Category Archives: History

‘James Bond’ drops into Lake Como

Posted on June 8, 2021 by comocompanion

A real ‘James Bond’ secret agent drops into Lake Como, is immediately arrested but eventually acts as the facilitator of the Italian Armistice in September 1943 – a story truly stranger than fiction Continue reading →

Posted in Events, History, Lake, People, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged Badoglio, Dick Mallaby, Eisenhower, Faggeto Lario, Lake Como, partisans, Pognana, San Donnino, secret agents, SOE, spies, Wolff | Leave a comment

The Romantic Era of Smuggling: A Game of Cat and Mouse on Lake Como

Posted on April 15, 2021 by comocompanion

The Romantic Era of Smuggling: A Game of Cat and Mouse on Lake Como. Smuggling was common along the entire length of Italy’s northern border but particularly prevalent around the lakes so much as to become a key element in local folklore. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, Culture, Folklore, History, Itineraries, Lake, People, Uncategorized, Walks | Tagged Burlanda, Cigarettes, Cinto, coffee, Colonno, contraband, contrabbandieri, Davide Van De Sfroos, Domenica del Corriere, Erbonne, finanzieri, guardia di finanza, Il Cimino, Lanzo, Lezzeno, Ment, smugglers, Smuggling, spalloni, Switzerland, val d'intelvi | Leave a comment

Escape to Switzerland via Monte Bisbino

Posted on January 25, 2021 by comocompanion

Escape to Switzerland via Monte Bisbino – the story of Anna Sacerdoti and her family and how they avoided deportation – to honour this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged Anna Sacerdoti, Bisbino, cernobbio, Chiasso, Christian Schiefer, holocaust, Leggi Razziali, Platform 21, Shoah, smugglers | Leave a comment

Como’s Pantero Pantera and other Admirable Admirals

Posted on November 20, 2020 by comocompanion

Como’s Pantero Pantera and other Admirable Admirals. With one of Como’s historical naval commanders called Pantero Pantera and the other Pliny the Elder the attraction of an alliterative title to this article was irresistible. Continue reading →

Posted in History, Lake, People, Uncategorized | Tagged blevio, Classis Comensis, Colico, Forts, galleazza, galleys, lapento, marine school, Miseno, naval warfare, pantero pantera, papal navy, pliny, roman navy, Vesuvius | 1 Comment

Como’s Lost ‘La Ruota’ Wheel

Posted on October 13, 2020 by comocompanion

Como’s Lost Wheel – the ‘la Ruota’ studio of Ico and Luisa Parisi which conquered the world with its iconic furniture designs for companies like MIM and Cassina. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, History, People, Places of interest, Uncategorized | Tagged alberto sartoris, astrattisti comaschi, Cassina, design, Egg Chair, furniture, Gio Ponti, Poltrona Uova, Terragni, Via Diaz | Leave a comment

Anomalous Waves on Lake Como

Posted on August 27, 2020 by comocompanion

Anomalous Waves on Lake Como. Alpine lakes can experience tsunami-like anomalous waves. These and other extreme weather events have massive destructive power and demand that we treat our natural environment with respect. Continue reading →

Posted in Events, History, Lake, Uncategorized | Tagged Adda, Anomalous waves, Bellagio, Como, ecology, floods, Lake leman, landslides, Lenno, Piazza Cavour, Pliny the Younger, prealps, sediment, tsunami, Vajont, Val Pola, Valtellina, Villa Commedia | Leave a comment

Como’s Train Station, Witches and the Inquisition

Posted on August 3, 2020 by comocompanion

Como’s Train Station, Witches and the Inquisition. Few travellers arriving at Como’s San Giovanni Station know they are on top of the remains of a monastery where innocent victims faced torture and being burnt at the stake. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, crime, Culture, Folklore, History, Uncategorized | Tagged Art, churches, Folklore, Giubiana, Grissons, Inquisition, Odescalchi, religion, San Giovanni, Valtellina, witchcraft, witches | 1 Comment

Como’s Star-Crossed Lovers: 2 – ‘Gianna’ and ‘Neri’

Posted on June 16, 2020 by comocompanion

Como’s Star-Crossed Lovers: 2 – ‘Gianna’ and ‘Neri’ On 6th January 1945 two lovers were arrested by fascists. 3 months later, they were murdered by their own colleagues on the orders of Communist leaders in Milan. An awful tragedy. Continue reading →

Posted in crime, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged Canali, casa del fascio, Dongo, Fabio, Gamburota, Gianna, Gold, Gorrieri, Lezzeno, lovers, Lugano, Neri, OSS, Paolo Porta, partisans, PCI, spies, Tucci | Leave a comment

Como and Early Lombardy Baroque

Posted on June 4, 2020 by comocompanion

Como and Early Lombardy Baroque. Morazzoni (Como’s Caravaggio) and the Morazzoniani. Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Culture, History, People, Uncategorized | Tagged baroque, Caravaggio, Fratelli Recchi, Frescoes, mannerists, Morazzone, Odescalchi, Perseus, putti, Rusca, sacro monte, Saint George, Sala Recchi, Tirano, Valtellina, Varese | Leave a comment

Lake Como’s Star Crossed Lovers: 1) Osvaldo and Louisa

Posted on May 14, 2020 by comocompanion

Lake Como’s Star Crossed Lovers: 1) Osvaldo and Louisa – the story of two film stars from the fascist era. He was ‘addicted to morphine and she was addicted to him’ and this led to their tragic end on April 30th 1945. Continue reading →