Menaggio is situated on the western shore of Lake Como at the mouth of the river Senagra. The discovery of a few archaeological relics enables us to affirm that since early historical times people lived here. In 196 B.C., the Romans conquered the area. With the building of the historic road called “Via Regina” the romanisation of the area started.
In the Middle Ages a castle was built and Menaggio was surrounded by walls. Because of its privileged position on the Via Regina Menaggio was strategically of great importance. Already then the Via Regina was an important commercial and travel route which connected the Lombardy plain with the area north of the alps.
In the 15th century a continual succession of wartime events predominated. The Graubundener, who had already conquered the Valtellina, kept Menaggio under pressure and in 1523 they succeeded defeating it and destroying its castle.
In 1525, began the domain of Spain and Menaggio crossed two centuries of poverty This situation lasted till 1714 when with the first Austrian domination started and quality of life improved rapidly. In 1805, after the creation of the Kingdom of Italy, Menaggio became the seat of the substituting Prefect and in 1859 centre in the Como region, of the insurrection “Risorgimento” against the Austrians.
Towards the end of the century, the tourist vocation of Menaggio began to develop, with the construction of the big hotels and at the beginning of the 19th century it was already a well known resort. Important for this development was the construction of the railway Menaggio – Porlezza that was used till 1939 and the foundation of the Menaggio- Cadenabbia Golf Club.
In the first world war the Italian army built impressive defence lines in the surrounding mountains such as the Crocetta and Monte Crocione which in part are still intact. In 1934 the Lido Giardino was built which was another innovation for tourism.
In 1945 the town was witness of Musolini’s escape attempt In the night of 26 April, Mussolini slept at the headquarters of the "Brigate Nere" that was inside the Primary School building. The next day he was stopped in Dongo by the Partisans.
