What to see in Como: the historic centre

The city of Como, located on the shores of the lake of the same name, is a tourist destination very popular for its beauty and history. The historic centre of Como, in particular, is a magical place that deserves to be visited at least once in a lifetime. 

Here the charm of the past mixes with the energy of the present, creating a unique atmosphere that fascinates visitors. The narrow streets of the old town, with their ancient buildings and especially the churches, are indeed full of history. 

As you can guess, Como is full of wonderful places to visit and that can tell a lot about the past of this city, especially in its historic center.

Piazza del Duomo

La piazza del Duomo è sicuramente il gioiello di questa città: è un vero centro politico e religioso della città medievale e presenta alcuni dei più importanti monumenti storici e artistici dell’Italia Settentrionale. 

Il Broletto, che una volta fungeva da palazzo comunale, si connette alla cattedrale e il campanile della chiesa è stato convertito in torre civica. L’architettura del Duomo, la Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, è maestosa e include una cupola realizzata da Filippo Juvara. 

The Piazza del Duomo is definitely the jewel of this city: it is a real political and religious center of the medieval city and presents some of the most important historical and artistic monuments of northern Italy. 

The Broletto, which once served as a town hall, connects to the cathedral and the church bell tower has been converted into a civic tower. The architecture of the Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, is majestic and includes a dome designed by Filippo Juvara.

Nearby, in addition to the Broletto, we can find the Teatro Sociale and the Casa del Fascio di Terragni, making this square the nerve center of the city. 

From here, you can also take the main streets, including shopping streets and other tourist attractions, such as the Church of San Fedele, the oldest in the city center that still preserves its medieval architectural structure and frescoes from various historical periods.

The church of San Giacomo

The church of San Giacomo is located near the Cathedral, behind the Broletto. Its function has been much debated, but after careful analysis it seems that this church constituted a kind of “double cathedral”.

It is certainly a monument of some importance and testifies the fact that its original dimensions were particularly high, with one of the towers almost lapping the Broletto.

Back in the past, during the internal struggles between the families of Vittani and Rusconi, the pronaos of the church was damaged and this marked the beginning of a sale of the spaces and his works to private individuals. 

In 1927 much of it was demolished and from all this, what remains is what we find today.

The Basilica of Sant’Abbondio

Among the oldest and most interesting monuments of Como we must mention the basilica of Sant’Abbondio. To attract the attention of visitors is the famous Don Abbondio, character of the famous novel I Promessi Sposi, a story that took place right on the shores of Lake Como.

In reality this is not the church of the infamous Don Abbondio. The latter, in fact, it seems to be the church of Olate in Lecco, but this does not detract from the beauty of the basilica of Sant’Abbondio. 

This was built between 1050 and 1085, then consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1095. Throughout its history it has been renovated and reworked several times, the last modification being made in 1863 in a Romanesque key by Serafino Balestra, making the basilica what it is today.  Its frescoes are the main tourist attraction, including the Nativity and Passion of Jesus (XIV century) and two canvases where is represented the Assumption of Mary by Giovan Battista Crespi and Sant’Abbondio with a child by Giovan Battista Recchi.

Bonus: unmissable monuments in Como and surroundings

If you have the opportunity to visit Como and its surroundings, finally, there are some monuments that are absolutely unmissable. Let’s start with the Voltiano Museum, which houses the collection of scientific instruments by Alessandro Volta, including his famous pile. 

Then there is the Villa Walk, already mentioned in our guide on what to see in Como in a day: a lakeside where you can find the most charming villas of the city, surrounded by gardens and parks. The main square, Piazza Cavour, is the beating heart of the city, with its elegant porch and lake view.

Finally, we can not forget to mention the Porta Torre with the Cinta Muraria, a monument that gave this place the name of “Walled City of Como” and one of the few remains of the ancient medieval walls that surrounded the city. 

If you want more information about what to visit in Como Centro, ask for help at the reception: we will be able to recommend you the attractions that are most in line with your tastes and the time you have available to visit them.