Peglio: Village History, Frescoes and Hiking Trails

Peglio lies at the entrance to the Piana di Livo in the Valle del Liro, above Gravedona and below the slopes of Sasso Pelo. The historic village is still inhabited today and preserves a dense layout of contrade and stone houses. Its landscape setting and village character give the destination two distinct highlights: its historic settlement structure and hiking trails with specific route details. When choosing where to stay, you can therefore consider whether village and church history or planning a longer hike should be your priority.

Historic Village and Sacred Art

If you are interested in historic village settings, the dense layout of contrade and stone houses is a distinctive feature that extends beyond individual buildings.

A key point of reference for art history is the parish church of Sant’Eusebio e Vittore. It was rebuilt between 1607 and 1613. The presbytery, the church’s chancel, contains frescoes and stucco work dating from 1614, including large depictions of the Last Judgment. The dates link the building’s history and its decoration in close succession: the works created in 1614 followed the rebuilding. The frescoes are examples of sacred art and offer a specific point of interest for travelers interested in religious imagery.

Another work, in a different setting, is the exterior fresco on a house in the hamlet of Argesio. It depicts the Madonna between Saint Charles Borromeo and Saint Catherine. According to 19th-century documents, it was signed by Fiammenghino in 1619. The two settings thus stand side by side: frescoes and stucco work in the presbytery, and a single exterior fresco in Argesio.

The Chiese Aperte program listed opening hours for S. Eusebio in Peglio on Saturdays and Sundays from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. through September 14, 2026. Since this period has passed, check the current opening hours before visiting at a later date.

Hiking and Trails Around Peglio

For hikes, it helps to consider the time and distance involved. Route 4 of the Via dei Monti Lariani is about 50 kilometers long and divided into two stages. The stage from Peglio to Sorico on the Via dei Monti Lariani is about 26 kilometers long, takes approximately eight hours and 30 minutes, and has an elevation gain of 626 meters. These details answer different planning questions: Route 4 gives the length of the entire route and its division into two stages; Peglio–Sorico specifies a particular stage, including its estimated duration and elevation gain. At around eight and a half hours, plan for this stage to take a full day of hiking. Check trail conditions before setting out.

The road from Peglio toward Livo passes the 17th-century Oratory of Madonna di Gorghiglio.

Getting There

Peglio and Livo can be reached from Dongo by ASF Autolinee bus route C18. If you plan to use this service to get there, check the current schedule before traveling.

Discover more destinations: Grandola Ed Uniti, San Nazzaro Val Cavargna, Lurago Marinone, Muronico, Monguzzo, Cirimido, Cassina Rizzardi, Lasnigo.

For the broader travel overview: Como.