Como

Como's signature lakefront promenade running 1.5 km from Piazza Cavour west to Villa Olmo, paved, flat and shaded by plane trees. The classic morning and sunset dog walk; benches every 100 m and lake-water access points along the seawall.

Historic 1894 funicular climbing 540 m in 7 minutes from the lakefront to Brunate. Dogs accepted any time, leashed and muzzled (small dogs in carrier travel free). The starting point of the city's best pet hike.

Built in 1927 for the centenary of Alessandro Volta's death, this 29-metre lighthouse on the Brunate ridge offers the lake's classic panorama. A 30-minute leashed walk from the funicular station; dogs welcome at the base, not inside the climb.

The lakefront grounds of the neoclassical Villa Olmo, a public park since 1925 with formal Italian gardens, an English landscape section and a 600 m lakeside path. Leashed dogs welcome year-round in the park; villa interior off-limits to pets.

Como Cathedral, begun 1396 and finished in the 18th century, fuses late Gothic and Renaissance facades on Piazza Duomo. Dogs not permitted inside, but the cathedral square and surrounding cobbled streets are leashed-dog friendly and form a classic photo stop.

The famed lakeside village 30 km north reachable by leisurely slow ferry (2h) or hydrofoil (45 min) from Piazza Cavour. Cobbled lanes, terraced cafés, the public Punta Spartivento headland park - all leashed-dog friendly; ferries accept dogs at all times.