Abbadia Lariana
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Access
Abbadia Lariana is served by a railway station on the Milan-Lecco-Sondrio-Tirano line, with active regional connections to Milan and Valtellina. The territory is crossed by the state road of Lake Como and Spluga, the main road axis between Milan and Alto Lario, with a dedicated junction for the town centre. Motorway access is via the Milan-Venice motorway and the Milan-Varese motorway, in connection with the . The reference airports are Milan-Linate and Milan-Malpensa. The municipality is also connected to Lecco and neighbouring centres by extra-urban bus services. During peak periods and adverse weather conditions, delays may occur along the and inland mountain sections.
.Introduction
Abbadia Lariana is a municipality in Lombardy located on the eastern shore of Lake Como, in the northern sector of the province of Lecco, at the mouth of the Val Meria. The main town is developed on a flat strip overlooking the lake, at about 204 metres above sea level, while the territory rises rapidly towards the slopes of the Southern Grigna, in the pre-alpine context of the Larian Triangle. Its geographical position places it in territorial continuity with Lecco and Mandello del Lario, in an area of transition between a lake environment and mountainous relief. Its origins are linked to the foundation of an early medieval Benedictine monastic settlement, from which the place name derives. The local identity was subsequently defined through the development of manufacturing activities, particularly in the silk sector, favoured by the availability of water resources and proximity to communication routes.
Description
The municipal territory extends from the shoreline of Lake Como to the limestone ridges of the Southern Grigna, reaching a maximum altitude of 1,875 metres along the Cresta Cermenati. The morphology is characterised by a marked difference in altitude: the flat coastal strip is followed by slopes incised by torrential valleys, including the Val Meria and the Valle dei Mulini, which rise towards wooded areas and high-altitude meadows. The geological component is dominated by limestone and dolomite, with karst phenomena and rock walls typical of the Grigne group.
The settlement system includes the main nucleus overlooking the lake and hamlets located at higher altitudes, such as Linzanico and Borbino, connected by internal roads and ancient mule tracks. The shoreline features pebble beaches and public green areas, while inland traces of hydraulic factories and historical routes linked to the use of torrential waters are still legible.
The documented origins date back to the early Middle Ages, with the presence of a Benedictine abbey that contributed to the religious and economic structuring of the territory. The church of San Lorenzo retains elements of Romanesque layout with subsequent transformations. Between the 19th and 20th centuries, the municipality was affected by the development of silk spinning and weaving, an activity documented by the Civico Museo Setificio Monti, which bears witness to the local industrial phase.
The contemporary economy integrates services, commercial activities and tourism linked to the lake and mountains. The Sentiero del Viandante (Wayfarer's Path) crosses the municipal territory, linking Lecco to Colico along a historic mid-coast route. The routes towards the Sasso di Preguda and along the Cresta Cermenati connect with Mandello del Lario, Ballabio and the Lecco side of the Grigna, in a context of summer hiking and, at higher altitudes, mountaineering.
Information
Area: 16.67 km²
Altitude:204m
Maximum elevation: 1,675m - on the Cresta Cermenati at the Southern Grigna
Number of inhabitants: 3.135 (as of 30 November 2025)
Name in dialect: Badia or La Badia
Name of inhabitants: abbadiensi
Patron Saint: San Lorenzo, celebrated on 10 January
Bordering municipalities: Ballabio, Lecco, Mandello del Lario, Oliveto Lario, Valbrona
Network site: www.comune.abbadia-lariana.lc.it; visitabbadialariana.en
Points of interest
main points of interest
- church of san lorenzo
- civic museum setificio monti
- southern grigna
- sasso di preguda
- sentiero del viandante
deep insights by category
Itineraries
main itineraries
- Southern Grigna, Cermenati Ridge
- Sentiero del viandante
- Zucco della Rocca