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Photographing the lake

Thirteen spots chosen for their light: which way they face, when the sun reaches them, what is in the frame. Sunrise, sunset and golden hour are calculated for today, for each spot's coordinates and for the ridge in front of it.

What am I seeing

The mountains around you, each with its name, height and distance, from where you stand; on a phone the panorama turns with the compass.

Work out the panorama from where you are

The 360° photographs with the summits named

The tip of the Bellagio promontory, where the lake divides into two branches.
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Today's light at the centre of the lake

The times for the centre of the lake are astronomical and do not account for terrain. For the photo spots, the calculation includes the mountain profile, which can delay the arrival of direct sun or bring forward its disappearance.

The first sun and the last on the peaks

Today's hours appear here, worked out by your browser.

Today's first and last sun on ten peaks
PeakFirst sunLast sun
Monte Legnone 2609 m——
Sasso Canale 2411 m——
Grignone 2410 m——
Pizzo di Gino 2245 m——
Grignetta 2177 m——
Monte Bregagno 2107 m——
Resegone 1875 m——
Monte Grona 1736 m——
Monte Generoso 1701 m——
Monte San Primo 1682 m——

The view from the summits

Ten summits round the lake and what each one sees, all round: in layers, from the nearest and darkest to the farthest and palest, with the peaks in view named out to two hundred kilometres.

From up here, at 2410 metres, the highest in view is Mont Blanc, 4807 m, 196 kilometres away.

Pizzo Arera, 2512 m, 33.2 kmPizzo Arera2512 · 33 kmPointe de Charbonnel, 3752 m, 195.4 kmPointe de Charbonnel3752 · 195 kmGran Paradiso, 4061 m, 171.1 kmGran Paradiso4061 · 171 kmMonte Emilius, 3559 m, 158 kmMonte Emilius3559 · 158 kmMont Blanc, 4807 m, 195.7 kmMont Blanc4807 · 196 kmMatterhorn, 4478 m, 133.8 kmMatterhorn4478 · 134 kmDom, 4545 m, 119.3 kmDom4545 · 119 kmLagginhorn, 4010 m, 109.5 kmLagginhorn4010 · 110 kmBreithorn, 3438 m, 105.8 kmBreithorn3438 · 106 kmBietschhorn, 3934 m, 128.6 kmBietschhorn3934 · 129 kmAletschhorn, 4195 m, 122 kmAletschhorn4195 · 122 kmFinsteraarhorn, 4274 m, 117.3 kmFinsteraarhorn4274 · 117 kmRitzlihorn, 3282 m, 115.6 kmRitzlihorn3282 · 116 kmDammastock, 3630 m, 107.2 kmDammastock3630 · 107 kmFleckistock, 3416 m, 108.6 kmFleckistock3416 · 109 kmScopi, 3190 m, 81.3 kmScopi3190 · 81 kmAdula - Rheinwaldhorn, 3402 m, 65.9 kmAdula - Rheinwaldhorn3402 · 66 kmFanellhorn, 3123 m, 69.1 kmFanellhorn3123 · 69 kmPizzo Tambo, 3280 m, 61.1 kmPizzo Tambo3280 · 61 kmSurettahorn - Pizzo Suretta, 3027 m, 62 kmSurettahorn - Pizzo Suretta3027 · 62 kmPizzo Stella, 3163 m, 47.7 kmPizzo Stella3163 · 48 kmMonte Legnone, 2609 m, 15.9 kmMonte Legnone2609Piz Platta, 3392 m, 61 kmPiz Platta3392 · 61 kmPiz Duan, 3131 m, 49.4 kmPiz Duan3131 · 49 kmPizzo Cengalo, 3369 m, 41.5 kmPizzo Cengalo3369 · 42 kmCima di Castello, 3378 m, 44.8 kmCima di Castello3378 · 45 kmPiz Fora / Sassa di Fora, 3364 m, 53 kmPiz Fora / Sassa di Fora3364 · 53 kmPiz Bernina, 4049 m, 62.5 kmPiz Bernina4049 · 63 kmSasso Rosso, 3488 m, 62.9 kmSasso Rosso3488 · 63 kmCorno di Dosdè, 3232 m, 78.9 kmCorno di Dosdè3232 · 79 kmOrtler, 3905 m, 108.9 kmOrtler3905 · 109 kmMonte Cevedale, 3769 m, 109.7 kmMonte Cevedale3769 · 110 kmCima di Caione, 3141 m, 96.5 kmCima di Caione3141 · 97 kmCima Giumella Est, 2697 m, 46.3 kmCima Giumella Est2697 · 46 kmPunta di Scais, 3038 m, 48 kmPunta di Scais3038 · 48 kmCarè Alto, 3465 m, 95.1 kmCarè Alto3465 · 95 kmESESSWWNWNNEE
  • Pizzo Stella, 3163 m, 48 km
  • Monte Legnone, 2609 m, 16 km
  • Piz Platta, 3392 m, 61 km
  • Piz Duan, 3131 m, 49 km
  • Pizzo Cengalo, 3369 m, 42 km
  • Cima di Castello, 3378 m, 45 km
  • Piz Fora / Sassa di Fora, 3364 m, 53 km
  • Piz Bernina, 4049 m, 63 km
  • Sasso Rosso, 3488 m, 63 km
  • Corno di Dosdè, 3232 m, 79 km
  • Ortler, 3905 m, 109 km
  • Monte Cevedale, 3769 m, 110 km
  • Cima di Caione, 3141 m, 97 km
  • Cima Giumella Est, 2697 m, 46 km
  • Punta di Scais, 3038 m, 48 km
  • Carè Alto, 3465 m, 95 km
  • Pizzo Arera, 2512 m, 33 km
  • Pointe de Charbonnel, 3752 m, 195 km
  • Gran Paradiso, 4061 m, 171 km
  • Monte Emilius, 3559 m, 158 km
  • Mont Blanc, 4807 m, 196 km
  • Matterhorn, 4478 m, 134 km
  • Dom, 4545 m, 119 km
  • Lagginhorn, 4010 m, 110 km
  • Breithorn, 3438 m, 106 km
  • Bietschhorn, 3934 m, 129 km
  • Aletschhorn, 4195 m, 122 km
  • Finsteraarhorn, 4274 m, 117 km
  • Ritzlihorn, 3282 m, 116 km
  • Dammastock, 3630 m, 107 km
  • Fleckistock, 3416 m, 109 km
  • Scopi, 3190 m, 81 km
  • Adula - Rheinwaldhorn, 3402 m, 66 km
  • Fanellhorn, 3123 m, 69 km
  • Pizzo Tambo, 3280 m, 61 km
  • Surettahorn - Pizzo Suretta, 3027 m, 62 km

From two metres above the top, one degree at a time all round, on the Lombardy Region's ground with its woods and outside the region on the open heights; heights are stretched four times; the ochre line is today's sun, with the minute it reaches the top and the minute it leaves. A peak past twenty-two kilometres is marked only if, with its line walked again on finer heights, it stands above everything in front of it; seeing it is then up to the air: at a hundred kilometres and more it takes a very clear day.

Where the great peaks are seen from

The Mont Blanc, the Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn: from the villages, the ten summits and the photo spots, where they truly stand above everything in front of them — the distance beside each, the nearest first. Whether they show is then up to the air: past a hundred kilometres it takes a very clear day.

The spots

Sunset spots

  • Passeggiata degli Innamorati

    Faces westBest light sunset

    In the frameThe red walkway over the water with Varenna's houses behind and Bellagio opposite, from the stretch near the pier.

    The tipIt faces west: the sun drops behind the mountains of Menaggio and for twenty minutes the red railing and the ochre façades take the same light. Then the blue hour, with Bellagio's lights.

    See from here where the sun goes, in 3D

    The panorama, with the summits named

    Full moonTue 24 Nov · 19:03 · east

  • Castello di Vezio

    Faces south-westBest light sunset

    In the frameFrom the tower: the whole centre of the lake, Bellagio on its point and the two branches opening. The white figures in the meadow in the foreground, if you like.

    The tipThe castle closes before the real sunset for most of the year: the good hour is the last of opening, with the sun low from the south-west. Check the day's hours.

    See from here where the sun goes, in 3D

    The panorama, with the summits named

    Full moonTue 24 Nov · 18:19 · east

  • Faro Voltiano

    Faces southBest light sunset

    In the frameThe whole of Como with the first basin, from the terrace at the top of the lighthouse; on clear days Monte Rosa to the west.

    The tipIn winter there is the dry air and the city lights coming on below; in late September and mid-March the sun sets right behind Monte Rosa, in winter further south. Go up half an hour before sunset. Check access conditions at the lighthouse before visiting.

    See from here where the sun goes, in 3D

    The panorama, with the summits named

    Full moonTue 24 Nov · 17:29 · north-east

  • Sighignola belvedere

    Faces westBest light sunset

    In the frameLake Lugano a thousand metres below, the Alps behind: the “Balcone d'Italia”, from the balustrade.

    The tipIt faces west and stands high: sunset lasts longer here than on the lake, and the blue hour over the Ceresio is long. By car, and with a jacket even in July.

    See from here where the sun goes, in 3D

    The panorama, with the summits named

    Full moonTue 24 Nov · 17:06 · north-east

  • Lecco lakefront and the Grigne

    Faces northBest light sunset

    In the frameThe Grigne and the San Martino above the lake, from the shore between the Ponte Vecchio and the Malpensata, the branch opening northwards and the Resegone behind you.

    The tipThe walls face south-west: they catch the last sun when the town is already in shadow, and for ten minutes they are pink, especially in winter.

    See from here where the sun goes, in 3D

    The panorama, with the summits named

    Full moonTue 24 Nov · 17:40 · north-east

  • Brunate, from the funicular station

    Faces south-westBest light sunset

    In the frameComo from above with the lake ending in the city, from the belvedere beside the upper station, five hundred metres up.

    The tipSeven minutes of funicular and you are in the right place for sunset over the city: the light comes from the west over the first basin and Como's lights come on before the blue hour. Late runs in summer.

    See from here where the sun goes, in 3D

    The panorama, with the summits named

    Full moonTue 24 Nov · 18:05 · east

Sunrise spots

Sunrise and sunset spots

  • Punta Spartivento

    Faces northBest light sunrise and sunset

    In the frameBoth branches and the upper lake from one point: the upper lake ahead, Varenna to the right, Menaggio to the left. From the parapet at the end of the public garden.

    The tipAt sunrise the light comes from the right and lights the western shore; at sunset the upper lake turns violet. In between, in July, the water is flat and white.

    See from here where the sun goes, in 3D

    The panorama, with the summits named

    Full moonTue 24 Nov · 17:42 · north-east

  • Bellagio from the ferry

    Faces southBest light sunrise and sunset

    In the frameThe point with Villa Serbelloni and the climb of houses, from the ferry's outer deck arriving from Varenna or Menaggio.

    The tipFrom Varenna in the morning, from Menaggio in the afternoon: the ferry brings you in from the lit side. Fifteen minutes' crossing, the photograph in the last three.

    See from here where the sun goes, in 3D

    The panorama, with the summits named

    Full moonTue 24 Nov · 17:36 · north-east

Midday spots

All the spots on the map

Explore the lake
ComoBellagioMenaggioTremezzinaCernobbioMandello del LarioBellanoLeccoGravedona ed UnitiColicoDongoAbbadia LarianaMalgrateValmadreraVarennaBrunateTornoArgegnoNessoLiernaDomasoLanzo d'IntelviDervioEsino LarioMagreglioSormanoMussoColonnoMoltrasioSala ComacinaSoricoLaglioBlevioGera LarioGrianteCarate UrioBriennoCremiaSan SiroPianello del LarioDorioOliveto LarioFaggeto LarioPognana LarioLezzeno

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