• Lakes
    • Art & Culture
    • Active & Green

Brunate a view on the Belle Époque

Visit the "Balcony on the Alps".

It is hard to look away from Lake Como and its shores, but trust us, it is quite worth the trouble.

Just head to De Gasperi square, where since 1894 a funicular goes above rocky cliffs to reach Brunate, located at a 700 meters altitude, providing an astonishing view of Lake Como.

Brunate is best known as "the lake's balcony" due to the splendid scenery that it proposes. It used to be a preferred holiday destination for Como and Milan's aristocracy, which built Liberty style houses here. You can watch them all during a relaxing walk: start with the former Hotel Brunate, then go through via Roma to reach the Chalet Sonzogno, a wooden building given as a third prize to the readers of the newspaper Il Secolo in 1904.

Not far from there is Villa Cantaluppi Giuliani, with its Liberty style furnishings and the distinct bow-windows of Villa Crespi Bianchioco. At the funicular square spires the Grand Hotel Milano, designed by architect Enea Manfredini. This can be the perfect starting point for beautiful itineraries. Several trekking and hiking routes that lead to Pissarottino or Como, passing by the San Donato Hermitage.

You can also make a trip to Monte Piatto and see the ancient boulder-tombs excavated in glacial rocks, plus the curious monument of Pietra Pendula, which looks like a massive mushroom. Take the chance to visit Torno, where the church of San Giovanni can be seen and you can get on a boat to explore the lake.

Take me here: Brunate a view on the Belle Époque

On the same topic

3 LAKES TRAVEL CARD

Through Italy and Switzerland discovering the lakes area.
  • Lakes
3 LAKES TRAVEL CARD

Lago Maggiore Artist’s brushstrokes

Trompe l’oeil frescos, five centuries of pictorial cycles, spontaneous and organised murals: colour is everywhere in and around Laveno Mombello
  • Lakes
Lago Maggiore Pennellate d'artista

Lago Maggiore Unspoilt landscapes

Monteviasco can only be reached on foot or by cableway from Ponte di Piero. This village is famous for its 18th century mills placed in a natural setting.
  • Lakes
Lago Maggiore Paesaggi incontaminati

Lago Maggiore Old stories

Finds from the Iron Age, evidence of the Ice Age, monuments of industrial archaeology, dolls from the eighteenth century to date: lower Lago Maggiore (the Verbano area)
  • Lakes
Lago Maggiore Storie antiche

5 Thing-to-do in Menaggio

Be enchanted by Menaggio, marvelous town on Lake Como
  • Lakes
cosa fare a menaggio lungolago

The most beautiful villages on Lake Lugano - What to see

Among enchanting villages, nature reserves and ancient villas, Lake Lugano is the ideal destination for a weekend of pure well-being. Find out more.
  • Lakes
The most beautiful villages on Lake Lugano - What to see

Lago di Como:Bellagio, the pearl

One of the world's best-loved places, Bellaggio lies on the tip of the central headland, offering convenient ferry access to both branches of the lake
  • Lakes
Lago di Como: Bellagio, la perla

5 Thing-to-do in Colico

The perfect place for your outdoor holiday on Lake Como
  • Lakes
colico cose da fare

5 lakes to be explored

Not just big lakes: discover 5 other small stretches of fresh water in Lombardy
  • Lakes
Lago d'Idro

From Como to Bellagio by Boat

Traveling between the two shores of the lake, between splendid coasts and the majestic frame of the Pre-Alps
  • Lakes
From Como to Bellagio by Boat

Lake Como Itinerary

  • Lakes
Lake Como Itinerary

The Lario for sporty visitors

Walking, water sports, hiking, cycling, climbing, canyoning... Enjoy a summer on the move between Como, Lecco and the Larian Triangle
  • Lakes
The Lario for sporty visitors

Guide to the seven lakes of Varese province

  • Lakes
Panorama del Lago di Varese e Comabbio dal Forte d'Orino

Discover Alto Garda bresciano

Towns perched on cliffs over the water, with dizzy views. And roads dug out of the rock, as harsh as…
  • Lakes
www.livelagodigarda.it

The Lombardy Shore of Lake Maggiore — Exploring historic villages

Discovering the Lombardy shore of Lake Maggiore, a region characterised by hills, dense reeds, archaeological finds and enchanting villages for you to visit.
  • Lakes
The Lombardy Shore of Lake Maggiore — Exploring historic villages

Canyoning in Valmalenco

A unique canyoning route in the Alps
  • Lakes
Speleocanyoning nel torrente Cormor in Valmalenco

Lago di Garda: castles and legacy

A land of pleasure and invasions, the lower Garda area has a wealth of historic sites, with roots dating back as far as the Bronze age
  • Lakes
Lago di Garda Tra castelli e vestigia

Boat Trips at Lombard Lakes

Iseo, Garda, Como. Boat trips on the Lombardy lakes offer an alternative point of view. From the lakes to the villages that surround them.
  • Lakes
Boat trips at Lombard lakes, an original idea

Diving in Lombardy’s lakes

Freshwater diving enthusiasts will enjoy these seven ideas for discovering the underwater treasures in Lombardy’s lakes
  • Lakes
 Immersioni sui laghi lombardia @inlombardia - istockphoto

Vacation at Lombardy Lakes

The Lombardy lakes offer quality services and accommodation for every type of holiday.
  • Lakes
Vacation at Lombardy lakes, ideas for planning