Stage 4 – From S. Giorgio to St. Eutichio’s Cross

Description

The trail starts from the Basilica of S. Giorgio, situated by the western shore of the lake.

After visiting the basilica, cross the small parvis, reach via Borgovico by passing two small steps, cross carefully the road on the pedestrian crossing, and continue on your left, on the pavement.

After a few steps, you will reach the piazzale Santa Teresa, where once stood a nun’s monastery. Go in the direction of the hill towards via Nino Bixio – to skip the beginning of this road, which is heavily trafficked and gives short visibility of the coming cars, take on the right and reach a small passage under the third archway of the railroad bridge, which regains via Nino Bixio with four steps. The pavement ends very early, in front of the entrance of Villa Ena: continue on the same street until the next pedestrian crossing; after having crossed it, take the stairway besides the cascading ravine of the Val Fresca, eager to finish its course in the lake of Como (10 minutes).

After a couple of bends, you find yourself in via XXVII Maggio (locally called the “Garibaldina”), that comes down from the village of San Fermo della Battaglia, where Giuseppe Garibaldi won a battle during the Second Italian War of Independence; follow the road uphill on your left.

After the scenic gates of the park of the villa Noseda-Cereda, close to a green sign of the Parco della Spina Verde, take on the left a stretch of path that rises on a stairway and ends again on the asphalted road.

Further uphill, after passing a group of houses, at the bend, instead of following the road that climbs the hill with a couple of bends, take the straight path that follows the course of the ravine, again on a stairway. Turning back, you will see a good panorama of the first tract of the Lake of Como.

The stairway ends again on the asphalted road. After a few minutes, you will pass below the highway Milan – Basel (25 minutes; 35’ total). You are now at the beginning of the village of San Fermo. On your left, a short stairway overcomes another bend of the road. The next passage requires attention because the road is narrow and there is no visibility of the cars coming from the opposite direction.

After a bakery, where the road becomes wider and takes the name of via Garibaldi before turning on the right, take via Monte Croce on your left, where the Trail number 1 of the Parco della Spina Verde begins; the direction is marked by a well visible sign and by an arrow (10 minutes; 45’ total).

After overcoming a few houses, the street becomes a trail, and rises steeply on some concrete stones, then reaches a clearing, leaving a last group of buildings on the right, and leads into the wood with a stairway.

After this stretch, which is a bit steep, the slope becomes less pronounced; having left on your right an arrow, pointing at the deviation towards the Monte Caprino, the trail leads you on the right side of a hill, where a large TV repeater stands (15 minutes; one hour total).

At the end of the ascent, on your left is the short deviation to a scenic viewpoint, ranging from Monte Generoso to the first part of the lake of Como and to the city. Following up the Trail number One, you will reach a junction (10 minutes, one hour and 10’ total). Turning right, you’ll reach the Baita Monte Croce. Turning left, the trail will lead you in five minutes to St. Eutichio’s Cross (one hour and 15’ total).



Information

Starting point Basilica of S. Giorgio

Finishing point Cross of St. Eutichio

Route description Excursion

Total length 3,7 Km

Travel time (on foot) 1h 15’

Difficulty Elementary excursion

Rise 290 m

Maximum height 505 m slm

Pavement from S. Giorgio to the village of San Fermo the trail alternates short stairways and asphalted road; from San Fermo to the cross of St. Eutichio, easy walking trail.

Obstacles and difficulties a couple of steep stretches; beware of the traffic; stairways become slippery in humid weather.

Public transportation to starting point see Public Transports Como

Public transportation from finishing point see Public Transports Como

Parking areas on the starting point Parking close to the starting point: paying parking places around the stadium; on Sunday afternoons, in the occasion of sporting events, the area is off-limits to cars.





Points of interest


Gallery

Gallery:

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