Migrating terns: 10 Things to do near Menaggio Part 1. Walk, eat and drink

It's our last night in Menaggio (Loveno actually). We've had a wonderful time; so good that I haven't been bored at all, nor have I had much time for blogging. Rather than the boring diary format, I decided that I might write this Northern Italy segment in a fashion that might be useful for anyone who may visit this region. So I'm calling this "things to do near Menaggio". It's by no means an exhaustive list, but it should cover most of our activities.

1. Walk to the Sanctuary.

There's this imposing sanctuary on the hill overlooking Menaggio. It's a white chapel, and it beckons you to visit. It's quite a walk, which can be extended to the Rifugio, a refuge at an even higher altitude, and if you are game, Mont Gone (pronounced Go-nay) which towers over the Lake Como, high above where we stayed (see later in things to do near Menaggio)

We tackled the Sanctuary in the evening. It was intended to be a couple of hour walk, while R made pizzas. It turned out to be a bit of an epic, and we ended up dining at around 9pm. Basically you follow the winding road up and up until you find a right turn to the Sanctuary in the small commune of Breglia. Breglia has an amazing church.

Fresco from a house wall in Preslio.
Even the humblest home might have
a fresco like this.

View from Preslio

Preslio church

The man himself

We couldn't agree when the church was constructed..
Can you help? 1336? 1836?

Self serve mineral water on the way up.

Even the smallest places in Italy can have a grand church, with imposing (and somewhat gruesome) interiors. If you happen to forget you are a Catholic, there are little shrine reminders everywhere, and if you are really forgetful, a quick visit to a cemetery will give you a jolt.

Not from Breglia, but serves as an example

Here's a link to Madonna's sanctuary

2. Eat and drink.

Italy is fantastic for food. Particularly pastries, coffee and gelati. We have consumed much of all of these. We occasionally encountered some culinary efforts that weren't up to standard (our bar is set high), but usually we emerge from a cafe having sampled much more than we needed. We also had some scrumptious meals at home. Here are some examples~