Gera Lario

Gera Lario on lake Como

Located at the northern end of Lake Como, the town of Gera Lario sits at the mouth of the river Mera and at the foot of Montemezzo. Close by is the Pian di Spagna, an extensive marshland designated a natural reserve by the Regional Lombardy Authority. Traces of Roman settlements have been found in the area, including a stone inscription bearing the name "Aneuniates" - the name of the inhabitants of the Roman town of Olonium. Olonium, one of the most important settlements at the northern end of Lake Como, was a wealthy trading town situated at the crossroads of routes heading north towards the Alpine passes and Northern Europe.

In the main square of Gera Lario stands the church of Nostra Signora di Fatima (Our Lady of Fatima). Built following the plague epidemic of 1630, it is also known as the Santuario dei Pescatori d'Italia. On the Strada Regina, a few steps from the lakefront, stands the ancient church of San Vincenzo. Originally built in the 11th century over the remains of a Roman building, the church was almost entirely reconstructed in the 15th century. The streets of Gera Lario are home to a large number of votive wall shrines, while many older houses are also decorated with religious frescoes. The lighthouse at the entrance to the port was built in 1957, in memory of the floods of 8 August 1951, when the San Vincenzo river burst its banks, causing seventeen deaths.

Fishing and silk worm breeding were once the town’s main sources of income, but Gera Lario is today principally a tourist destination. The town offers an excellent range of accommodation options, restaurants serving local food, private lidos and beaches with bathing facilities. Its splendid position and reliable wind make Gera Lario an ideal spot for sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. A network of cycle paths mean the neighbouring towns and villages can be biked to in complete safety, and there’s also no shortage of hiking options for those interested in exploring the surrounding hills and mountains on foot.