Around Us
Villa Carlotta
The Marquis Clerici from Milan built it at the beginning of 1700. In the same century, it became property of Count Sommariva from Lodi and in 1856 it was sold to Princess Ma- rianna, wife to Albert of Prussia and mother of Carlotta She gave it to her daughter as a wedding present when she married Prince George of Sachsen. Today the villa belongs to the italian State and is open to the public from spring to falls from 9.00 to 6.00 p.m. It is both a museum and a botanical garden. Inside the villa it is possible to admire some paintings by Vikar, Lordon, Hayez and Migliara. Among the scul- ptures there are works by Canova, Thorwaldsen and Acquisti. Its botanical garden is famous all over the world for the blooming of the azaleas.

The Anglican Church
Since the end of the 18th century, Griante has been one of British tourists’ favourite holiday resorts. In fact many settled here and founded a community so important that an Anglican Church was built, consecrated in 1891, the first in Italy. The project was realized by the local architect Giuseppe Brentano. Worth seeing are the mosaics on the front of the Anglican Church, made by the Englishman Murchinson.

Griante - Cadenabbia
Griante is one of the most well known towns on Lake Como. Cadenabbia’s beautiful sumptuous villas have hosted many important visitors over the centuries such as Stend- hal, who set some chapters of his novel La Certosa di Parma,
Queen Victoria, the composer Giuseppe Verdi and more recently the German Chancellor Adenauer. The town is divided in two parts: Cadenabbia on the lake and above the historic cen- tre of Griante which you can reach along a flight of cobble stone

St. Martin Church
At the end of via San Martino you find the beginning of the walk to San Martino (walking shoes required-40 min) Along the cobbled path leading to St. Martin Church, there are several small chapels decorated with mosaics representing episodes of Christ’s life. Half way up you will find the “Alpine troops Chapel” dedicated to St. Charles. The church San Martino was built in the 16th century and became a venerated sanctuary after the finding of a 15th century wooden statue of the Lady with the Child. According to a local legend, the statue was discovered in the 17th by a young girl in a cave of the mountain. The statue was probably set here by a man from Menaggio about a hundred years before, when Menaggio was invaded by the Grigioni, who used to destroy all the statues of Saints.
When the inhabitants of Griante heard the notice of the finding, they brought the statue to the parish Church of SS. Nabore and Felice, but it miraculously disappeared and was later found again on St. Martin Mountain. This fact was interpreted as the Lady’s wish to be adored on the mountains, so a niche was built and then today’s church.

Villa del Balbianello
Formerly called Villa Arconati Visconti, this palazzo sits in a panoramic spot on Dosso del Lavedo, surrounded by a gorgeous park. It is currently owned by FAI (Italian Foundation for the Environment), which inherited it from explorer Guido Monzino.

Greenway del Lago di Como
The Lake Como Greenway is a leisurely and pleasant hike through ancient villages, stunning villas and gardens, Romanesque and Baroque churches, by the breathtaking landscape of Lake Como.
Queen Victoria, the composer Giuseppe Verdi and more recently the German Chancellor Adenauer. The town is divided in two parts: Cadenabbia on the lake and above the historic cen- tre of Griante which you can reach along a flight of cobble stone.
