Tremezzina

San Benedetto in Val Perlana

Visit duration: 3 h – 4 h
Booking: Not required
Area: Centro Lago

Ottantafame · CC BY-SA 4.0

Maurizio Moro5153 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Maurizio Moro5153 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Why go

The abbey of San Benedetto stands in the middle of the Val Perlana, at about 800 metres, on an old route between the centre of the lake and the Valle Intelvi.

Its Romanesque church has a nave and two aisles and a bell tower over the right-hand apse, beside what remains of the monastery. The oldest document is a donation of 1083. The abbey flourished for a couple of centuries, then was probably overshadowed by the Cistercian abbey of Acquafredda, easier to reach. From the nineteenth century the monastery served as stables and haylofts and the cloister was pulled down; the church, restored in 1958 and later looked after by an association, has belonged to the Diocese of Como since 2020.

A church of the Comacine masters in a valley without roads.
With the Sacro Monte of Ossuccio and the abbey of Acquafredda it makes a loop of about three hours.

Highlights

The apses with the Comacine masters' cushion capitals
The massive bell tower over the right-hand apse
The altar dedicated to the monks of Tibhirine

Getting there

From Lenno, from the car park at the abbey of Acquafredda, up the cobbled mule track: a little over an hour's climb.
From Ossuccio, from the Sacro Monte and the sanctuary of the Madonna del Soccorso, along the strada del Carro and then the path: a route for hikers.

Accessibility

The way up from Lenno is a cobbled track that climbs all the way and, near the monastery, becomes a narrow, steep path crossing the valley on a wooden bridge.

On the map

Explore the lake

What's on nearby

Events within a few kilometres, on now or coming up.

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Until13Dec

Tremezzina Gastronomica

The Tremezzina's autumn food festival: from October to December, restaurants and hotels in the area serve menus of the lake, the land and Lario tradition.

Restaurants and hotels across the Tremezzina

28Nov