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Menaggio is a large and busy village situated on a small peninsula on the western shore of Lake Como, 23 mi/37 km north of Como. It's dominated by the ruins of an old castle that was destroyed by the Swiss in 1523. Its surroundings may be somewhat blighted by a noisy bypass road, but its historic, almost traffic-free center—with its lovely central Piazza Garibaldi, busy colorful harbor and flower-adorned Lungolago Benedetto Castelli—are enchanting.

There's a reason why Menaggio is so popular with painters and artists from all over the world, and yet, even in high season, the place never seems overrun with tourists. Have a look at the Baroque church Santo Stefano, which has Romanesque origins, and the church of Santa Marta on Via Calvi, whose facade shows the gravestone of a Roman noble, Lucio Minicio Exorato. Market in Menaggio is on the second and fourth Friday of the month.

Menaggio offers many excursion opportunities. Just a stroll away (40 minutes) is Nobiallo, which has a leaning Romanesque belltower. From the hamlet Croce, you can easily reach the Crocetta a Specchi, which will reward you with a lovely view of the lake and the mountains. For an even grander panorama, you can climb the Sasso di San Martino in about one hour.

If you prefer to drive, Porlezza, on the beautiful eastern arm of Lake Lugano, is only a scenic 30 minutes away from Menaggio. On the way, you can stop at small, reedy Lago Piano, a protected nature reserve and breeding place for water birds. From Menaggio, you can also follow a serpentine road to Plesio and Breglia. Visit the small church Madonna di Breglia and enjoy the view from the Belvedere San Domenico. Ambitious hikers can reach the summit of Monte Bregnano (7,000 ft/2,107 m) in six hours. Less energetic walkers may call it quits at the Rifugio Menaggio hut at 4,500 ft/1,383 m (http://www.rifugiomenaggio.eu).

Nearby viewpoint Pizza Coppa offers a fabulous view over Lake Como, Lake Lugano and Val Menaggio. Breglia is also the starting point for Il Sentiero delle Quattro Valli, a classic three-day mountain walk of about 31 mi/50 km, which links Lake Como to Lake Lugano. Get the free booklet Lake Como Trekking at the tourist office or download it online. http://www.menaggio.com.