The sun was high in the sky. White water churned from the rear of the speed boat as we cut a path through the dark blue water. My first trip to Lake Como was organized by ENIT Italian tourism’s Emanuela Boni. Her smile said it all. She was in heaven. She spread her arms to embrace the sky and lake and called out spontaneously, “La dolce vita!”
Everyone on the speed boat followed her lead. With arms outstretched, we joined her with, “La dolce vita!” Our laughter danced on the water as we sped toward Como.
Infinity Bar balcony of the Sottovoce Restaurant - View of the Lake
Late in the afternoon, we continued celebrating with an ice-cold glass of Prosecco on the Infinity Bar balcony of the Sottovoce Restaurant in the hotel Vista Palazzo Lago di Como. With the lake in front of us, we toasted one another and Como as sail boats bobbed in the water, tied securely in their berths. People walked in the tree shaded park along the lake front. Small ferries scurried across the water as an Aeroclub seaplane skipped across the lake and sailed into the sky.
Lake Como – Villas on the lakefront
For centuries, the small towns, villages and villas that line Lake Como have testified to a pursuit of earthly pleasures. Those pleasures might be as simple as savoring a freshly brewed espresso while sitting at an outdoor café in one of the city’s many courtyards. Or, enjoying the warm weather on the deck of a villa with a view of the lake. Or, savoring a glass of wine and a plate of pasta in a restaurant close to the Duomo, the Renaissance cathedral that towers over the center of the old town.
Duomo Plaza
Some destinations make such an imprint on you that you hunger to return. Como is such a place for me.
In Lombardy, in the north of Italy, peaceful Como is easily reached by car or train, only twenty-five miles north of busy, cosmopolitan Milan. I would have happily stayed a month, but a long weekend would have to do.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como
Where I Stayed
For this visit, I stayed at the DBH Duomo Boutique Hotel. Originally the building was designed to house clerics. The architecturally classic structure was remodeled to create a small lobby, fourteen rooms and five suites.
DBH Bedroom
A four-star property, my room was modern and elegant with muted colors and comfortable furnishings. I appreciated the bathroom with marble walls and a shower with a plentiful supply of hot water. If I wanted refreshment, there was an espresso maker, an electric kettle and a mini bar. My suite had a high-ceilinged living room with a large screen TV and two couches, as well as a desk with two chairs, perfect for catching up on work. The bedroom was outfitted with a king-sized bed with a firm mattress and a small balcony with two chairs that overlooked narrow Via Vittorio Emanuele II.
I arrived hungry. After I checked in, I decided to have a late lunch on the hotel’s patio restaurant, Bottega Comacini Lounge bar and restaurant that faced the south side of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (“Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta”), known as the Duomo.
Bottega Comacini Lounge - pasta
I settled into a comfortable chair facing the cathedral. For my first meal in Como, I wanted something simple and very Italian, so, of course, I ordered pasta. The special that day was tagliolini pasta with black summer truffles. I also ordered a side of sauteed escarole.
Before my meal arrived, the waiter placed a paper bag on the table. Curious, I looked inside and found half a dozen slices of crusty Italian white bread. On a small plate, he poured a generous portion of Clemente extra virgin olive oil from Manfredonia in the south. I added a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to the olive oil, broke off a piece of bread, dredged it through the seasoned olive oil and savored the wonderful flavors of quality made bread and olive oil.
Waiting for my lunch order, I watched people leave the cathedral. Parents with children, young adults and older couples exited the darkened cathedral and covered their eyes as they walked outside again into the bright sun. No one hurried. Everyone took their time to enjoy the day as they walked on Via Maestri Comacini.
My lunch arrived, a tangle of tagliolini pasta spread across the white plate. The light-yellow strands of pasta were topped with slivers of truffles. The sweet and bitter escarole was the perfect companion for the rich truffles. To finish the meal, I ordered an espresso.
For me, coffee in Italy is always a special experience. The espresso that day was like meeting an old friend. I swirled a small spoonful of raw sugar into the dark black coffee as much for texture as for sweetness. Each sip was a delight of crunchy sweet coffee essence. The perfect end for my first meal in Como.
Lake Como and the hill
There are many reasons to visit Como. To enjoy the serenity of the lake as you walk along the shaded lake-front promenade. Once renovations are completed, to explore the park, Gardini a Lago, with its monuments to Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the battery, or the memorials to the victims of the Holocaust and the nuclear devastation at Hiroshima.
To savor a gelato from Galateria Lariana or Contrada di S. Nazara: Rossetti. To ride the funicular up to the village of Brunate, at the top of the mountain with a view of the Lake and Como. To visit the Silk Museum (Museo della Seta di Como) to learn that Como was once the capital of silk production outside of China.
To get lost walking on cobblestone streets knowing that where ever you find yourself, you will discover a nice place to have an aperitivo, an espresso or a bite to eat.
Outdoor restaurant – Duomo
To shop for clothing and accessories in stylish shops on Via Vittoria Emanuele II and Via Indipendenza. To explore the open-air markets just outside Como’s Medieval city walls. To enjoy live music in the cafes and clubs in plazas like Piazza Alessandro Volta. To visit one of the many wine and spirits stores, like Enoteca Bottiglier da Gigi on Via Bernardo Luini where I discovered a delicious grappa made by Più from Villa de Varda.
You can enjoy all of these moments and, mostly definitely, you will begin your tour of Como at the city’s most popular tourist destination, the Duomo.
Duomo night, exterior
When you enter, remember that the cathedral is first and foremost a sanctuary for those who want to practice their faith. A sign at the entrance advises you to walk quietly and not to take photographs so that you respect the people who have come to pray and take confession.
Duomo - devotional candles
Work on the Gothic cathedral began in 1396. Over almost four hundred years, work continued on the building, as patrons added sanctuaries, stained glass windows, icons and tapestries, until 1770 when the building was officially completed. Near the entrance, take time to read the timeline plaque that details the slow but steady progress of the construction, through wars, social unrest, times of hardship and celebration.
Unlike the Duomo in Milan or those in other large Italian cities, Como’s cathedral’s interior is grand but not so large as to intimidate. The very human scale of the cathedral is an invitation to contemplate life and beauty.
To have a bird’s eye view of the lake, you can book a seat on the Aero Club seaplane for a flight over the lake or you can ride on the funicular (Funicolare Como Brunate). If you haven’t experienced a funicular, they are like elevators except instead of going up and down inside a building, they go up and down a steep hill. At the Como funicular, passengers are seated in stadium style rows so everyone has a view of the lake as they ride up the hill.
Funicular – Como; Funicular Going Down the Hill
The day I went up the funicular, just as we reached Brunate at the top, a sudden rain storm soaked everyone who hoped to walk on the mountain trails. As a treat for getting wet, I rewarded myself with dinner at a restaurant recommended by the concierge at the DBH Duomo Boutique Hotel.
Ristorante Caffe Teatro
Off the beaten path and a local favorite, Ristorante Caffé Teatro, the café next door to the Teatro Sociale, faces the south-east side of the Duomo. Inside the restaurant I was greeted warmly. The restaurant has seating outside in front, inside in several intimate dining rooms and in the back garden. I chose a table in the corner of the small dining room to the left of the entrance.
I read the menu on an iPad. Scrolling down, page after page of the very large menu, there were a great many choices. Spaghetti with lobster, ravioli with truffles, beef tartar, risotto with red onions and scallops, pork ribs, sea bass, prawns, veal and goose breast were options.
Ristorante Caffé Teatro specializes in pizzas. I could have a gluten or gluten-free pizza with my choice of cheeses, fresh or grilled vegetables, mushrooms, ham, prosciutto, sausage, bacon, potatoes, tuna and olives. I wanted to try so many, but there was one that made me very happy. The Napoli with tomato sauce, anchovies, mozzarella and oregano. Simple. Elegant. Classic.
While I waited for the pizza, I sipped a colorful Negroni. Within a few minutes, an 18” pizza arrived, so large, it barely left enough room on the table for a mixed green salad of arugula, mache and red leaf lettuce.
I loved the paper-thin pizza with burnt crust, the mozzarella bridging the flavors of the salty anchovies and the acidic, oregano-flavored tomato sauce. That lovely meal banished all memories of getting drenched on a mountain side.
On my first visit to Como, we enjoyed a drink on the Infinity Bar balcony of the Sottovoce Restaurant. This visit I returned for a lunch and a conversation with Cristina Zucchi, the general manager of the hotel and the other properties of the Lario Group. Zucchi talked about the commitment of the owners, the Passera family, to 5-star quality with properties in Como, Verona and, opening in 2025, Ostuni.
Sottovoce Restaurant - lunch
That quality was evident in the restaurant’s elegant décor and in the lunch menu served on that sunny day. The emphasis at Sottovoce Restaurant was to use as many local ingredients as possible, adjusting for the seasons. The antipasto featured a ceviche made with char, white fish, Calabria onions, wild garlic, chili pepper and lime with salmon eggs on top. A risotto combined red Mazara shrimp, Carnaroli Riserva rice from San Massimo, smoked burrata, fermented orange, chopped pistachios and red orange.
While we enjoyed the lunch, Zucchi talked about the increase in tourism since the pandemic. Many popular destinations like Venice, Rome, Amsterdam and Florence have enjoyed an influx of visitors from around the world. The same was true for Como, and that was, of course, she said, a wonderful thing. The challenge was to adjust work schedules and expectations so that visitors had the best experience.
Before the pandemic, hospitality workers were accustomed to the hotels closing in the fall, to give them a break from work after the summer high season. That allowed them to spend time with family or relaxing. Because Como is so beautiful and very safe, she said, the hotels are learning to stay open all year long and that put pressure on staffs to rebalance their lives. Ultimately, everyone will adjust to the new reality and, in the meantime, for the Lario Group’s hotels, there will still be a break from January 10 – February 10 when the hotels close to complete necessary maintenance tasks.
A long-time resident of Como, Zucchi had seen many changes. And yet, she told me, what people love about Como is that even though it changes, it also stays the same.
As we talked, we were served a signature dessert, a gin-lime gel topped with white chocolate and finished with fizzy tonic water. Zucchi and I stopped speaking long enough to enjoy the sweet and tart confection, a refreshing way to end the meal.
Keeping to its Renaissance traditions, Como has a great number of open-air markets. Some focus on household goods and clothing, others on culinary products. My favorite is the Covered Market (“Mercato Coperto di Como”) located just south of the old city wall.
The market is a must visit when you are in Como. In a warehouse-sized space, stalls sell a great variety of cheeses, charcuterie, meats, poultry, local fresh produce and seasonal fruit. This is an ideal place to pick up snacks and picnic food.
Como Covered Market – Fruit
Because I planned to cook dinner with friends, I bought a piece of my favorite soft cheese, Telaggio from the #53 stall in front of the Beretta il Fornaio bakery. From the i Marelli stall, I picked out a beautiful head of treviso, nectarines and a handful of Porcini mushrooms.
When the Duke of Milan in the 16th century planted mulberry bushes in Como, he sparked a revolution. Until then, silk was only available from China and Japan. Over the centuries, silk production expanded until the 1970s when Como outproduced both China and Japan.
Silk Scarfs
Today, silk is a smaller industry in the region, but high-quality silk products are still manufactured locally for big brands and available in local stores.
Como’s link to fashion extends to clothing and accessories. Stores sell quality, high fashion brands. One of my reasons for visiting Como was I needed a new suit.
And, not any old suit, I needed a suit appropriate for the Academy Awards where my wife, Michelle Satter, was to receive an Oscar for her outstanding work benefitting the filmmaking community she supported through her work at the Sundance Institute.
Coincidentally, during the pandemic I had won a contest and the prize was a custom-made suit by Peter Ci Como, whose store is located in the Duomo Plaza. The owner, Marco Cassina, and I had corresponded by email and I looked forward to meeting him in person. At the last minute, he had to see clients in India, so I was helped by his colleagues, Raffaele Bianchi and Saverio Serafini.
The first step was having my measurements taken. After that, I had choices to make. I was shown a variety of fabrics, some light-weight, some heavier. I could have any color under the sun or any pattern that was in their fabric catalogue.
David Latt Peter Ci Como fitting
Because I needed the suit for a formal event, I selected a dark grey fabric by Loro Piana made of blended wool and silk. Next, I chose a silk lining and, finally, mother of pearl buttons.
Bianchi and Saverio made the process easy and fun. Did I want to hide a secret on the inside of my suit? I could select a bright red lining. Did I want my shoulders to have an American (structured) or an Italian look (rounded)? Once all my choices had been carefully recorded, the details were forwarded to Corneliani, the upscale clothing company that does the fabrication.
Several weeks later, my suit was delivered to my home in Los Angeles. Coincidentally, Marco Cassina happened to be in town just before the Academy Awards and we met for coffee. He told me that his store was the family business. Started by his grandfather, the location was originally outside the city walls. In 1978, his father moved the store to its present location opposite the Duomo. He has clients all over the world and frequently travels to New York City and now Los Angeles to take measurements and consult about fabrics. We talked about current fashion trends. He was definitely a person who loved what he did and the quality of his work showed that passion.
At the Academy Awards, I proudly wore my custom-made suit. Now I have not only my memories of Como but also my suit from Peter Ci Como.
Please consult the official tourism board website: www.visitcomo.eu
DBH Duomo Boutique Hotel, Via Maestri Comacini, 1, 22100 Como, +39 031 53 75 225, info@dbhlakecomo.it. A well-sourced breakfast is included. Excellent charcuterie, cheeses, breads, fresh fruit, yogurt and pastries were served in a kitchen space that adjoined a small dining room and tables outside on the balcony with a view of an inner courtyard.
Vista Palazzo Lago di Como, Sottovoce Restaurant, Infinity Bar, Piazza Camillo Benso Conte di Vacour, 24, 22100 Como, +39 031 537 5241, info@vistalagodicomo.com.
Peter Ci Como, Piazza del Duomo, 13, 22100 Como, +39 031 262302. Besides made to measure, Peter Ci Como also carries a full line of ready to wear clothing including pants, sweaters, jackets, shirts as well as cold weather high-style garments, travel accessories and perfume. Clothing and accessories can be purchased in person or online and by special arrangement with Marco Cassina when he travels to the United States.
Como Silk Museum, Via Castelnuovo, 9, 22100 Como, +39 031 303 180. Please consult the website for details about the exhibits and times when the museum is open to the public.
Ristorante Caffé Teatro, Piazza Giuseppe Verdi, 11, 22010 Como, +39 370 375 5072. Serves lunch and dinner most days, except dinner only on Tuesdays.
Liviana Conti, Via Indipendenza, 42, 22100 Como. A high style fashion store.
Shopping - Liviana Conti storefront
Aero Club, Viale Massenzio Masia, 44, 22100 Como, +39 031 574495. Call for information about classes and to schedule a seaplane tour above the lake.
The Covered Market (“Mercato Coperto di Como”), Via Giuseppe Sirtori, 1, 122100 Como. Open Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Friday and Saturday all day. Closed Sunday and Monday. Website in Italian only but the photographs show what’s for sale.
Capriccio Pasticceria bar and gelateria, Viale Lecco, 39, 2210 Como, +39 031 302258. When you walk to the covered market, Capriccio Pasticceria is a good stop for a coffee at the stand-up bar, a pastry to take home for later or a gelato.
