A passion for the outdoors
The region has an abundance of fabulous walks and off-road trails. Road biking is also very popular in the region. There are a number of bike hire outfits within easy reach. Find a few of our favourites below!
After a beautiful day exploring, return to il Ronco in the evening to find dinner waiting! Our chef, Marco, is always on hand to prepare group and family meals if helpful.
The Parco Pineta is a short walk from the property. This is a nature reserve of over 4,800 hectares of woodland with some 60km of trails.
There are some lovely hamlets like San Bartolomeo al Bosco and the woods are great for both walking and off-road biking.
The Parco Spina Verde is a short drive from il Ronco. This nature reserve covers about 1,200 hectares and follows the hills that overlook Como and extend North Est into Switzerland.
The park is the most important protected natural site in the Como region and one of the most popular with visitors in every season. There are some spectacular views as well as boasting both middle-age and WW1 fortifications (Cadorna Line).
Great for both walking and off-road biking (though we would recommend eMTBs for all but the fittest).
Torba Monastery, a timeless jewel between Milan and Varese. A monumental Longobard complex, today part of an archaeology park that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, immersed in nature and centred around an imposing tower with frescoed interiors.
Today, this ancient site with its highly significant past (not by chance was it inscribed in 2011 in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites) is enjoying a new lease of life thanks also to the continuous discovery of Longobard-era relics, which constitute just one of the surprises that the monastery – and the surrounding area, rich in natural and artistic treasures – offers to those who head off the beaten track in search of interesting places.
Brunate, accessed either by road or by funicular from near the centre of Como offers spectacular views of the lake. It is 500m above the lake and is a perfect spot for a leisurely lunch or as a starting point for walks above Como.
A short but bracing walk uphill leads to San Maurizio where the Volta Lighthouse is located. Built in 1927, it has a 143-step spiral staircase that takes you to its viewing terrace.
If you wish to reach Brunate on foot, through the woods, there are two hikes from Como, one runs alongside the cable car and the other passes by the Hermitage of San Donato, founded by the Benedictines in the fifteenth century.
From San Maurizio can take the “mountain lodge walk”, which takes you past a series of mountain lodges where you can enjoy typical dishes for lunch.
Just beyond Varese (a 35 min drive) lies the Sacro Monte of Varese, a pilgrimage site and UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a religious complex, built between 1604 and 1698 and is made up of 14 Chapels, the Shrine and the Crypt. Its aim was to spread the Catholic faith to local people as a way of combating the growing influence of the protestant reformation.
There is a 2 km pilgrims’ trail with 14 chapels dedicated to the mysteries of the Rosary. Each chapel houses a diorama made of very well preserved and rather unusual life size painted terracotta statues.
After walking along the 2 km steep cobbled path, you reach the small village of Santa Maria del Monte with its spectacular views, ancient covered paths, museums, and the Shrine and Convent (and a restaurant or two).