Author Archives: comocompanion

About comocompanion

I am an Englishman in Como, Northern Italy - definitely both a Euro and Italophile with an interest in modern history, walks in the hills and mountains, and food and wine. I favour 'slow' tourism alongside of 'slow' food.

Como’s December Delights

Posted on November 28, 2017 by comocompanion

As the nights grow longer and temperatures get lower, Como goes through another of its periodical metamorphoses – producing a set of seasonal December delights. What better way can there be of exploiting the increased hours of winter darkness than … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Culture, History, People, Places of interest, silk, Uncategorized | Tagged Architecture, Art, Art Nouveau, bernasconi, Campanini, cernobbio, Christmas lights, Christmas market, CittadeiBalocchi, Como, crime, Culture, film, Liberty, lights, Margaret Atwood, Noir, Sport, Teatro Sociale, Ticosa, war | Leave a comment

Cantù – The Good, (The Bad) and The Beautiful

Posted on November 15, 2017 by comocompanion

Cantù is famous for its master craftsmen and its long tradition of artisan furnishings and cabinet making. It is the spiritual home of the Brianza-based furniture industry yet, at only 10 kilometres from Como, remains off the main tourist map. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Culture, History, Itineraries, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged Architecture, Ariberto, Art, artisans, baptistry, Brianza, cabinet makers, Cantu, Carlo de Carli, churches, Como, crafts, Culture, Frescoes, furniture making, Galliano, Gio Ponti, industry, Madonna Della Latte, marquetry, Medieval, Rinascente, Romanasque, San Giovanni, San Vincenzo | Leave a comment

Streetscape 6 – Facing a Credibility Crisis?

Posted on November 5, 2017 by comocompanion

Como is currently hosting the 6th edition of the street and urban festival called Streetscape – a total of 10 (+1) installations are dotted around or just outside the old town. Well established in its 6th year, Streetscape now forms … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, Events, Itineraries, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged Art, Broletto, Como, Culture, installations, light, savethewall, Street art, Streetscape, Urban art | Leave a comment

The Poetry and Joy of Urban Portraiture – Adriano Caverzasio

Posted on September 27, 2017 by comocompanion

If you aim to impart joy through your art, you best do it with a big smile – just like Adriano Caverzasio’s when I met him recently! And, if your art is intended to bring pleasure to all ages, how … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Culture, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged asilo sant'elia, brera, casa del fascio, caverzasio, Como, conconi, Culture, futurism, modernism, monumento ai caduti, rationalism, san pietro, sant'elia, structuralism, Terragni, transatlantico | 1 Comment

Cortesella – The Mythical Heart of Old Como

Posted on September 15, 2017 by comocompanion

As Les Halles was to Paris or Seven Dials to London, so was the Cortesella to Como – the lost heart of the old town. The Cortesella (named after Via Cortesella) was a warren of narrow streets and alleyways to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Culture, History, People, Places of interest, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged Architecture, Banca d'Italia, Como, Cortesella, Frigerio, les halles, nostalgia, Parisi, Piazza Duomo, redevelopment, Terragni | Leave a comment

Myth and Reality: Lake Monsters and Political Scandal

Posted on August 13, 2017 by comocompanion

A piece of real ‘fake news’ turned up the other day in the local newspapers – a sighting of a prehistoric monster in the grounds of the long defunct textile factory, Ticosa, on the edge of Como’s historical centre. Regular … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, History, Lake, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged Lake Como, lake monsters, lariosauro, lariosaurus, Lierna, Mr. Savethewall, myth, Ticosa, Varenna | Leave a comment

Como Silk – Memoirs of a Textile Designer

Posted on July 28, 2017 by comocompanion

Como has been a tourist destination from the days of the Grand Tour but it maintains equal significance as a centre for silk production. Current visitors to Como might think that the silk industry is a thing of the past … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, History, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged abegg, archeology, bernasconi, cernobbio, Como, digitalisation, industry, inkjet, mantero, pinto, ratti, screen printing, silk, silk museum, villa erba | Leave a comment

Mr. Savethewall – Como’s Spray-Can Artistic Campaigner

Posted on July 24, 2017 by comocompanion

If walking the streets of Como for any time, you will become aware of a local artist known as Mr. Savethewall. His two shopfronts, the immediate appeal of some of his iconic images such as Mr. Frogman and his intriguing … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, Lake, People, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged Art, campaigns, Como, Culture, lakefront, paratie, Pinocchio, pop art, rivogliamo nostro lago, savethewall, Street art, Streetscape, Ticosa | 2 Comments

Flying High Over Como

Posted on July 5, 2017 by comocompanion

Lake Como is rightly renowned for its beauty but it is also well known internationally (albeit within a specialised community) for a service operating on the lake itself. For it hosts the only seaplane pilot training school in Europe at … Continue reading →

Posted in Lake, People, Sport, Transport, Uncategorized | Tagged aero club, Como, Dublin, idrovolante, lakecomo, Molina, pilot training, ppl, seaplanes | 1 Comment

Canottieri Lario – Making a Media Storm

Posted on June 24, 2017 by comocompanion

If rowing was as popular as football then Como would be at the top of Seria A! Positioned third in national rankings last year, Como’s Canottieri Lario is on a roll making its own media storm. But let’s step back … Continue reading →