Castello di Vezio: Description

Legend tells that the construction of this building is linked to the will of the Lombard queen Teodolinda, who lived in this area during the last years of his life. The castle was built in the late 11th-early 12th century and was restored several times in the following centuries. In the late 19th century and in 1956 remains of tombs from the Iron Age, as well as weapons and armors were found in the area. The Castle also had dungeons built during the First World War, as part of the so-called linea Cadorna. It currently houses gardens and a group of birds of prey, raised by a local falconer. It became open to the public in 1999. The tower houses a permanent exhibition dedicated to Lariosaurus, an extinct sea reptile from the Middle Triassic period, which takes its name from the lake after its discover in Perledo in 1830.

After you have paid the entrance ticket, you walk along the gravel path that skirts the Northern part of the castle. In Spring the wall you see on the left colors thanks to thousands beautiful flowers. As you reach the gate, you will admire an amazing view upon the lake of Como. As you get up to the fence, you will realize to be sheer to Varenna. On the left an uphill flight of steps will lead you to the garden of olives, and if you show yourself towards the lake, you can meet the "Falconer of the castle". He wears contemporary dress and he will be glad to show you the birds of prey living in the castle: barn owls, owls, buzzards, hawks and others. At some hours you can admire astonishing flights. As you enter the walls surrounding the tower, you will see the remains of this military fortress, which was used as sighting tower from the days of Queen Teodolinda. The stony flight of steps will let you go into the tower and reach its top through the drawbridge. From here the 360¡ view upon the lake of Como is without equal. As you go back to the garden of olives, you will find a downhill path on the left, that will lead you to the Southern part of the castle, used as a place of rest for the birds of prey. As you keep going along the path, you reach the access to the vaults, an outpost of Cadorna Defensive Line (1915-1918), which should have opposed a possible bid of German attack from the basin of Menaggio. As you go up from the vaults, you take the uphill flight of steps and you reach the gravel path again, that will lead you to the exit.