Pescarenico, the Fishermen’s Hamlet of Lecco

Pescarenico is a charming hamlet in Lecco, well known for being the setting of Alessandro Manzoni’s *The Betrothed*. The village stretches along the banks of the Adda River just before the Ponte Vecchio, preserving the timeless charm of days gone by.

The hamlet of Pescarenico appears as a row of colorful houses reflected in the calm waters. A walk along the bridge offers a wonderful view of its silhouette in all its beauty.

Pescarenico is especially famous because from these very banks, Renzo sets off for Milan — one of the most powerful scenes in Manzoni’s novel, described in the poetic passage known as *Farewell to the Mountains*. It’s considered one of the finest examples of poetic prose in Italian literature:

Farewell, mountains rising from the waters, and lifted to the sky; uneven peaks, so familiar to those who grew up among you, etched into their minds as deeply as the faces of their loved ones; torrents whose sound they recognize like a loved one’s voice; villas scattered like grazing sheep on the slopes — farewell!

Although technically a neighborhood of the city of Lecco, Pescarenico retains the atmosphere of a historic village thanks to its unaltered architecture.

From a narrow alley beside the Azzone Visconti Bridge, you enter a maze of tiny lanes that lead toward the lakefront. Piazza Era is the main square, offering a lovely view over the river and access to a peaceful green park facing Pescarenico.

If you stop to observe the houses, you’ll notice that all of them face the Adda. In the past, the balconies had a specific purpose: fishermen would hang their nets there to dry or repair them after long nights on the water.

During the Christmas season, these nets would be decorated with lights and garlands, turning the village into a real-life nativity scene.

Although Pescarenico is no longer a bustling fishing center like it was in the 1950s, its maritime soul lives on. Former fishermen’s clubs have been turned into taverns and restaurants, still offering traditional fish-based dishes and regional specialties from the Lake Como area.

Discover more

If you enjoyed Pescarenico, explore other destinations on Lake Como and download the complete guide to Lecco.