Pianello del Lario, Lake Como: The Village of the Boat Museum

Lakefront of Pianello del Lario on the upper western shore of Lake Como — The lakefront of Pianello del Lario seen from the water on the upper western shore of Lake Como. Photo: Roland1949 / Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0.

Some Lake Como villages show you the lake; Pianello del Lario shows you how people lived on it. This quiet village on the upper western shore is home to one of the finest collections of traditional lake boats anywhere in Italy — the working, racing and ceremonial craft that carried the life of Lake Como for centuries.

Beyond the museum, Pianello is a small, calm upper-lake village, a place to slow down well away from the crowds.

A brief history

Pianello del Lario grew as a modest fishing and farming community on the Alto Lario, the upper lake, where the shore broadens and the villages sit quieter and further apart. Its lasting claim to fame is not a castle or a villa but a collection: the boats and tools that tell the story of how the lake itself was worked and travelled.

Where Pianello del Lario sits on the lake

Pianello del Lario lies on the western shore of the upper lake, among the string of Alto Lario villages between Cremia to the south and Musso, Dongo and Gravedona to the north. This is the broad, open, uncrowded top of Lake Como, ringed by tall mountains.

Traditional wooden Lariana sailing boat displayed at the Museo della Barca Lariana in Pianello del Lario — A traditional wooden Lariana sailing boat on display inside the Museo della Barca Lariana at Pianello del Lario. Photo: Maurizio Moro5153 / Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 4.0.

The best things to see in Pianello del Lario

1. The Museo della Barca Lariana

The village’s great treasure is the Museo della Barca Lariana, the museum of the Lariana boat. Its halls hold hundreds of craft — the graceful Lucia rowing boats of the lake, working and fishing vessels, elegant racing boats and early motorboats — along with the tools and stories of the people who built and used them. For anyone curious about the real, working life of Lake Como, it is a rewarding and unusual stop.

2. The village and lakefront

Pianello itself is a quiet, genuine upper-lake village with a parish church, old lanes and a peaceful lakefront. It is a pleasant place to walk and to sit by the water, with wide views across the broad northern basin.

3. The upper-lake setting

The surroundings are part of the appeal — open water, big skies and tall mountains, with quiet beaches nearby. It is the antidote to the busy central lake, and a fine base for exploring the Alto Lario.

Planning your visit

Getting there. Pianello del Lario sits on the western-shore road of the upper lake, the nearest boat landings being at Dongo and Cremia; see our Lake Como ferry guide.

Best for. Boat and history lovers, and travellers seeking the quiet upper lake; one of the lake’s hidden gems.

When to go. Late spring to early autumn, when the museum runs its longer summer hours and the water is warm.

Nearby. Musso and Dongo lie just north, with Gravedona beyond.

Pianello del Lario rewards the curious traveller — come for the boats, and stay for the calm of a village at the quiet top of the lake.