From Como, you can see a red-and-yellow little train climbing the hill to a village about 500 meters above. That village is called Brunate and proudly carries the nickname “the Balcony of the Alps.” From Brunate, you have a stunning view of Lake Como and the Apennine mountain ranges. On clear days, you can even see the skyline of Milan!

You can easily reach Brunate by funicular from the Piazza De Gasperi station in Como. The ride takes about six minutes. Halfway along the route, the two trains pass each other, and occasionally a cannon salute is fired.

Today, the little train is popular with tourists, but don’t be mistaken. The railway connection has played a major role in the development and history of Brunate. Originally, the village could only be reached via a mule track built in 1817. The locals mainly earned their living through agriculture and livestock farming. In 1894, the cable railway was constructed with a steam train. This makes the Como–Brunate funicular one of the oldest cable railways in Italy.

This made Brunate attractive to wealthy entrepreneurs, who built magnificent villas there. Each building is an architectural gem in Art Nouveau and Jugendstil, of course surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens. The Brunatesi became builders and increasingly worked in the households of the new aristocratic villagers.

Tourism in Brunate grew even more. The Grand Hotel Milano, built in 1910 next to the train station, proves that Brunate was indeed an important international tourist destination. Today, the hotel stands empty and looks more like a squat.

The steam train was replaced by an electric train in 1911. Unfortunately, tourism declined after fifty years and collapsed completely after World War II.

In Brunate, you can visit the Sant’Andrea Apostolo monastery. On one of its side walls, there is a memorial plaque for a famous resident: none other than Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the battery, was born in Brunate. He spent the first thirty months of his life there. Another attraction is the Faro Voltiano, an old lighthouse dedicated to Volta. The lighthouse can be visited and climbed, offering a stunning view of Lake Como from the top.

Want something more active? From Brunate, a hiking trail takes you to the summits of Monte Boletto and Monte Bolettone in about two hours.

Today, Brunate has around 1,800 residents. Many beautiful buildings stand empty, struggling against the passage of time. Brunate sleeps. Its bustling heyday is long behind it, and the Brunatesi seem to have made peace with that. If only Volta could replace the battery once more! Luckily, plenty of tourists ride the little train every day, so Brunate isn’t completely forgotten…