Gera Lario - Sorico

Gera Lario is a small village at the top end of the Alto Lario west bank. It is situated at the mouth of the torrent Gera at the foot of Montemezzo.
Today it is one of the most favourite destinations for tourists who enjoy water-sports. There are private and public facilities such as the new lido and the new port to allow the practise of these sports.

It is believed that the name 'Gera' derives from the Greek word "leréus", priest, suggesting the presence of a place of worship. This village was founded in the vicinity of Olonio and was used by the Spanish troops as a military base during the battles against the Grigioni of Valtellina.
In 1482 the village gained ecclesiastical autonomy from Sorico. A series of feuds between the Tre Pievi ensued then becoming county of Tolomeo Gallio in 1580. This was until 1620 when during Spanish domination, even administrative autonomy was obtained by Gera.

On the houses facing the only square along the Strada Regina and shaded by secular plane trees, there are still traces of frescoes dated XVI and XVII century. These are proof of the village's prosperity in the past. Sorico
The old fishermen's village of Sorico is situated on the north-western bank of Lake Como and was founded in 1432 after Olonio, a Roman founded centre of the Pian di Spagna was for the umpteenth time destroyed by the overflowing of the river Mera.
Its communal territory stretches from the river Mera which joins to Lake Mezzola, as far as Pian di Spagna and since ancient times has been a passageway and a place of commercial trading.

Because of its strategic position, at the top end of the lake and at the entrance of Valtellina and Val Chiavenna, it was part, together with Dongo and Gravedona of the County of the Upper Tre Pievi of the Lario and during the ten-year war between Como and Milan it allied with the latter.

During medieval times the whole area was rich with towers used not only to patrol better the territory but also to collect toll money. A century tower can be found near the bridge over the river Mera, another called "Castello di Sorico" was in the area once named "Dazzam" now recognized as the hamlet Dascio but the most ancient and the most famous was the tower "of Olonio", built in a strategic position where the roads from Valtellina and Val Chiavenna merge. This tower was at length contested for and finally destroyed in 1523.