Greatly appreciated amongst the excursions on the way out of the city of Como, is the Funicular going up to the village of Brunate. This charming little train made its first run in 1894 and still today connects the main town with extremely striking panoramic viewpoints every 30 minutes. It takes only a 7-minute journey to get to Brunate on a railway that has the maximum permitted gradient of 55%. Brunate is located at about 700 metres above sea level, this little town has always been popular among the Como and Milanese nobility who built many Liberty style villas there. Brunate is also a great starting point for beautiful nature walks. From the Belvedere it is possible to see the outline of Como’s historic centre, the antique roman castrum; the view then opens out to the Alps and the Brianza plain.

When you rise up to Brunate, you can choose to return to Como walking across the woods, or get the cableway. It is active during the evening: in summertime, when you are looking for a place to cool off, reach Brunate by cableway starting from Como is a nice alternative to a walk on lakeside, to admire Lake Como with its enlightened shores.