16 of the best · Lake Como, Italy
The silk of the UNESCO Creative City and its museum, the opera house of 1813, the collections of the villas, the Museo Barca Lariana, the cyclists’ museum at the Ghisallo and Lecco’s Manzoni.
Our 16 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
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Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Lake Como.
Como silk
The silk museum of Como: the whole process, from the silkworm to hand printing and fashion collections.
Via Castelnuovo 9, 22100 ComoExplore View on map
Since 1813
Como’s opera house of 1813, with its summer festival in the Arena.
Via Bellini 3, 22100 ComoExplore View on map
Hundreds of historic boats
The museum of historic boats on the upper lake at Pianello del Lario.
Via Regina 1268, 22010 Pianello del LarioExplore View on map
The newest official trailers and upcoming films, updated automatically as they are released. Around the lake, look for “versione originale” screenings to see films in their original language.
Trailers play from the official YouTube channels of Rotten Tomatoes Trailers and the studios, and update automatically. Use the playlist button in each player to browse more.
In-depth stories behind the list.
The back story
Canova at the Villa Carlotta, the silk of the UNESCO Creative City, the opera house of 1813, the boats of the Museo Barca Lariana and Lecco’s Manzoni: the culture of the lake.
Visual arts
Silk, boats, bicycles, and the collections of the great villas.
Hundreds of historic boats
The museum of historic boats on the upper lake at Pianello del Lario.
Via Regina 1268, 22010 Pianello del LarioExplore View on map
The cyclists’ museum
The cycling museum on the Ghisallo pass above Bellagio, by the cyclists’ chapel.
Como silk
The silk museum of Como: the whole process, from the silkworm to hand printing and fashion collections.
Via Castelnuovo 9, 22100 ComoExplore View on map
Canova, Hayez, Thorvaldsen
The villa of the Clerici marquises at Tremezzo: masterpieces by Canova, Hayez and Thorvaldsen in a botanical garden on the lake.
On its own peninsula
The FAI’s villa on a wooded peninsula at Lenno: 18th-century French furniture, Beauvais tapestries and the explorer Guido Monzino’s collections.
Modern art and mountaineering in Lecco.
Modern art and mountaineering
Lecco’s gallery of modern and contemporary art, with the photo archive and the museum of Lecco mountaineering.
Piazza XX Settembre 22, 23900 LeccoExplore View on map
Great buildings, old and new.
From 1396
The marble cathedral of Como, begun in 1396, in the heart of the walled town.
UNESCO World Heritage
The chapels climbing to the sanctuary above Ossuccio, one of the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy listed by UNESCO in 2003.
Nearly 2 km of garden
The Province of Lecco’s house museum at Varenna, with a botanical garden along nearly two kilometres of shore.
Performing arts
Como’s opera house of 1813.
Since 1813
Como’s opera house of 1813, with its summer festival in the Arena.
Via Bellini 3, 22100 ComoExplore View on map
Alessandro Manzoni’s Lecco.
Manzoni’s family house
The Manzoni family house in Lecco, home of the Museo Manzoniano, part of Lecco’s civic museums.
Via Don Guanella 1, 23900 LeccoExplore View on map
Folk & cultural traditions
Como silk, the UNESCO Creative City’s craft, and the wooden boats of Laglio.
On the lake since 1771
The Riva family boatyard at Laglio, building and restoring wooden boats on Lake Como “dal 1771”.
Via Regina 48, 22010 LaglioExplore View on map
Silk since 1899
The silk house Frey, “Seta dal 1899”, with its shop on the Via Regina in Cernobbio.
Via Regina 71, 22012 CernobbioExplore View on map
Music on the lake.
Summer season
The international music festival that brings concerts to the lake each season.
