Italy will never cease to impress you with its beauty. Italian cities and towns are famous with the history and striking beauty.There are many cities and towns you will want to explore. I wished I had stayed there for a month to cover all must see in Italy. But if you have a limited time and happened to be in Northern Italy, definitely take a day trip to these must see cities: Como and Brunate.

Como is situated right by the southern tip of Lake Como and only an hour away by express train from Milan. You can also take a regional/commuter train to Como if you stay in Saronno like we did. There are few train stations in Como. I highly recommend the Como Nord station if you plan to explore Como by foot. The exit door will take you straight to the amazing view of Lake Como as you walk away from the platform. It’s like the city has welcomed you with its open arms.

Lake Como

So, what to see here in Lake Como? Cruise along the lake and enjoy the stunning view. There are many beautiful villas along Lake Como you can visit. In the summer time, you can take a ferry to the town of Bellagio from Como. If you fancy George Clooney and your stars are aligned, you might bump into him since he owns one of the Villa in Lake Como. You can also visit the Como Cathedral. You can sit and relax on one of many benches around the lake to admire the dramatic view of Lake Como, set against the foothills of the Alps.

From there you can walk to the funicular station which take you all the way to the mountain town of Brunate. These two must see cities in Italy: Como and Brunate can be visited on the same day since it is located next to each other. Brunate is situated on the top of the hill above Como. You can reach it by bus, car or the funicular. The funicular is by far the most interesting way to visit Brunate.

The view of Lake Como from the funicular

As the funicular started to move up, I could see the sweeping view of Lake Como below me. The view was getting better and better as the elevation increased. Being on the first car of the funicular, it gave us an unobstructed  spectacular view. Tip for best view: make sure to board the first car.

Brunate

Now that funicular  had taken us to  beautiful  mountain town of Brunate, we couldn’t wait to explore it. As we stepped out of station, this tiny mountain town presented us with its overwhelming beauty. From Brunate Cathedral that located only few hundred feet away from the funicular station to Albergo Bellavista boutique hotel. Not  to mention the cobblestone street surrounding the villas. We bumped into so many villas as we walked  around this beautiful mountain town. One of them is  Liberty Villa. Here, you can really feel the vibe of small Italian town. Don’t forget to grab a lunch or dinner at Bellavista Villa. This small boutique hotel is only few steps away from the funicular station. Its outdoor restaurant is situated on the edge of the mountain and you can see the beautiful Lake Como below you while you enjoy your food.

Albergo Bella Vista Restorante

Sunset

Make sure to wait for a sunset before you leave Brunate because the view is absolutely stunning. Before you hop on the train to go back to Milan, definitely enjoy the delicious authentic Italian restaurant with a live music in Como. If you need help figuring it out how to navigate between Como and Brunate, check this link for more information.