Cernobbio, a small town overlooking Lake Como, is a delightful village of medieval origin that still shows the signs of its ancient and elegant past.

Known for being the location of important international events and meetings (one of them being the Ambrosetti Forum at Villa d’Este), the country offers numerous attractions.
In this short virtual journey we will take you on a discovery of the best things to see in Cernobbio, hoping to welcome you soon at one of our comfortable apartments.

Are you looking for some good reasons to visit Cernobbio? Here is our selection of the five best things to see!

Visit the historic center and lakefront

Get lost in the narrow streets of the historic center that surround our apartments and discover its courtyards and small stores with an ancient flavor. You will feel like you are stepping back in time! And after taking a few photographs head to Risorgimento Square, the vast lakefront area also known as the Riva of Cernobbio.

Cernobbio’s lakeside promenade is undoubtedly one of the most distinctive in all of Lake Como. On the porphyry floor of Risorgimento Square you’ll meet many tourists like you, and you can stop for coffee or ice cream at one of the many lovely cafes in the area. If you are just passing through and want to know what to do in Cernobbio in a short time, a walk on the Cernobbio shore is probably the best choice.

Ever heard of the beautiful Villa Bernasconi?

The aristocratic villas are one of Lake Como’s most celebrated attractions. And Cernobbio is full testimony to this. Here, in fact, are some of the villas most beautiful in the Lario and throughout Italy. Among them, the following are undoubtedly worth a visit
Villa Bernasconi
, the construction of which dates back to the early 20th century.

Commissioned by textile entrepreneur Davide Bernasconi from Milan architect Alfredo Campanini and inspired by the Art Nouveau style, the villa offers some decorative details really very interesting, both outside and inside the building. Floral decorations, wrought wrought ironwork and stained glass windows are details that indicate a skillful combination of materials and forms, making for a work of craftsmanship of the highest order. The ideal place for romantics and the nostalgic!

The villa has been hosting since November 2017 the first talking museum dedicated to Art Nouveau and the Bernasconi family.

In addition, just inside the park of Villa Bernasconi is Spazio Anagramma, the city of Cernobbio’s Info Point.

The Valley Garden

Another place not to be missed in Cernobbio is the
Valley Garden
.

This is a particularly diverse botanical garden, established on land that, until thirty years ago, housed nothing less than an illegal dump. But a local lady, Grandma Pupa, did not give up and it is thanks to her that today the community has at its disposal one of the most striking green areas of the Lario.

The Valley Garden is not only a naturalistic Eden, but also a place of culture where every year, especially in spring, there are organized concerts and art exhibitions. A landmark for nature and art lovers, the Valley Garden is also special for another reason: since 2003, in fact, the Cernobbio municipal administration has dedicated a plant and a poem to each child born during the previous year on World Children’s Day.

In 2018 Grandmother Pupa Frati with her Valley Garden received the “Pollice Verde 2018” award in Bologna from the national competition Flowering Municipalities

Church of Our Lady of Grace

Venturing out to discover Cernobbio does not only mean appreciating the imposing beauty of the historic mansions and immersing oneself in the fantastic colors of the flowers and plants that enrich the parks and gardens: visiting Cernobbio also means venturing through the streets of the town, admiring its architectural peculiarities.

Among these, definitely worth mentioning is the Church of Our Lady of Grace or, as they call it in these parts, “La Madona di Grazi”. In the 17th century, the initial structure was enlarged and the icon of Our Lady nursing the Child placed in the center of the altar. Starting in 1624, mass began to be celebrated there regularly.

From the decorative and architectural point of view, one can admire the baroque facade, adorned with a rich inlaid wooden door surmounted by a stone portal and a fresco dating from the late 17th century. The church tower, on the other hand, was probably built around the mid-18th century, while restoration and expansion work was carried out during the 1800s.

Mount Bisbino, for those who want a breathtaking view

Culture…and, of course, nature. A nice play on words that nevertheless best expresses a very important concept indeed: in Cernobbio one cannot limit oneself to the cultural excursion. Exploring the country’s surroundings holds some really interesting surprises, including enjoying a breathtaking view of the lake.

One of the hikes not to be missed is the one to Mount Bisbino, called by many one of the most beautiful climbs in all of Lombardy. To reach the summit, one starts right from the center of Cernobbio; after a few hairpin bends, one arrives at the village of Villa Argentina, and from here one continues through enchanted forests consisting mostly of firs and birches.

Once you reach the top of the mountain, even before the well-deserved rest and refreshment, you have to let your eyes run over the wonderful view from this perspective. From Mount Bisbino, in fact, one can overlook the entire Po Valley and you can admire the entire chain of the Alps. Another point of interest is the ancient Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Bisbino, built in the 17th century and has always been a destination for numerous pilgrimages.