Menaggio is a town and comune situated on the western shore of Lake Como, at the mouth of the river Senagra. Menaggio is included in the Province of Como in Lombardy.
The Menaggio area is a popular recreational spot that recieves a lot of visitors in spring and summer. Some of them come to play golf at the famous Cadenabbia Golf Club, founded by en English golf enthusiast in 1907.
Each summer season, several major cultural events take place in Menaggio, including the Menaggio Guitar Festival.
Finding youth hostels in the Lake Como region is not easy, but there is actually one in Menaggio; the La Primula Youth Hostel, located on Via IV Novembre 106 in Menaggio.
Basic facts about Menaggio
| Name in Italian | Menaggio |
| Name in Lombard | Menas |
| Region | Lombardy |
| Province | Province of Como |
| Coordinates | 46°01′N 09°14′E |
| Postal code | 22017 |
| Population | 3,273 residents in 2010 |
| Demonym | Menaggini |
| Patron saint | Santo Stefano |
| Saint day | 31st of August |
Tourist activities
- Play golf at Cadenabbia Golf Club.
- Play minigolf by the lake at the northern end of town.
- Go to Menaggio Lido to enjoy the swimming pool and the deck chairs.
- Buy gelato in one of the shops along the lake front.
- Buy locally made limoncello at the supermarket. (Much cheaper than in the tourist shops.)
- Go rock climbing. The local apline club maintains a climbing area beyond the north end of town, next to a tunnel leading to another village. There is a series of anchor points set into the rock.
- Go hiking. Take the C13 bus to Breglia. From there, hike up to Rifugio Menaggio. There are a number of walks available for there if you want to hike further, such as the hike to Mount Grona (altitude: 1736 m) from where you can enjoy a splendid view of Lake Como and Lake Lugano.
- Take a walk among the oak trees in Parc Vale Sanagra.
For more ideas, visit the Menaggio tourist office on the main square on the lake front.
Background
Roman Empire
The area was conquered by the Romans in late 2nd century BCE, and the construction of the Via Regina came to have a large impact on the site where Menaggio is today.
Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages, a castle was built here and Menaggio became a wall in fortfied town. Via Regina was still an important route and Menaggio had strategic importance. In 1532, the Graubünden occupied Menaggio and destroyed the castle.
Kingdom of Italy
When the Kingdom of Italy had been created in 1805, Menaggio was oppointed seat for the substituting Prefect. This in turn made it into somewhat of an administrative and economic centre for the Como region.
Early tourism
In the late 18th century, tourists began to arrive to Menaggio, and by the start of the 19th century Menaggio was famous among the rich and famous European families and contained several tourist hotels. An important driving force was the railway Menaggio – Porlezza which made it easier for visitors to reach Menaggio.
WWI
During the first world war, the mountains surrounding Menaggio was an important part of the Italian defence towards the north and substantial defence lines were created. Remains of some of these defence constructions have survived into our time and can be visited.
WWII
In 1945, as the second world war was wrapping up, Musolini was captured, but he escaped on the 26th of April while being kept in Menaggio. Musolini was being kept at the Primary School building in Menaggio, which at the time was the headquarters for the Brigate Nere. Musolini escaped during the night, but his time in freedome was shortlived. The very next day, he was captured by Partisans in Dongo.