Lecco

Surrounded by tall mountains, Lecco is very picturesque and makes for a perfect start for mountaineering expeditions, but is not as popular as Como at the other end of the lake - which makes it quieter. It is in Lecco that the river Adda flows out of the lake Como, flowing further south through Lombardy, including Lodi, to join the river Po near Cremona.
Many of the artifacts in the city belonged once to the affluent Lombardian Manzoni family. Its most famous son, Alessandro Manzoni, immortalized the town in his novel The Betrothed. Despite its picturesque location, Lecco's economy for centuries been dependent on industry, not tourism. In particular, Lecco has been a major ironworking centre, with various companies owned by the Badoni family leading the way, manufacturing railway locomotives and constructing bridges around the world.

• IAT

  phone: +39 0341 295720
  address: Piazza XX Settembre, 23

By train

Lecco is a railway hub within the Trenord network, so getting in by train is quite a natural choice. There are five railway lines that radiate out of Lecco.

• One line from Milano Centrale (40 min) through Monza (30 min) - hourly
• Another line running from Monza (40 min) through the countryside
• The former mainline from Lecco to Bergamo (40 min) - hourly
• The line running south of the lake to Como (1 hr) - only two direct services daily, one in the morning, one in the evening
• And the northern line to the Lombardian Alps running through Sondrio (80 min) towards Tirano (2 hr) on the Swiss border - operated every 2-3 hours daily

One-way tickets on all of the connections operated by regional trains are between €3.50 and €5, except for services to Lombardian Alps, which are €6.50 to €9.

By plane

The closest airports to Lecco are those of Bergamo Orio al Serio and Milano Linate, both around 40-50 minutes from Lecco by road or rail (travelling by rail requires changing from local transportation from the airport to the main train station). The former is served by low-fare and holiday carriers from destinations all over Europe, while the latter has business-oriented connections from major European hubs served mostly by flag carriers.
Intercontinental flights to Lombardy, and more low-fare and full-service flights from Europe, arrive at Milano Malpensa Airport. Travelling from Malpensa on public transportation, you need to travel to Milan first (at least 30 minutes by express rail) and then continue to Lecco from there. By car, the journey is around 1 hr in theory, but in practice you need to go through the busy A8 and A4 autostradas that are frequently clogged and require tolls.

The city center is situated at walking distance from the main railway station and it's also a pedestrian zone, so walking is the best option.
The lakefront walk, which runs approx from the city center to the hamlet of Pescarenico, is also a pedestrian zone.

By boat

• FerriesA ferry line connects the town with the village of Bellagio making a few stops on the way.

• Basilica di San NicolòStanding 96 metres tall near the lakeshore, it is by far the most characteristic landmark in town, and can be seen from far away. It was erected in the 8th century, and has undergone numerous reconstructions.

• Palazzo Belgiojoso

  phone: +39 0341 481248
  address: Corso Matteotti 32
  It has thr Museum of Natural History, the Archaeological Museum and the Civic Planetarium.

• Palazzo delle Paure

  phone: +39 0341 286729
  address: Piazza XX Settembre 22
  Built in 1905 in eclectic neo-medieval style. It hosts a collection of modern art and temporary exhibitions.

• Torre Viscontea

  phone: +39 0341 282396
  address: Piazza XX Settembre
  This big tower is the only remnant of former fortifications.

• Ponte di Azzone ViscontiA bridge built by Azzone Visconti between 1336 and 1338 on the river Adda.

• Santuario di Nostra Signora della Vittoria

  address: Via Azzone Visconti
  A massive church built in 1932 in memory of the fallen of the Great War.

• Villa Manzoni

  phone: +39 0341 481247, +39 0341 481249
  address: Via Guanella 1
  Dedicated to Alessandro Manzoni, an Italian poet and novelist. The villa hosts Museo Manzoniano and Galleria Comunale d’Arte.

Hiking is a popular sport in Lecco, as the city is literally surrounded by mountains. You can choose one of the many mountains that surround the city, like the Resegone (which means Big Saw, for its jagged shape) or the Grigna for a beautiful trip.
Lecco mountains offer well maintained paths and many mountain huts to provide a base for your journeys. Usually at mountain huts you can find food, beverages, restrooms and accommodations if you plan an overnight journey. As there are many path to choose from and they can vary from easiest ones to the most strenuous, it's better to get a map and plan your trip in advance. The tourist office can help you to plan your trip.
Unfortunately, there are not many places which can be reached by a public transport, here is one of them:

• Cableway Lecco - Piani d'ErnaPiani D'Erna is a locality up the mountain above the city. If you don't like to walk you can enjoy the stunning view of the lake and the surrounding peaks, rest on the grass or just stroll around relaxing. If you are a hiker, from Piani d'Erna you can find many beautiful paths to the Resegone, to Piani di Bobbio and other destinations. Schedule and prices for the cable car can be found here and bus timetable for bus number 5 are here. The bus tickets must be bought in advance: there is a newspaper kiosk in the train station that sells them (€1.30 each, buy the return ticket there as well).

• Sassi Rossi

  phone: +39 0341 840125 840583
  address: a Provinciale 1, Crandola Valsassina
  Hotel Sassi Rossi is outside of Lecco, in Valsassina near Lake Como.

• NH Pontevecchio

  phone: +39 0341 238000
  address: Via A. Visconti, 84
  Overlooking Lake Como. Rooms are comfortable and many amenities are provided.

• Bed And Breakfast Partenza Funivia

  phone: +39 0341 499244
  address: 34 Prealpi Street
  A beautiful bed and breakfast near the valley station of the Piani d'Erna cableway.