At the southern tip of the lake, 40km (25 miles) north of
Milan, Como is known for its silk industry. Most visitors at
least pass through here to take a cruise on the lake . But
because Como is also an industrial city, this isn't the best
place to stay (head instead to one of the more attractive
resorts along the lake, such as Bellagio), unless you don't
have your own car and are dependent on public transportation
(in which case it's the most convenient base).
For centuries,
the town's economy has been linked to Milan. Como has been
making silk since Marco Polo first returned with silkworms
from China (since the end of World War II, Como has left the
cultivation of silk to the Chinese and just imports the
thread to weave into fabrics). Como's silk makers are major
suppliers for the fashion designers of Milan, and big names
like Giorgio Armani come here to discuss the patterns that
they want with silk manufacturers.
