Overlooking Lake Como There is the small and picturesque village of Nesso, a town of just over 1000 inhabitants, with an ancient flavour.
It is a small jewel set in the rock on the road connecting Como to Bellagio, on the western coast of the Larian triangle.
Nesso stands at the point where two rivers, the Tuf and the Nosée, join together to form a waterfall that flows inside theOrrido di Nesso, a natural gorge carved into the rock by two streams.
There are two hypotheses about the origin of the village's name. The first hypothesis is that it derives from a Celtic word meaning mooring, the second is that it is linked to the Celtic deity of water, called Ness.
What to see in Nesso
The small village of Nesso is divided into five hamlets, distributed on the slopes of the surrounding mountains.
Borgovecchio it is the oldest part of the village, north of the Colmenace river.
Between the mouth of the Colmenace river and the ravine is located Coatesa, the most picturesque part of the village.
Further upstream it is located Lissogno, built along the Tuf river to exploit the power of its waters which powered the mills.
Around the ancient castle of the village the hamlet of Castello developed where it is located Church of San Lorenzo, built on the remains of another church, dating back to the Middle Ages, which was part of the ancient castle, both destroyed during a war.
In the 15th century they were both rebuilt and then destroyed again.
The current church dates back to the 16th century.
The last fraction is Vico located along the road leading to Piano del Tivano and is the agricultural part of the village. The ancient Church of Santa Maria di Vico, from 1184, over the centuries, especially in the 16th and 17th centuries, it was also used as a lazaretto for epidemics.
The characteristic historic center of Nesso
The historic center of Nesso rises around the ravine that divides the town in two.
Land old houses, narrow streets and small waterfalls that you come across while walking, make the historic center very characteristic.
In the centre of the village, in Piazza Castello, before arriving at the lake, there is the belvedere which offers a suggestive view of Lake Como and the bridge Civera Bridge, of Roman origin, which connects the Coatesa hamlet with Riva del Castello.
This bridge was made famous by Alfred Hitchcock for choosing it as the location for his first film The Labyrinth of Passions of 1925.
The village of Nesso is crossed by theancient Royal Road which today has become a pedestrian and cycle path, more than 30 kilometres long, which leads to the discovery of the scenic Masera Cave, inside which there are tunnels, lakes, waterfalls and a cave with ammonite footprints.
It is not recommended to visit alone as some caves require the use of helmets and ropes.
How to get to Nesso
Nesso is easily reachable in a day trip from Milan (just over an hour), from Como (half an hour), Lecco (50 minutes) and Varese (1 hour) taking the A8 (Autostrada dei Laghi).
Once you arrive in Como, follow the signs for Bellagio along the SP583 and in about 30 minutes you will reach Nesso.
It is advisable to park the car at the beginning of the village and then continue on foot or you can get there by train and then take the bus with the C30 Como-Bellagio SPT Line or the C32 Como-Piano del Tivano SPT Line.
It is possible to reach Nesso also by boat with the CB1 Como-Bellano line, or with other boats that connect Como to Colico and stop in Nesso.
It is best to check the route and timetable carefully before purchasing your ticket.
Leave a comment (0)