Hikes in Ossuccio

The Green Way is a fantastic route for anyone who wants to enjoy the beauty of the historic villages and the view of Lake Como.

Alpe di Colonno, Cima della Duaria, Boffalora, Monte di Lenno, Monte Galbiga, Venini refuge, Monte di Tremezzo, Alpe Mezzegra, Boffalora, Alpe di Colonno.

Monasteries and Chestnuts on the TremezzinaArt and culture, history and stories: There is plenty of all this around Ossuccio: churches and monasteries, enchanted places, legends. There are the churches of San Giacomo and Santa Maria Maddalena, both directly on the busy lakeside road, both from the Romanesque period (12th century), archaic-looking hall buildings, San Giacomo with a pretty bell wall, Santa Maria Maddalena with a bell tower, which was given a "cap" in Gothic times – without counterpart in Lombardy. And then there's Isola Comacina, the only island of Lario, once fabulously rich and therefore called Crisopoli – golden city. The terrible end came after the war between Como and Milan (1118–1127); the people of Como sacked and plundered the island, which had allied with Milan. A splendid view of the wooded ridge and the Isola Comacini can be enjoyed from the pilgrimage church Madonna del Soccorso, which rises on a rocky hill just above the entrance to the Valle Perlana. It can be reached on foot via a Via crucis, a chapel path, similar, though not as elaborately designed as those in Varese and Orta San Giulio. And far back in the valley, far removed from the lively, sunny shore strip of the Tremezzina, lies San Benedetto, a foundation of the Cluniacs.

Pleasant hike that leads to Mount Crocione from where you can practically see the entire Lake Como and part of Lake Porlezza

Long-distance hikes above the Lario The "Monti Lariani" are not peaks on Lake Como, but rather the mountain huts that once played an important role in the nomadic life of farmers, long before the Milanesi, in need of relaxation, converted them into weekend cottages. In the past, peasant life moved throughout the year between the valley (paese), the mountain pastures (monti) and the high alpine pastures, an arduous nomadic existence within a farming area that stretched from the lakeshore to above the forest line. There were no roads at that time, but there were paths, artfully laid out and branching out in many places. The "Via dei Monti Lariani" follows them for around 120 km, from Cernobbio at the south-western end of the lake up to Sorico, marked continuously (but not always reliably!) in red-white-red: five to seven daily stages, 4.15 to a maximum of 8.30 hours long. You can work up quite a sweat as you constantly ascend and descend along the western bank of the Lario, even if the "Via" does not touch any peaks. In total, around 5000 meters of ascent and descent are covered. The effort is sweetened by fascinating views, insights into the life of the ancients, the incomparable architecture of the Monti and lots of colorful flowers to the left and right of the path. Of course, you can also do the tour in the opposite direction, from north to south. Partial ascents are also possible, as many paths lead down to the lakeshore. Overnight stays are in mountain huts and small hotels. It is best to take a cab for the ascent to Monte Bisbino. This shortens the first day's stage considerably, which is also advantageous in terms of the journey to Lake Como. The walking time from Cernobbio is 7 hours.

2 February 2025

Church of San Rocco - Mezzegra - Piazza Giuseppe Rosati - House of Nativity Scenes - Church of Sant'Abbondio - Church of San Giuseppe - Baptistery - Collegiate Church of Santo Stefano - Lenno - Lake Como (Comer See) - Church of Sant'Eufemia - Ossuccio - Church of Saints James and Philip - Sala Comacina - Church of San Bartolomeo - Giorgio Giacosa Square - Colonno - Cross - Church of San Michele Arcangelo

Regardless of religious beliefs, a trip to this high-altitude pilgrimage church is worthwhile. An elaborately designed Way of the Cross passes by 14 small chapels that depict the life of Jesus Christ and are part of the UNESCO World Heritage. It is a steep but easy walk in a magnificent setting, which can also be extended towards Preda. There is the Romanesque Abbey of San Benedetto.

A walking tour from Viano to Tremezzo passing along the greenway and exiting to go to the viewpoint via the Stations of the Cross.

In just over four minutes, the cable car gondola ascends to the mountain village of Pigra at an elevation of 860 m, offering breathtaking views down to the lake (every 15 minutes; expected to run Fri, Sat, and Sun from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Mon–Thu service is not yet confirmed as of winter 2024/25; Tel. +39/031/821344; current information at www.atm.it). On the descent down to Colonno, you’ll experience completely contrasting views. Through the wooded Valle della Camoggia, the trail leads to mountain villages with their typical stone houses and, along old mule tracks—paved paths that have been in use for centuries—down to the lakeshore, where the mild climate allows olive and fig trees to thrive. Continuing on to Ossuccio, the hike follows a section of the “Antica Strada Regina,” which until the end of the 19th century was an important trade route between Lombardy and the regions on the northern side of the Alps. The Sentiero della Regina follows this route in ten stages from Como to Chiavenna (see also Tours 1 and 46).> From the upper station of the Pigra01 cable car, follow the road straight ahead through the roundabout into the town center (signposted “Corniga”). Walk uphill through the village to a former washhouse, then turn right as you leave the village. A dirt road is signposted toward Lomia and Corniga. It passes a chapel02 and then winds its way down the forested slopes of the Valle della Camoggia in wide switchbacks. At a fork, keep to the right and you’ll reach the isolated house in Lomia marked “Baita Rosina.” Walk right across the meadow and down to the stream, cross the bridge, and climb briefly up a steep slope on the other side to the houses of Serta03. Afterward, an easy trail runs along the slope out of the valley toward Corniga04, a sleepy mountain village where you can find many picturesque spots. At the small church, which dates back to 1631, follow an old cobblestone path to the right, heading downhill out of the village. It passes the small settlement of Cambianico—with a few very steep sections—and descends to the lakeshore. Along the way, you’ll enjoy ever-changing views of the lake, Comacina Island—which had amassed considerable wealth in the Middle Ages—the wooded headland Dosso di Lavedo, and Monte San Primo directly across from it.Above Colonno, you’ll come to an asphalt road; follow it through a right-hand hairpin curve and take a staircase path on the left into the center of Colonno05 and to a small square. If you’d like to return to the starting point now, walk right across the square and take the right-hand one of the two branching alleys. This leads to the lakeside road, where the bus stop is located on the left. The route now continues along the Greenway del Lago di Como (see Tour 10), whose marker—a yellow arrow on a blue background—points straight ahead across the square and over the Pessetta Creek. You’ll climb uphill through the old town center of Colonno and hike parallel to the hillside through gardens with olive and fruit trees. Above Sala Comacina, the trail descends again, passing a cemetery and, at a small yellow chapel, turning left onto a footpath that leads to the lakeside road. Passing the Church of San Giacomo on the left, you’ll reach the bus stop in Spurano06, a hamlet of Ossuccio. If you’d like to extend the hike, you can continue on to Tour 11 into Val Perlana or follow the Greenway del Lago di Como to Lenno, where Tour 10 begins.