Sunset from above

The lake runs north to south, so at sunset the light comes in low from the west and lights up the shores that face it. There are four places to watch it from: three high up, one at the water's edge.

Brunate stands above Como at 715 metres and faces west, towards the sun: below lie the city and the first basin, and on clear days you can see Monte Rosa. The funicular takes you up in seven minutes and runs until late in the evening all year. Pigra, above Argegno, is on the opposite shore, with the sun behind it. From its belvedere you look out, in the evening light, over the Como branch, the centre of the lake with Bellagio and Varenna and, in the distance, the Grigne. The Castello di Vezio is a medieval watchtower above Varenna, at about 350 metres, overlooking the point where the lake divides into two branches. Punta Spartivento, the tip of the Bellagio headland, is at the water's edge, ten minutes' level walk from the centre.

1. 01Brunate: the funicular leaves from Piazza De Gasperi, on Como's waterfront, a few minutes' walk from Como Nord Lago station. Since it runs until late in the evening, you can go up for sunset and come down for dinner.
2. 02Pigra: the cable car climbs from Argegno in six minutes, but it keeps seasonal hours, and the last run down is often before sunset. Check it on the website of ATM, which runs the line; Pigra can also be reached by car. The belvedere is a quarter of an hour's walk from the village, on an easy path.
3. 03Vezio: from the centre of Varenna a steep mule track climbs to the castle in about 25 minutes. The castle keeps opening hours and on many days closes before sunset: check them before you go up. Bring a torch for the walk down after dark.
4. 04Punta Spartivento: level, free to enter, ten minutes' walk from the Piazza Mazzini landing stage in Bellagio. From the terrace over the water you see Varenna to the east and Menaggio to the west; from Bellagio the ferry reaches Varenna or Menaggio in a quarter of an hour.
5. 05The sun sets at around a quarter to five in the afternoon in December and around a quarter past nine in the evening in late June. At the water's edge it drops behind the mountains earlier.
6. 06Always check the last departure of whatever brought you up before you stay for dusk.

WhereBrunate · Bellagio · Varenna · Argegno