Lierna
Lierna Lake Como is a small yet popular yachting destination on Lake Como, known as the Portofino of Lake Como.
On the east coast of the lake overlooking the Bellagio promontory along with beautiful views over Lake Como. Lierna Lake Como has somewhat of an aura of secrecy.
Understand
Lierna Lake Como, with the nickname of "Lier" (that origin from the site on the rock), is more than just a pretty fishing Borgo village. With colorful houses lining the harbor, it's layered with history since Antique Rome with a spectacular view on Bellagio. Sites from the Middle Ages like the Castle of Lierna, and the amazing churches of S.Ambrogio, dating back to the year 1000, in the most exclusive area of Lierna, called Borgo Villa, because there was the Villa of Pliny the Younger (Villa Commedia), or the church of the Saints Maurizio and Lazzaro, where was founded the Knights order of the King of Italy, Savoia dynasty, and still today a sacred place where the knights of the Order of Malta, that are named in traditional ceremonies.
Lierna Lake Como has the most beautiful site of the Lake Como trails, such as the Way of Leonardo da Vinci (Sentiero di Leonardo da Vinci), where he thought of his ideas and inspiration of Mona Lisa, or the Sentiero del Viandante, with traces of Celtic populations in magnificent forests and mountains full of caves, rare wild animals and flowers.
Lierna Lake Como is close to the international airport of Bergamo Orio al Serio, with a runway for private planes and a helicopters pad about 2 km and hydroplanes full access, a few kilometers from Milan, about 50 km, sited in the middle of the lake Como to reach with Taxi Boat every point of the lake Como in a few minutes and the most beautiful beaches, also in front of Lierna Lake Como, and a few kilometers from the ski slopes with artificial snow all year like St. Moritz or Piani di Bobbio.
Lierna Lake Como has inspired artists, painters and poets in the last 1000 years, for the natural beauty with extraordinarily scenic coastlines hand-carved by the most important twentieth-century Italian artist Giannino Castiglioni, unbelievable lakeside settings and beachs, walking trails frequented by Leonardo da Vinci (The Path Way of Leonardo da Vinci and Sentiero del Viandante), the building of the father of design Achille Castiglioni, for Lierna Lake Como cuisine and wines, which led to Lierna being also called the "Wine Village", where it was cultivated since ancient Rome time, but without the tourist confusion thanks to the few parking spaces that allow to reach Lierna only by boat, and without turistic hotels. For the privacy of the many VIPs secretly present in Lierna Lake Como, the Municipality has also interrupted the public ferry service, transforming the whole village, very expensive, into a true secret Monte Carlo, like said George Clooney, an hidden and speak easy sites of Lake Como for international vips. And while such celebrities as Dieter Zetsche, president of the Daimler-Mercedes Group, that bought a Villa in the best area Borgo Villa (historical center), or vips that have visited Lierna Lake Como for leisures or work, like Rockefeller family, John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK), George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, Henry John Heinz, Gianni Versace, Madonna, Adriano Celentano, Ornella Muti, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta Jones, Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, Uma Thurman, Al Pacino, Matt Damon, they seem to have been able to do so without a lot of fuss. What has helped prevent Lierna Lake Como from succumbing to over-tourism is its lack of car parking, you have to fly with hydroplane, helicopter or come by boat.
Geography
On the East Coast of Lake Como Lierna is 3 km from Bellagio by boat, 4.5 km from Varenna, with ferry-cars 34 km from Lugano (Switzerland), 59 km from the border with German Switzerland, 4 km from the Villa Lario Resort Heliport (Mandello del Lario), 54 km from Orio al Serio International Airport (Bergamo), 90 km from Milan Malpensa Airport, 57 km from Milan city (70 km from Milan Linate Airport), 32 km from the Piani ski resort slopes of Bobbio (Barzio), 97 km for the ski slopes of St. Mortiz, 27 km for the 18-hole Golf course of Lecco (Lecco Golf Club).
Get in
Get around
On foot
Once in Lierna, walking might be your best option. The town is not large and most beaches are a short walk from the Piazzetta Castiglioni. The swimming in Riva Bianca beach is worldclass and the lake beautifully clean.
By boat
Once again, should you be fortunate enough to have a boat at your disposal, that would be another convenient way to move around the best side area of all Lake Como. There are rentals or taxi boat available in the harbour of Riva Nera beach baia.
See
- The Way of Leonardo da Vinci. The most beautiful and historical promenade of the whole Lake Como in the Lierna mountains what link Lierna Lake Como with Milano city on foot
- Church of S. Ambrogio (L'église des 1000). Church from the 11th century. The church sited in the historical center area of Lierna Lake Como, has a wonderful bell tower framed in the mountains dating back to the year one thousand is one of the oldest in Lombardy and Lake Como.
- 1 Lierna Castle. Is a 10th-century castle/fort, once used for the area's defense, with a fantastic view of the baia and the Lake Como.
Do
One of the best things you can do in Lierna is relax and privacy. Walk around the small village, hear the lake, take a rest in the Lierna mountains wood. There are some small wine bar where you have an occasion to drink something seated.
Sports
The nearest skiing area is St. Moritz and the Piani di Bobbio site. This is a quite basic resort, with easy and intermediate downhill ski slopes. This is the nearest ski area from Milan and a very good one for beginners (but not very thrilling for experts).
Hike in the mountains. There are various paths, from the easiest one to the most strenuous, and many mountain huts and resting points. Most paths offer spectacular views across the lake and sometimes it is even possible to see both Lake Como. The CAI office in Mendello has a wide selection of possibilities. Lecco is also a good base to start a hike, particularly because you can reach many starting points without a car. You can also find good sites for rock climbing.
Try a round of golf or tennis at the Villa D'Este or Monticello golf clubs. Menaggio e Cadenabbia Golf Club, just a few km inland from Menaggio ferry, is where George Clooney is said to be a member.
Do some water sports on the Lake. There are two locations that rent motor boats in Lierna, Varenna and Bellagio. Lower horsepowers do not require a boating license.
More water sports: in most of the lakeside towns, you will find opportunities to rent various kinds of boats. Many towns also have sailing and/or (kite) surfing schools. Water skiing is possible from some towns.
Also, you can visit Church of S. Ambrogio and the Riva Bianca Bay. Try to rent a small taxi boat. It's an unforgettable experience.
There are an art museum and several historical buildings and design villas but the most interesting site and villas are in secret area.
- Beaches. Discover all the towns around Lake Como where you can spend a pleasant day on the lake with the possibility of swimming in the clear waters to enjoy a day of relax and fun. Lake Como is full of lidos and beaches, so a tan on Lake Como is guaranteed.
- Mountain ranges. Lierns Lake Como is surrounded by some imposing peaks, which are reflected in its waters and render the landscape unique. The valleys surrounding Lake Como are some of the most beautiful areas in the Prealps, rich in vegetation and populated by numerous animal species. It is a homogeneous area from which many excursions start along old military roads and trails towards mountain pastures and refuges. The Grigna, Resegone and Legnone are important mountain ranges, but Monte di Lierna (Alpe di Lierna) become especially atmospheric and unforgettable during long summer sunsets and in the warm autumn light that encircles their contours, in winter whiteness and in the spring freshness. The mountains and valleys include the whole local area around the lake, with hills and mountain ranges that rise from the plain and enclose countryside and villages, reliefs and woods: Valsassina, Valvarrone, Valle San Martino and Val d’Esino, Val d’Intelvi, Val Menaggio. Lake Como’s mountain ranges offer endless opportunities for excursions and trekking
- E-Bike.
Buy
There are some small shops in the medieval little street area offering regional foods and very special wines and olive oil of Lierna.
- Organic Pecorino di Lierna (Lierna Wine), Secret Crotti caves and canteen of Lierna. typical cheese of Lierna mountains, organic and top quality in "Sardinian pecorino" for grazing in transhumance on particular ancient grasses of Lierna
- Organic and biodynamic Bianco di Lierna (Lierna Wine), Secret Crotti caves and canteen of Lierna.
- Lierna Chair. A design Chair made by the father of italian Achille Castiglioni ispired by the character of Lierna citizens
- Baci di Lierna. Biscuits typique of Lierna
- Ravioli di Lierna (or Esino).
- Le Patole of Lierna (Ravioli di Esino). Only in this area of Lake Como is the white potato called "la Biancona". The patole are special Ravioli, a traditional dish prepared with a mixture of potatoes and a filling that also contains a hint of Amaretto sauces. They are seasoned with sage butter and grated lake Como mountain cheese.
- Tartufo Lariano (Lake Como truffle). The Tartufo Lariano or Lake Como truffle is a species of whitebait ("Bianchetto") that is a cousin of white truffles but with a different flavor, it is very rare and present in the Lierna Lake Como mountain.
- Tartufo nero pregiato del Lago di Como (Fine black truffle of Lake Como).
Eat
The Borgo Lierna Lake Como is surrounded by restaurants, all of which serve broadly the same selection of pasta, frozen lakefood and €15 soft drinks.
Three things to remember about dining in Lierna Lake Como.
If you have your heart set on a particular restaurant for a weekend meal, be sure to make reservations if you'll be dining during a busier time.
Third, bring a lot of cash. The restaurants operate in price-fixing which means prices are broadly the same everywhere - which is approximately three times what you would pay in an expensive city like London. There is a cover charge of €7 per person, so four people going out for a meal will already be down €28 just for sitting down. A glass of good wine will set you back €20, while a lake food or fish of lake Como main course will be €40-50. Pastas and salads are around €20.
If you want a good meal and wine you can spend €120 per person, or you would be better off heading to the more cheaper Lecco or Varenna, where prices are much more reasonable.
As with most things Italian, the gelati (ice cream) is spectacular in Lierna so make sure to treat yourself to some from the stalls along the harbour, particularly the "castagne", a hazelnut and chocolate delight.
- 1 Ristorante Il Crotto, Via Ducale, 44 (facing the harbor but on the main car road; looks like a villa), ☏ +39 0341 740134. This local Italian restaurant has been around for 162 years and 8-generations strong. The price is high but the style romantic country casual. The Missoltini (fish is indigenous to the area) is recommended.
- 2 La Breva, Via Roma, 24 (just around the corner from the Grumo beach central harbor), ☏ +39 0341 741490. One eatery of note.
- 3 Il Sottovento del Lago di Como, Via Imbarcadero, 3 (Piazzetta of Lierna, facing the Lake Como), ☏ +39 0341 740005. This local Italian restaurant has been around for 200 years.
Drink
Lierna is called the "Paese del Vino" or "The paese DiVino" (the Wine country). nights of the year secret cellars are opened and Crotti, natural caves whose unique air and humidity allows a particular preservation of wines and cheeses, to taste the wines of Lierna produced with the same procedures of the Ancient Romans , today a subject of study by Italian universities. Among the most interesting wine is the completely organic "Bianco di Lierna" with grapes farmed in the rare land of Lierna with a unique wind and air conditions.
Sleep
In Lierna there are no more 5-star hotels, preserving the privacy heritage of the very exclusive village, where many international vip and noble families spend the week end. Where are some B&b but If you want sleep in Lierna Lake Como, you have to be hosted in the villa of a rich friend.