What to see
In Bellano’s old town centre we find some important churches, as well as some typical buildings.
The most important church is the Chiesa Dei Santi Nazzaro e Celsio, designed by Giovanni Campione and accomplished in 1348 by Azione e Giovanni Visconti.
It has a Romanic origin with a nave and two side aisles, the facade presents marble decorations with black and white stripes, a rose window with a brick cornice in green enamel and is crowned by a small arch and opened by three portals and a nice gothic tabernacle containing the statue of S. Ambrogio. In the church there are fourteenth/fifteen century frescos, the marble tabernacle located in the presbytery and the collection of objects and very antique vestments, altar cloths and holy vessels.
We find also the 15th century church of Santa Marta, enriched with paintings of several Lombard artists, such as the ‘Gruppo Della Pietà’, created by Giovanni Angelo del Milano and the church of San Nicolao that today is deconsecrated and used for cultural initiatives, but still has inside 14th century frescos.
Coming out the old town centre we find the canyon dell’Orrido which can be visited paying an entry fee, walking on a suspended footbridge. It was created 15 million of years ago by the waters of the Pioverna that carved the valley and formed a narrow furrow up to the Lario, originally the water flowed down onto a rocky step. Today the water has eroded the step withdrawing the fall and creating the spectacular "Gola dell'Orrido".
At the beginning of the Orrido there is a little tower on four floors, called the "Casa Del Diavolo" (the devil’s house) because of all the mythological paintings decorated on the last floor and of all the stories that described it as a place of satanic rites.
You can enjoy a lovely scenery walking on the lakefront path, where we also find a beachfront concession and a few pebble beaches. There are also two trekking paths with panoramic view that lead you in Valsissina
Only three kilometres away from the town we come to the village of Lezzeno, the Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime is located, built in memory of a leggendary episode of the Virgin Mary that cried blood (17th century). The Sanctuary, destination of pilgrimage, is in Baroque style, with a vaulted nave and a beautiful frescoed dome. The inside is constituted by three altars, that biggest one made of polychrome marbles dates back to 1746. The vault and the walls of the sanctuary are decorated with frescoes of Luigi Morgari and on the dome you can admire the angels that take Mary up to the sky and offer her Bellano’s coat of arms.
Of remarkable interest it is also the visit to Premana, a village 21km away, famous for the handicrafts from where you can admire a beautiful view over the whole lake.