duomo, 22100 Como
The building of the Duomo in the Como began in 1396 and did not finish until 1770.
The spectacular west front was built between 1457 and 1498. The ancient Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta-Duomo di Como) adjoins the Broletto di Como.
The Life Electric
Via Armando Diaz, 84, 22100 Como
The Life Electric is a contemporary sculpture dedicated to the physicist Alessandro Volta (1745–1827). Designed by Daniel Libeskind and completed in 2015. It is located at the end of Diga foranea Piero Caldirola at the front of the Lake. It is a great place to watch the boats arriving and leaving Como.
Villa Carlotta
Via Regina, 2, 22016 Tremezzina
The villa was built at the end of the 17th century by the Milanese Marquis Giorgio Clerici. In 1843 the villa at Tremezzo was a wedding gift to Princess Carlotta and Georg II of Saxen-Meiningen from her mother Princess Marianne of Nassau the wife of Albert Frederick Augustus, King of Saxony.
The villa became more commonly known as Villa Carlotta. Now a beautifully restored museum and maintained gardens that are open to the public covering over 70.000 square metres. There is an entry charge with concessions.
Villa Melzi D’Eril
Lungo Lario Manzoni, 22021 Bellagio
The Villa Melzi D’Eril is located in Bellagio and was designed by Giocondo Albertolli in 1808 for Francesco Melzi d’Eril. The Villa Melzi d’Eril is a private residence and not open to the public.
The English-style garden was designed by the architect Luigi Canonica and includes sculptures, American redwood trees, Japanese maple trees and a statue of the Egyptian Goddess Pacht.
The gardens are so peaceful and tranquil, a must place to visit in the Summer months and the smell from the bergamot trees near the orangery is wonderful.
Teatro Sociale
Via Vincenzo Bellini, 3, 22100 Como
The Teatro Sociale theatre was designed by architect Giuseppe Cusi. Construction started in early 1812 and finished in August 1813.
In the 1930s the theatre was turned into a cinema for a while. However, in 1944 it became the alternative opera house for Milan’s La Scala when it was damaged during the war.
Museums in Lake Como
Museo Paolo Archeologico Giovio
Archaeological Museum
The Museo Archeologico Paolo Giovio is a municipal museum located in a medieval palace, Palazzo Giovio in Como and specialises in a diverse collection of regional archaeological artefacts.
Piazza Medaglie d’Oro Comasche, 1, 22100 Como
The Fondazione Antonio Ratti was inaugurated in 1998. A collection of antique of silk and cotton fabrics from the 5th to the 19th century, and books collected by Antonio Ratti and accessible to the public.
Museo Studio Del Tessuto
Antique Textiles Collection of Antonio Ratti
Via Per Cernobbio, 19, 22100 Como
Museo della Seta di Como
Museum of the Silk Industry in Como
The Como Silk Museum was opened in 1990, the museum documents the history of the silk industry in Como and shows the entire production process, from the start to the finish, producing colourful yarns.
Via Castelnuovo, 9, 22100 Como
Museo Storico Giuseppe Garibaldi
Civic Museum of the Risorgimento
Dedicated to Giuseppe Garibaldi.
In memory of his role in the Battle of San Fermo in 1859, which led to the Austrian forces abandoning Como and the Unification of Italy in 1871.
Piazza Medaglie d’Oro Comasche, 1, 22100 Como
Pinacoteca Civica - Como
Art Museum
The Pinacoteca is a civic art museum, in the Renaissance-style Palazzo Volpi. On display is a collection of the Como abstract artists of the 1930s.
The palazzo was erected in 1630 in the City of Como by the Catholic nuncio and bishop of Novara, Ulpiano Volpi.
The building was used as a courthouse until the 1970s.
Via Armando Diaz, 84, 22100 Como
Museo Villa Bernasconi - Cernobbio
Museum of Living History
The Villa Bernasconi is a grand turn-of-the-century art nouveau villa located in Cernobbio and has recently been restored to its former glory.
It tells a story about the history of the building and the people who lived there using interactive multimedia and historical artefacts.
Largo Alfredo Campanini, 2, 22012 Cernobbio
Museo delle Scienze Casartelli
Science Educational Equipment Museum
A small educational science museum, established in 1917, for didactic support for teaching the sciences.
It has frescoes inspired by nature and medallions depicting the Nobel Laureates who participated in an international conference of physicists held in Como in 1927.
Viale Felice Cavallotti, 7, 22100 Como
Museo Tempio Voltiano - Como
Dedicated to Alessandro Volta
The museum is dedicated to Alessandro Volta, born in Como in 1745 a scientist and the inventor of the electrical battery. It is a very small museum.
The neoclassical building was designed by Federico Frigerio and was completed in 1927 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the death of Alessandro Volta.
Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 1, 22100 Como
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