Tonight we are taking part in the Traversata del Lago di Como 2025. The Traversata is a non-competitive swim from Torno to Moltrasio, covering a distance of just over one kilometer. It is an annual event that continues to grow in popularity. This year, around 600 swimmers are taking part. If you want to join, you have to act fast: the online registrations for the Traversata are filled in just a few minutes.
But this time, we’re (once again) taking part… In July 2023, over morning coffee on the terrace of Hotel Vapore, we read that the Traversata had been cancelled and postponed due to predicted severe weather over northern Italy. That evening, rain poured down in torrents and a violent thunderstorm raged over Lake Como. Swimming was completely out of the question. A missed opportunity, but the Traversata kept lingering in our minds. Tonight, we’re going for a second chance.
The Traversata del Lago di Como was initiated in 1990 by Mario Arrighi. During a relaxed boat trip with friends, he called the restaurant of Hotel Vapore in Torno. ‘Is my perch risotto ready?’ he asked. ‘We’ll jump into the water and be at the table in 20 minutes,’ he added. And so it happened. The restaurant owner rinsed the friends off with a garden hose, and the group sat down to eat.
The weather gods are already on our side. The clouds are clearing under the warmth of the evening sun, and the forecasted wind has died down. The meeting point is the Canottiere di Moltrasio, right next to Hotel Posta Moltrasio and the ferry dock at Piazza San Rocco.
600 swimmers heading down to Moltrasio… To avoid any parking stress, we made sure to arrive early. But there was no need to worry: for the occasion, the Vecchia Regina was turned into a one-way street, creating one long row of parking spaces.
We check in and receive race numbers 309 and 310. We also get a green safety buoy and a T-shirt. Then it’s time to wait to change. The organizers provide lockers for storing belongings and clothing.
Soon, the first trousers come off, and colorful speedos and swimsuits make their appearance—the signal for everyone to don their swimwear. From Moltrasio, the swimmers are taken by ferry to Torno. We board and stand on the back deck in our swimwear, enjoying the warm evening sun.
The participants are a colorful mix, mostly locals—both athletic and less athletic, young and old. Yes, there are even young children eager to make the crossing.
We dock in Torno and walk through the narrow streets to the starting point. Tourists look on in surprise—you don’t see a group of swimmers with green buoys strolling through the streets of Torno every day. And then we wait again… for a long time. Due to the event’s popularity, the ferry has to make three trips back and forth. We wait for over an hour, packed together with little to no entertainment. All we want is to start swimming. But the idea is to depart together for safety and camaraderie—a collective achievement. We get it.
Safety is taken very seriously. Boats from the local police and fire brigade, as well as boats and jet skis from the Red Cross, and dozens of kayakers, will accompany the swimmers. The kayakers act like border collies, herding the swimming “sheep” in the right direction. That way, no lost sheep ends up in Como or Lecco.
And then it happens quickly. The first swimmers hit the water, and the flow of people starts moving. There’s little time to think or get used to the water—we’re pushed in. A quick press of the start button on the sports watch, and before we know it, we’re swimming. We keep a close eye on each other to avoid getting separated among all the swimmers.
There we go, swimming past Hotel Il Belvedere, Hotel Vapore, and our favorite little square in Torno. Along the quay, many spectators watch with amusement. Above us, a drone hums by.
The swimming feels great. It’s a special feeling to be one of those six hundred green dots in the vast, deep waters of Lake Como. Swimming individually, yet with a wonderful sense of group support. We maintain a steady pace and fully enjoy the moment. Midway, a breeze picks up and the water starts to feel a bit chilly. But after 1,116 meters, we reach the other side. And just like that, our crossing is complete—another checkbox ticked off our bucket list.
“In Moltrasio, a large crowd watches as all the swimmers safely climb out of the water onto the pontoon. We change, hop into the car, and head off. There’s still a celebration on Piazza San Rocco with music, drinks, and food, but we decide to skip it and drive together to Argegno, where we quietly enjoy some pasta and a glass of prosecco!
Chat met ons