Lecco Lake Como: the city of The Betrothed seen from the water
Lecco on Lake Como told by a captain who brings guests here by water taxi: the bay, Mount Resegone, Pescarenico and a 14th-century bridge over the Adda.
Lecco, Lake Como: the southern tip of the eastern arm, the very spot Manzoni chose for the first line of his novel The Betrothed. Coming in by boat, you watch the lake narrow, the mountains close in and the town open up ahead of the bow, with Mount Resegone standing behind it.
Arriving in Lecco, Lake Como, by boat
As we head down the Lecco branch, past Mandello del Lario and Abbadia Lariana, the two shores start leaning towards each other. It is exactly the landscape of "that branch of the Lake of Como": two ridges of mountains, the water in between, and at the far end the lake turning back into a river, the Adda.
The first thing guests point at is nearly always the bell tower of San Nicolò, tall and slim, visible from a long way off. Then the jagged outline of the Resegone, which from out here seems to rest right on the rooftops. Malgrate is on your right, Lecco's lakefront on your left. I ease off the throttle, the water flattens and you start to hear the town: church bells, the hum of the promenade, voices from the quay.
Where you step ashore is something we agree on when you book, depending on the tour and what you want to see on land.
Lecco and The Betrothed: a short history
Lecco was a fortified settlement as far back as Roman times and in the Middle Ages it became part of the Duchy of Milan. Azzone Visconti rebuilt and fortified it, and between 1336 and 1338 he had the bridge over the Adda built that still carries his name. Under Spanish rule it was a military stronghold; later the Austrians left it arcades and neoclassical palazzi.
For centuries the mountain streams drove forges and workshops, which is why Lecco is known as the city of iron. It became a city in 1848 and a provincial capital in 1992. To most people, though, it is Manzoni's town: he spent his childhood here.
Things to do in Lecco, Lake Como
- 01The lakefront promenade
It runs from the War Memorial to Piazza Stoppani and its golden statue of San Nicolò. The easiest way to get a feel for the town, lake on one side and mountains ahead.
- 02San Nicolò and the Matitone
The bell tower is 96 metres tall and locals fondly call it "il Matitone", the big pencil. From the top you can see the whole town and the bay.
- 03Ponte Azzone Visconti
The old eleven-arched bridge over the Adda, commissioned by Azzone Visconti in the 1300s. It is the oldest of Lecco's bridges and marks the point where the lake becomes a river.
- 04Pescarenico
The old fishing quarter and the only part of Lecco that Manzoni names in the novel. Narrow lanes around Piazza Era, wooden boats pulled up on the shore and the former friary linked to Fra Cristoforo.
- 05Villa Manzoni
In the Caleotto district, the house where Manzoni grew up. Today it is a museum devoted to the writer and part of the town's civic museum network.
- 06Torre Viscontea and Palazzo delle Paure
The tower is what remains of the medieval castle; nearby Palazzo delle Paure houses the modern and contemporary art gallery and major exhibitions.
Best time to visit Lecco
Lecco is a real working town, alive all year round, so there is no season when it shuts down. From the water, though, my favourite months are spring and early autumn: the air is clear, the ridges of the Grigne and the Resegone stand out sharply and the afternoon light warms the lakefront facades.
In summer, go early in the morning or towards evening. Museums, the bell tower and ferry connections change their hours with the seasons, so always check the official websites before you set off.
Places near Lecco on Lake Como
Across the water is Malgrate with its quiet promenade. Heading up the branch you reach Abbadia Lariana and Mandello del Lario, and further on the central lake with Varenna and Bellagio, both an easy boat ride from the Lecco branch. To see them all in one day, there is our Full Day Dolce Far Niente boat tour.
