Province of Lecco

Access

The province of Lecco is easily accessible thanks to its proximity to Milan and the infrastructure network that connects it to Brianza and the rest of Lombardy. Lecco has an important railway station, a node on the Milan-Sondrio-Tirano line, and is connected by a dense network of state and provincial roads; the reference airports are Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa and Orio al Serio.

Introduction

The province of Lecco, established in 1992 and located in the central-northern part of Lombardy, is one of the youngest Italian provinces. Overlooking the eastern branch of Lake Como and surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery, it combines the lake and pre-alpine dimensions. Its position, halfway between Milan and the Alps, has historically made it a commercial and cultural crossroads. Known for the Manzonian sites linked to the "Promessi Sposi" (The Betrothed), for the views of the Lario and the mountains of the Grigne and Resegone, the province is a destination of great tourist, cultural and natural interest.

Description

The territory of the province of Lecco stretches between the shores of Lake Como and the foothills of the Lombard Pre-Alps, offering landscapes of extraordinary variety. The presence of the Grigna and Resegone mountains characterises the horizon and is a natural training ground for hikers and mountaineers. Alongside the mountains, the lake is a pole of attraction, with picturesque localities renowned for navigation, holidays and water sports. There are also numerous rivers and streams, including the Adda, which flows through the Brianza area of Lecco and has fed mills and factories over the centuries.
Historically speaking, the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as testified by the finds in the caves of Monte Cornizzolo and Monte Barro. During the Middle Ages, the area was disputed between the Visconti and Torriani families, while in modern times it became an integral part of the Duchy of Milan. Lecco is most famous for its association with Alessandro Manzoni, who set the events of I Promessi Sposi here, making the area an integral part of the national literary memory.
The province's economy has historically been based on metallurgy and ironworking, with an important mechanical and steel district still active today. Ironworking has ancient roots, already documented in the Middle Ages, and has marked the industrial development of the area. Alongside heavy industry, today there are small and medium-sized specialised enterprises, craft activities and a growing tourism sector, driven by both the mountains and the lake. Brianza Lecco also maintains an agricultural tradition, with crops, vineyards and livestock breeding.
The local culture is expressed in the numerous festivals, patron saint festivals and historical pageants, as well as in a gastronomy rich in lake and mountain flavours. Among the typical dishes are risotto with perch, polenta taragna, missultin (dried lake agoni) and cheeses produced in the alpine pastures, such as taleggio and caprino. Handicrafts are also important, particularly wrought iron and woodworking.
For tourism and hiking, the province offers an extraordinary range of opportunities: from the scenic trails on Resegone and Grigna, to climbing the cliffs of Galbiate, to walking along the Sentiero del Viandante, which runs along the Lario and connects Abbadia Lariana to Colico. The Monte Barro and Valle del Lambro nature parks protect a rich environmental and archaeological heritage, while the shores of the lake attract visitors from all over the world.

Information

Headquarters: Lecco
 Area:814.58 sq km
Minimum altitude:318m
Maximum elevation: Monte Legnone (2609m)
 Number of inhabitants: 340,251 (as of 01.01.2015)
 Municipalities: 88
 Border provinces: Province of Bergamo, Province of Como, Province of Monza and Brianza, Province of Sondrio
 Institutional site: www.provincia.lecco.it