The hills above Bellagio are perfect for hiking – not only are the paths incredibly well-maintained and signposted, but Lake Como and the snow-capped mountains in the distance have a special charm when viewed from the heights. Whether you take to the hills in the summer months, when the mountain air is considerably cooler than down by the lake, or layer up the fleeces on a crisp, clear fall day, communing with nature on the hiking trails around Bellagio is a great way to clear your mind and put things in perspective. The Palazzo owners, the Pertusinis, and many of our in-house team are great hillwalkers both around Lake Como and across Italy. Make sure you get their insider insight on the best routes and the best lunch spots to sample the local mountain fare.
There are several maps available commercially to help you plan your route. Most are available from booksellers and tourist offices around the lake, but you can also order them in advance of your trip to get an idea of the routes that are possible. Here are a few that we especially like:
Lake Como, Italy – Hiking Map from GlobalMap (1:35,000) available on Amazon or directly from GlobalMap
Lago di Como, Lago di Lugano hiking map #91 from KOMPASS (1:50,000) is available on German Amazon (will ship to the US), through various other sellers on US Amazon or on North Carolina-based map website Omnimap.
The Italian Tourist Office has also published a brochure entitled “Lake Como Trekking” with various routes in and around Lake Como as well as the “rifugio” chalets offering food, drink and lodging.
We would like to introduce you to two fabulous hikes you can take directly from the Palazzo. The first starts in the hamlet Guggiate and skirts Monte San Primo on its way to the plateau of Bocchetta di Terrabiotta, an easy hike of about 4 hours. The second is a more difficult trek that goes from the hamlet of Brogno all the way to the peak of Monte San Primo.
The hills above Bellagio are perfect for hiking – not only are the paths incredibly well-maintained and signposted, but Lake Como and the snow-capped mountains in the distance have a special charm when viewed from the heights. Whether you take to the hills in the summer months, when the mountain air is considerably cooler than down by the lake, or layer up the fleeces on a crisp, clear fall day, communing with nature on the hiking trails around Bellagio is a great way to clear your mind and put things in perspective. The Palazzo owners, the Pertusinis, and many of our in-house team are great hillwalkers both around Lake Como and across Italy. Make sure you get their insider insight on the best routes and the best lunch spots to sample the local mountain fare.
There are several maps available commercially to help you plan your route. Most are available from booksellers and tourist offices around the lake, but you can also order them in advance of your trip to get an idea of the routes that are possible. Here are a few that we especially like:
Lake Como, Italy – Hiking Map from GlobalMap (1:35,000) available on Amazon or directly from GlobalMap
Lago di Como, Lago di Lugano hiking map #91 from KOMPASS (1:50,000) is available on German Amazon (will ship to the US), through various other sellers on US Amazon or on North Carolina-based map website Omnimap.
The Italian Tourist Office has also published a brochure entitled “Lake Como Trekking” with various routes in and around Lake Como as well as the “rifugio” chalets offering food, drink and lodging.
We would like to introduce you to two fabulous hikes you can take directly from the Palazzo. The first starts in the hamlet Guggiate and skirts Monte San Primo on its way to the plateau of Bocchetta di Terrabiotta, an easy hike of about 4 hours. The second is a more difficult trek that goes from the hamlet of Brogno all the way to the peak of Monte San Primo.

San Primo
Legend has it that two brothers, Primus and Felician were legionnaires from the Roman army who became missionaries in the region of Chiemgau near Munich. They preached the gospel and healed the sick with water from a spring with miraculous curative powers. When they returned to Rome, Emperor Diocletian sentenced them to “Damnatio ad bestias”, or condemnation to beasts, and threw them to the bears in the arena. Instead of mauling the brothers to their deaths, the bears laid down at their feet. Over the centuries, the two saints have been venerated particularly in mountainous areas – both on the German-Austrian border near Chiemgau, but also here on Monte San Primo, where the locals erected a church in their honor in the 15th century. The church is long gone – and brother Felician appears to have been forgotten as well! – but the mountain still bears his name.
