Walking to Crocce dell’Uomo with a panorama over Como… Yesterday, Ash, the hotel staff member at Hotel La Vignetta, recommended the Sentée di Sort walk from Cernobbio to Moltrasio. It turned out to be a pretty good suggestion, so today we’re giving him another chance. Drumroll… He immediately pulls “Crocce dell’Uomo” out of his hat.
This walk runs from Cernobbio to a higher-lying balcony that offers a beautiful view of the city of Como and, in fact, a panorama of much more than that… It sounds like an excellent plan to us, especially since we can start on foot from the hotel and won’t need our rental car. The walk itself doesn’t have to be too demanding either. This evening we’ll be taking part in the Traversata del Lago di Como 2025, so our energy tank shouldn’t be completely empty.
The Crocce dell’Uomo walk officially starts at Piazza Santo Stefano in the hamlet of Gentrino near Cernobbio. We walk up from the hotel via winding asphalt lanes climbing out of Cernobbio. It takes a bit of searching to find that exact starting point with Waze and Google Maps. We don’t get off to a very efficient start today. Figuratively speaking, we don’t exactly warm up right away with our first steps either.
It is warm this morning, though: sweat is already running down our backs. Eventually we reach Piazza Santo Stefano and realize that Hotel Vignetta is much closer than we thought. A refreshing drink would already go down very well right now.
Crocce dell’Uomo forms a loop. If you want to leave your car somewhere, the best option is the parking area directly opposite the cemetery, just a stone’s throw from Piazza Santo Stefano.
The first section of the walk follows warm asphalt that climbs steeply uphill. The higher we go, the rougher the façades of the houses become. Where, lower down, an elderly man is carefully touching up the metal fence of his villa with black paint, higher up someone is splitting firewood at a modest house to keep the stove burning in winter. Peace and quiet, along with a slightly closed-off atmosphere, immediately stand out. Gradually the road narrows and the asphalt deteriorates. This is clearly the panda’s favorite terrain—4×4, that is. The trees are generous with their much-welcome shade. Eventually the road turns into a footpath winding through the wooded hills.
Along the path, signage clearly shows you where to walk. Still, small detours or shortcuts are possible—side paths that always lead back to the (main) route. Be sure to use them if you want to vary your outward and return walks a bit. We ourselves follow a mapped route via a GPX track we found online. That route indicates an elevation gain of about 500 meters from the official starting point. If, however, you set off from the shores of Lake Como in Cernobbio, you’ll naturally add a few more vertical meters to that.
We walk along dirt tracks, forest paths, and more or less laid cobbled sections. It is a mulattiera, an old mule trail that also had strategic importance during the First World War. Crocce dell’Uomo is not technically challenging. Only the elevation gain could explain its “medium” difficulty rating. Those who don’t shy away from some climbing on a mountain bike can also tackle Crocce dell’Uomo.
One more bend to the left and the balcony with its wooden cross towers above us. And of course, a proud Italian flag waving in the breeze is not missing either. We are here! Through a small wooden gate we step onto the Crocce dell’Uomo balcony. It is a peaceful and well-kept, almost charming spot. There is a small chapel from 1924, dedicated to Sant’Abbondio. In front of it stand wooden benches with the wooden cross in between. In the 17th century, a woodcutter was struck and killed by lightning here, after which villagers erected a wooden cross in memory of the unfortunate man.
From the balcony we indeed have a magnificent view of the city of Como and Lake Como. On the opposite side of the water, higher up, we can spot the Faro Voltiano in Brunate. This place is part of the Monti di Duello and Monti di Piazzola. In the distance, the Alps are outlined against the horizon, and from here you can just make out the Po Plain as well. To the right lies Switzerland. Below us we see cars inching forward at the Chiasso border crossing—traffic jams, of course, since it’s August. We rest for a while on the wooden benches and enjoy the silence.
The green lawn invites you for a picnic or an aperitif at sunset. Crocce dell’Uomo is clearly actively maintained. There are wooden flower boxes, a small cabinet with reading books, and sayings and poetry carved into wood. Behind the little chapel, in the forest, you’ll find various wood carvings. This is the work of artist Giosuè Aramini, who has created a “bosco saggio” — a wise forest. In this forest, you can spot striking figures made from chestnut wood, such as Pinocchio, a hedgehog, a snail, and a rooster. The sayings range from cliché to surprisingly reflective, including quotes from Oscar Wilde or reflections on our relationship with nature. In any case, it adds a fun and creative twist to this walk.
We’ve enjoyed a generous serving of panorama. It’s time to continue walking. The route continues on to the small hamlet of Piazzola, where not a living soul is in sight—except for that one panda. We make a U-turn and begin the descent through the woods. The downhill goes smoothly, taking advantage of the various shortcuts. We retrace our steps only minimally.
We walk a solid 7 kilometers round-trip, finishing in about an hour and a half. That’s a relatively modest effort for a beautiful walk with a stunning panorama. You won’t immediately find Crocce dell’Uomo in top-ten lists online, but this walk absolutely deserves recognition.
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