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My parents come from the south of Italy so I’m not a pure Lombard or Lagheè, but I grew up here. I've absorbed the attitudes and ways of living, and consider myself to be 50% Lagheè.
A Lagheè is someone from the lake itself, but not Como or nearby areas. Someone from Argegno to Dongo is a Lagheè, and we don’t call people from Bellagio a Lagheè, even if they think they are. But don’t write that, as Giulia (Belvedere Bellagio’s fifth generation guardian) will be upset!
It’s difficult to pinpoint specific characteristics of people who live here. The residents of each village are different because the villages are so unique. But definitely a Lagheè is someone who spends the day outdoors. They don’t like to stay inside, even if it’s cold. They are reserved but hospitable, very supportive, and ready to help.
Like for any Italian, family and connection are important, but I think a Lagheè strongly believes in individualism. They want to make it on their own, and have a ‘if you are healthy, you can do it’ mindset. They don’t think about being lucky or not lucky.
Most value nature, traditions, and their relations with the elders. Even young people here really believe in tradition. They want to keep, and grow, events from years gone by.
Every village and community around the lake has its own traditions and events that it holds dear. I almost don’t want to share my current favorite as I don’t want it to become too popular, but it’s a celebration of San Antonio on January 17th (or the first Saturday before or after that date). It has religious origins but isn't religious: the story goes that San Antonio descended to the depths of hell to free us from the fire.
This year was the third time the celebration has happened, and it takes place in a small village called Naggio. This is not a tourist spot - it has no hotels or restaurants - but it has a beautiful Middle Age historical center and is very charming.
Beforehand, you go to the macelleria (butcher’s shop) to pick up pork meat because in ancient times this was the easiest animal to have. Then in the evening, about ten fires are lit in all the corners of the village so people can warm up, and six or seven houses open their doors so everyone can go into their house to eat and drink.
A private house becomes an open space for everyone. In every home, or other places like the village library, maybe even the school, there are concerts. Music for dancing, or rock, or acoustic, or classical. You dance and scream. It’s something really special in a place that is completely unknown. So real and authentic.
I live in Griante - a very small village of 700 inhabitants that is opposite Bellagio on the west side of the lake. It’s 270 meters above sea level, and a short trek takes you to San Martino, 500 meters above sea level. You can reach it in 25-40 minutes depending on how fit you are!
I do this walk at least once a week. Every time I do this, my little gym in the morning, it doesn’t matter the weather conditions - grey, sunny, whatever - every time I discover a new thing. Like a small house on the other side of the lake, a cloud, or even a reflection on the water. It always surprises me, even though I’ve done this walk for 40 years.
When you reach the top and see the view, all you can say is: “Wow, what a beautiful place.”
Beyond the visible beauty of Lake Como, there are stories and myths that float below the water.
The Lariosauro is a local legend: a creature 10-12 meters long that is said to have lived in the lake before the era of the dinosaurs. Fossils were found in the 1800s with the shape of this animal’s skeleton.
In 1946, 1954, 1957 and 2003, fishermen and others claimed to have seen something strange in the lake, even larger than the original Lariosauro. And so the legend continues! Because it’s so rare, it becomes more real. If someone ever sees something strange on the lake, you say it’s the evolution of the Lariosauro, much like the Loch Ness Monster.
Many people dive in the lake, and even though there might seem to be nothing to see, you can reach depths of 40 or 50 meters. They say that the deeper you go, the more you see fish you didn't even imagine existed thanks to the unique shape of the lake. There are fish living there that never come up to the surface.
Lake Como is 450 meters deep, and this has given rise to a legend that there are strange fish with unusual shapes that no one has seen and you can only dream of. Human beings love to explore the moon and Mars, but we have less information about the depths beneath the water.
Back to the surface of the lake, and reality, there are also everyday joys that speak to the heart of Lake Como, especially its smells. For me, these are deeply tied to the changing seasons.
One is the jasmine. There are so many houses and villas where we have it for decoration.
So when it blooms in late April or early May, it gives you the information that summer is starting. You breathe it and feel it. You say: “Okay, from now it’s summertime.”
The second is the grass. With all the gardens we have here, at the end of summer when everybody cuts their grass, the scent mixes with the humidity in the air. Near the evening, you have this smell of grass and bay leaves, and it’s really an ‘end of summer’ moment. Not in a nostalgic or sad way, just a sign that autumn is coming, and that will be beautiful too.
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