Como Town and Cathedral
On Gingerguide's self-guided Lake Como Region audio tour, Como Town and Cathedral is a stop worth about ~90 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type historic
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- Lake Como Region Lake Como Region guide
About Como Town and Cathedral
Como is the silk capital of Italy, a handsome lakeside city with a magnificent Renaissance cathedral built over three centuries, a funicular to the village of Brunate, and a long tradition of producing Europe's finest luxury silk fabrics.
Como is a prosperous and handsome city of approximately 85,000 inhabitants at the southern tip of Lake Como, the deepest lake in Italy and one of the deepest in Europe. The city has been the centre of Italian silk production since the 15th century and today supplies approximately 70 per cent of Europe's finest silk fabrics to the major fashion houses of Milan, Paris, and London. The Duomo di Como, the Cathedral of the Assumption, dominates the main piazza and is a remarkable architectural hybrid: begun in the late Gothic style in 1396, it was completed over the following three centuries as tastes changed, resulting in a facade that combines Gothic tracery with Renaissance elements and a dome added in the 18th century. The silk museum (Museo della Seta) tells the story of the industry that built the city. From Piazza Cavour at the lakefront, a funicular built in 1894 climbs to the hilltop village of Brunate in seven minutes, offering views over the entire southern lake.
Did you know? The Como silk district supplies approximately 70 per cent of Europe's finest luxury silk fabrics, the same workshops that have woven for Italian crafts traditions for centuries now supply Chanel, Hermès, Versace, and Armani.
How much time do you need at Como Town and Cathedral?
Around ~90 min works well for Como Town and Cathedral — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Como Town and Cathedral?
Yes — Como Town and Cathedral made the cut as one of 12 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Lake Como Region. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Lake Como Region
Hear the story of Como Town and Cathedral
Preview the Lake Como Region tour free in the Gingerguide app.