Caglio: Medieval Village Center, Nature Trails and Holiday Apartment

Caglio is situated at an elevated position in the shadow of Monte Palanzone. The medieval village combines narrow lanes with buildings whose stone masonry remains visible, as well as arches and courtyards. When choosing a holiday apartment in Caglio, you can therefore focus on village culture, nature trails or a combination of both interests.

Stone, History and Sacred Art

Traces of the local stonemasons have been preserved in the lanes: stone portals, dressed stones and paving characterize the historic village center. A stone Filetto, or Mulinello, game board, an old game, can also be found there. In a niche next to Casa Bianconi stands a remarkable Madonna from the 17th century. The Nevera is a traditional structure that was formerly used to store snow and cool food in summer.

The Romanesque Church of Santa Valeria preserves 14th-century frescoes depicting the Madonna del Latte and Santa Valeria with the two children, Gervasio and Protasio. The Santuario della Madonna di Campoè contains a depiction of the Madonna del Latte between two music-playing angels, bearing the year 1508. The parish church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio preserves a Baroque altar in the form of a tempietto and a precious marble balustrade.

The Cappella della Beata Vergine del Carmine is also known as Morti di Pianura and served as a hospital during plague epidemics. The Stations of the Cross chapels designed by Ottavio Cabiati line Viale Campoè on the way to the Santuario della Madonna di Campoè. The Percorso Segantini also includes the house in Caglio where Giovanni Segantini lived from 1885 to 1886. The Romanesque Church of Saints Valeria and Vitale, located in the park of Villa Giuliani, stands on private property and can only be visited on certain occasions.

Nature Trails for Different Day Plans

Just outside the village lies the Oasi faunistica e botanica di Caglio, a protected area where visitors can experience the natural habitat and local fauna. Rabbits, chickens, donkeys and sheep live there; various bird species are kept in a large aviary.

The short Sentiero botanico Due Passi, which is accessible to everyone, illustrates the transition from a reforested area with conifers such as spruce and larch to a deciduous forest typical of these elevations. The path first leads to a two-hundred-year-old beech and then to the Marian sanctuary of Campoè.

Caglio’s small chestnut forest now comprises several thousand trees. It can be reached from the village via Via Ai Monti in about 15 minutes on foot. An easy path through the chestnut forest leads to Colma di Caglio in about an hour. There is also an architecture and nature route that can be completed on foot and is designed to take about three hours; shortened variants take about two hours. The different trail lengths help you tailor your day and therefore also plan suitable accommodation around your own interests.

Getting to Caglio

From Como, Caglio can be reached via Erba, Canzo and Asso; via Rezzago, the route continues to Caglio. This allows the historic churches, lanes and natural attractions to be combined in one stay without mixing the cultural and scenic highlights.

Discover More Destinations

More destinations: Appiano Gentile, Santa Maria Rezzonico, Vercana, Cremia, Valsolda, Erbonne, Osteno-claino and Garzeno.

To the higher-level travel overview: Como.