Eremo di San Donato (Hermitage of San Donato), Como

Nestled atop a rocky spur in the locality of Garzola at about 453 meters above sea level, the Hermitage of San Donato (Eremo di San Donato) is a fascinating former Franciscan convent offering a striking panorama of Como and Lake Como. Built in the 15th century along the ancient footpath linking Brunate to Como-roughly a third of the way up from the city-the site served as both a spiritual retreat and a waypoint for pilgrims and locals alike.

Its origins date back even further: before the medieval convent was built, hermitic monks-likely Benedictines-dwelt in a natural grotto known as the ‘Grotta del Beato Geremia,’ where devotional statues once stood (one tragically decapitated during the Napoleonic era). In the 7th century, this location even hosted a fortified signal tower tied to the defenses of Castello Baradello. This tower was later repurposed as the hermitage’s bell tower, blending defensive architecture with sacred use.

After passing from Benedictine care to the Third Order Franciscans in the mid‑1400s, the complex was expanded and its church was reconsecrated on May 4, 1565, by Bishop Giovanni Antonio Volpi of Como. The convent remained active until its suppression in 1772. Shortly thereafter, in 1780, the entire site was sold into private hands. By the early 1980s, it had been converted into independent residences, and today the church-its single nave, side chapel, and umbrella‑vaulted apse-stands as the only part still used for worship.

The Hermitage’s most colorful resident was Don Giuseppe Bernasconi (1825–1923), a Comasco priest who fought alongside Garibaldi during Italy’s wars of independence before retiring into voluntary exile at the hermitage. He survived to 98, and a trail leading from Garzola Superiore to the site now bears his name in tribute. For modern visitors, this blend of spiritual seclusion, medieval architecture, and panoramic vantage point makes the Hermitage of San Donato a unique cultural jewel and tranquil retreat above Como.