Menaggio

Menaggio is a charming village on the shores of Lake Como, relatively peaceful compared to the rest of the coast. It lies at the entrance to the valley of the same name, at the foot of Monte Grona (1,736 metres above sea level), from which there is a superb panorama over Lake Como and Lake Lugano, and which can be reached by a footpath.

Visiting Menaggio

The town has a pretty central square and a beautiful lakefront decorated with flowers, palm trees and iron balustrades, between the small harbour and the lido. The historic centre has bars, shops and restaurants, and also the interesting church of San Carlo.
Its 17th-century church of Santo Stefano succeeded early Christian and Romanesque buildings. It is decorated with frescoes by Luigi Tagliaferri. The 17th-century Sanctuary of the Madonna of Peace is 2 km to the north-east in a beautiful position with a view over the lake. Remains of the walls of the 10th-century medieval castle still stand.
The hamlet of Loveno has private villas, such as Villa Mylius Vigoni nestling in an English garden (visits in season by reservation) and Villa Govone.
You can walk along part of the ancient Strada Regina, a road dating back to the Romans that crossed the Alps, passing through the Crocetta at 500 metres above sea level with its viewpoint. It leads from the hamlet of Nobiallo to the historic centre of Rezzonico.

The Villa Mylius Vigoni was bequeathed by Ignazio Vigoni in 1983 to the Federal Republic of Germany, and houses an Italian-German centre. The interior is adorned with decorations, sculptures and paintings, including works by important early 19th-century artists acquired by the Mylius family. Its beautiful English park, designed in 1855 by the architect Giuseppe Balzaretti, covers almost 5 hectares, offering a remarkable natural and environmental setting with its centuries-old trees, viewpoints, marble statues, fountains, inscriptions and small monuments.
In the pretty valley, the Val Senagra Park combines nature and historical traces, including the Fornace Galli, an old brickworks now converted into a museum.

Information

• Wikipedia article: Menaggio
• Tourist portals: www.in-lombardia.it

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