Europe

Lake Como, Italy

Includes Como, Brunate, Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio, and Lugano

Wikimedia Commons: Daniel Case

The Lake Como area, straddling the Italian-Swiss border, is a popular visitor destination, owing to its attractive lake and mountain setting. Waterfront towns with jaw-dropping views and historic villas dot the eastern and western sides of the lake, with the charming city of Como at its southern tip. Running in the Lake Como area is a bit of a mixed bag. There are some fantastic waterfront sections, and some wonderful trail running in the more mountainous interior. But some of the scenic roads along the lake, such as the SP583 and SP72, lack a decent shoulder or sidewalk.

The most scenic spots for a waterfront run in Lake Como, on either a dedicated path or runnable road, are in Como, Bellagio, Mennagio, and in nearby Lugano.  For hillside running with great views, we recommend the Greenway del Lago di Como, trails in Parco Val Sanagra, and Brunate, just above Como and reached by funicular.

While a car is generally needed to get around the Lake Como area, there are trains in the main towns and a decent bus system in the area.

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Lake Como has an excellent climate for running, with cool to mild winters and warm to hot summers. In summer, average temperatures can get hot, averaging 29C (85F), with warm nights. In winter, high temperatures typically reach 7C (45F), with lows near freezing. The 1300mm (52 inches) of annual precipitation is fairly uniform throughout the year, but in summer comes in the form of thunderstorms. Snowfall is rare. However, the surrounding mountains have a very different climate, with much more snowfall and colder weather at elevation.

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Run and Bike, located right in Como, is the one independent running store in the area.