The surprising and unpredictable landscape of Lake Como, with its many hillside towns and characteristic villages, holds countless natural treasures.
Among them is Bellano, small town on the eastern shore of the lake, as well as other well known touristic sites such as Varenna, Menaggio and Bellagio.
Bellano’s main attraction is its historic and fascinating gorge, always enjoying a pleasant breeze so typical of the area.
Bellano’s location, between the lake and the Valsassina, played an important role in its history. As for the majority of the small towns on Lake Como, the first mention of Bellano dates back to the roman period. From the Middle Ages, Bellano inherted an attractive church and its paved roads. Several military operations took place on its territory – the war between Como and Milan in the 12th century; between the Viscontis and Venice in 1477; between the Medegino and the Sforzas in the 16th century and between France and Spain in 1635. However, the most tragic of the events took place in 1629, when the plague claimed a large part of the population causing much pain and economic consequences.
For centuries Bellano has been an inspiration for several of the 18th century writers. Here Tommaso Grossi, often a guest in Alessandro Manzoni’s home, write his famous historic novel “Visconti”. Equally famous the writer Boldoni who published the description of Lake Como in the Latin language; and Antonio Balbiani, whose writing has glorified Lake Como.
Nowadays, a celebrated local writer is Andrea Vitali. He was born in Bellano in 1956 and his renowned novels are staged in the streets and homes of his beloved little town.
The ispiration of Bellano for writers is not accidental, since it is right here that one of the most important natural wonders of Lake Como is located – the gorge of the “Orrido of Bellano”. The gorge has formed from the waters of the Piovena river during of period of 15 million years. The river originates in Taceno (Valsassina) ending its flow in Bellano by creating a beautiful and impressive waterfall that flows into the gorge of Bellano. Thanks to several bridges available in the gorge, this is the only place on Lake Como where it is possible to explore the waterfall from the inside. Unforgettable natural caves, waterfalls, breath-taking panoramas and a lush vegetation will be forever in your memories. During the summer months, at sunset, the Orrido comes to life thanks to lights game definitely not to be missed. Guarding the gorge is the Casa del Diavolo (the Devil’s house) – a tower whose origin and purpose are still unknown. It is an hexagonal construction with spiral staircases connecting its four stories. The upper floor façade is decorated with mythological figures. According to a legend, the tower was once used for satanic rituals. Bellano’s Orrido is open every day from April to September and from October to March during weekends and holidays.
Within Bellano’s cultural heritage the Church of Santi Nazaro and Celso deserves to be mentioned. The church is located in the Piazza Prepositurale next to the Orrido. The imposing façade is made of black and white marble stripes, with a nice terracotta and glass rose and a niche holding a marble statue of Sant’Ambrogio. Inside, the church is decorated with unique frescoes from 1400. In the same Piazza is the recently renovated church of Santa Maria, with its 9 statues of the famous sculptor Giovanni Angelo del Maina.
Another site that is worth a visit is the Cantoni industrial complex, currently for sale, located in Via Roma. According to the writer Antonio Balbiani, during the past century Bellano has been considered as the “Manchester of the Lario territory” thanks to its thriving silk industry. The factory was built in 1868 and, after a big fire, it resumed the production in 1898 increasing the number of workers up to 1.000 people. The only remains of this impressive industrial operation today is the Cantoni factory in Via Roma, built with Moltrasio stone and excellent example of industrial buildings.
Every year during the month of August, Bellano is the home to the Festival of the Opera, one of the very popular events of Bellano’ cultural activities.
Last, but not least, Bellano is the ideal starting point for a variety of excursions in Valsassina, with beautiful paths and breath-taking views over the Lake.
The fascinating discovery of Bellano’s numerous sites is completed by its intimate and welcoming atmosphere.