The Chapel of San Domenico in Breglia

Set among the mountains of the Menaggio Valley we find the locality of Breglia, a small and isolated hamlet of the municipality of Plesio, from which many paths and itineraries branch out, such as those leading to Mount Grona and the Refuge of Menaggio.

Breglia, in addition to these two challenging itineraries, gives the possibility to easily reach a Belvedere from where you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the center of the lake. This beautiful viewpoint is located near the Chapel of San Domenico, reachable on foot in just under an hour and ideal for a Sunday outing with the family or for a romantic walk.

To reach the Belvedere you have to start from the parking in via per Carcente in Breglia and follow the path that enters in the wood on the left.
After a few minutes of walking you reach a junction from which a ring path starts that allows you to reach two suggestive destinations: going on the left you reach first the little Chapel of San Domenico, while going on the right you reach the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Breglia.

At the fork we turn left, towards San Domenico, and we start to climb for about twenty minutes along the path that crosses a chestnut wood.
After this short climb we arrive at the little Chapel of San Domenico (800 m), that just behind it hides the beautiful Belvedere overlooking the lake.

On a clear day, without leaning out too much, you can easily see all the center of Lake Como, the tip of Bellagio and its imposing Mount San Primo, the village of Menaggio with behind Mount Crocione, Varenna, the imposing Grigne and the Horns of Canzo.

A small corner of land uncontaminated and immersed in the silence of nature, where you can relax and let your eyes wander to admire this magnificent and wide panorama.
Next to the chapel there are some benches where you can sit and have a picnic.

From this enchanting corner it is possible to continue the walk inside the wood to arrive, after about ten minutes of walk, to a wide pasture. Following the small road on the left, you arrive at the foot of the steps leading to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Breglia.
Along the cobbled steps leading to the sanctuary you can admire some of the fourteen granite stations, each of which contains a painting on copper depicting one of the "Mysteries of the Rosary".
Inside the Sanctuary is kept a Madonna carved in marble, which has been the object of veneration for over two centuries. Brought from Genoa in 1740, by a "Tatti" of Breglia, it was kept in a modest oratory until 1777, when the construction of the present building where it was transferred was begun.

Once you have visited the Sanctuary and the surrounding land, from where the view is once again breathtaking, you return to the foot of the cobblestone staircase and you can continue along the path to return to the center of the village of Breglia. Alternatively, it is possible to return to the wide pasture and take the path that cuts straight through the meadow to return to the initial fork, thus making a ring-route. From the crossroads, in a few minutes you'll reach the parking lot.

This is a pleasant and undemanding walk, perfect for a Sunday getaway with family or friends and ideal for a view of the center of the lake.

Possibility of parking in Via per Carcente in Breglia.