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The Italian Lakes THROUGH THE CENTURIES

Lake Como
To the north of Milan, you will find Lake Como along with the lake’s main city, Como, that is currently one of Italy’s major tourist destinations. Como’s surrounding hills were inhabited since the Bronze Age by a Celtic tribe known as the Orobii and when the Romans took possession of the land in the 1st century BC, Julius Caesar moved the city center from the nearby hills to its current location. The new city became known as Novum Comum.

In 774 AD, Como became a center of commercial exchange after surrendering to the Franks and, following the destruction of Milan in 1162 AD, it shared much the same fate as the Duchy of Milan, joining the newly formed Kingdom of Italy in 1859.

Today, Lake Como is an idyllic retreat whose shores are lined with lovely villas, gardens, and vineyards. Add to that the pleasant Mediterranean climate and you have one of the world’s most elegant vacation spots only an hour away from the metropolitan city of Milan.