On the eastern shores of Lake Como lies an unspoilt jewel, Careno the triangle-shaped village.
On the eastern shores of Lake Como lies a small village in the shape of an inverted triangle: Careno. The village is ideal for those who want to bathe away from the crowds and take a relaxing stroll in a timeless place.
Small stone houses with colourful doors, cobbled alleys, labyrinths of stone stairs, a small harbour, a church, a tasty trattoria and a peaceful beach make Careno a simple but valuable place.
Are you curious to get to know Careno better? Then let's discover together what is hidden in this little gem.
Careno: strolling through the stone alleyways
Careno is a hamlet of Nesso, a small village built entirely of stone, the local stone of Moltrasio. A staircase of 300 steps runs through the village and skirts the old houses with flowered and colourful windows, which are sure to catch your attention.
From the staircase you will enjoy memorable views and glimpses, and halfway down you will come across the imposing Church of S. Martino and the Trattoria del Porto di Careno. The family-run trattoria is one of the most authentic restaurants on Lake Como, where you can savour the culinary tradition of the area. Here you can taste fresh fish typical of the lake, lavaret and many other local dishes. One of the curiosities of this restaurant is that the owner is the only one in possession of the keys to the Church of S. Martino, so if you want to visit it, you will have to ask him!
Careno St. Martin's Church
Past the trattoria, you will find yourself in front of the medieval-style Church of S. Martino, an architectural example of the art of the Maestri Comacini. The church has a stone bell tower, the oldest on the Lake, and its exterior features a porch facing the Lake on which you can take wonderful photos and lose yourself in the beauty of the surrounding panorama.
But the little church offers much more inside, with its numerous frescoes dating back to the 16th century, only recovered during recent restoration work, and a triumphal arch decorated with themes of the Annunciation.
Beach and mountains
Careno's 300 steps end in front of its secluded and quiet little beach, consisting partly of sand and partly of grass, a truly enchanting spot where you can dive into the cool waters of the Lake undisturbed and surrounded by majestic, enveloping nature. The beach can only be reached on foot or by boat.
Mountain lovers, on the other hand, can reach Monte Careno, 600m above the village. Here you will be greeted by dense forest vegetation and the scent of freshly cut meadows, tended by the locals. From Monte you can also admire wonderful views and really feel part of nature and history, thanks to the old farmhouses scattered here and there.
Masera Cave
Not far from Careno you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a truly suggestive and primordial place: the Grotta Masera. Inside the cave, which is a good 400 metres long, you will find small lakes and waterfalls that will catapult you into a surreal and magical dimension, in which the quietness of the quarry mixes with the gentle sound of flowing water. Grotta Masera is a typical example of the karstic evolution of the area in which fossils of marine molluscs dating back 400 million years have been found.
