Are you ready to experience one of the most amazing nights on Como Lake?
The biggest evento of the summer will be on June, 22nd. This is the night when the sky over the lake will light up, full of spectacular fireworks, making it even more breath taking.
The Sagra di San Giovanni is the most waited celebration of the year! Make sure not to miss it. Come with us on a boat tour that will take you directly on the spot, to enjoy the best view of this amazing festival!
The Sagra di San Giovanni represents the oldest event on Lake Como in terms of tradition, art, faith and folklore in the enchanting setting of Comacina Island a unique place. The event, with the characteristic pyrotechnic-musical show – the most famous fireworks – and the symbolic burning of Comacina Island, aims to recall the glorious past experienced by the territory, inaugurating the tourist season of the Centro Lario.
The history of this event
Enjoy Como Lake during the most incredible night.
The origin of the festival goes back to an ancient legend according to which three centuries ago the inhabitants of the area managed to get rid of the tremendous hailstorms that devastated their crops every year in June by imploring the protection of St. John (San Giovanni) the Baptist and making a solemn procession by boat to Comacina Island, where there was a small church dedicated to the saint.
From then on, the furious storms ceased, and the procession is repeated every year, with a side order of feasts and nighttime illuminations. It became a tradition to eat polenta and snails for the occasion.
In time, the fires lit on the island and on floating rafts also took on another meaning: they recalled the great fire of the island in 1169, when the people of Como, in revenge for the Comacini (who with the Milanese had participated in the destruction of their city in 1127), put the island to fire and sword, destroying everything, including the nine churches that stood on the fortified rock.
The spectacle begins at dusk. The fireworks, which last almost an hour, generally begin after 10 p.m.
Let'senjoy this night together
Reaching the spot by boat is the ultimate way to get the best view.
The best point of view for this astonishing night is directly on the water. We will take you as near as possible to the Comacina Isle to immerse yourself in the hypnotic lights and to celebrate the festival with us.
Fireworks are undoubtedly the most anticipated moment of the entire festival. But don’t think it’s just a simple half-hour of fireworks, what goes on here is a real spectacle, complete with a stage, story to tell and a knockout finale.
The very conformity of the village makes the experience truly unique. Are you familiar with an amphitheater? At this point on the lake the shores go to form a kind of inlet in the middle of which stands Isola Comacina, the only island on the lake. And the village of Ossuccio develops right in front of it, from the shores to the slopes of the surrounding mountains.
So here then the Comacina Island becomes the stage on which the fireworks display will come to life, the body of water surrounding it acts as an audience, while the slopes of the mountains become bleachers from which to watch the performance. Hundreds of boats and several vessels go to position themselves at the forefront, in the stretch of water that separates the islet from the town, festively lighting up the stalls of this natural theatre. And as you can well imagine, the best seats are in the “front row.”
Once the performance begins you will you realise how worthy of a real theatre the acoustics are as well! It is the surrounding mountains that act as a sounding board, and the barrels rumble like never before, engaging and stunning the audience even more.
A narrator’s voice will tell the tale, as barrels roll by to the notes of engaging music. When finally the whole island lights up red to remind you of the fire that completely destroyed it, you will have the feeling that you have stepped back in time and are witnessing something unique. It is one of the most striking and scenic moments of the evening. It is probably the remembrance of the past of these lands that makes the event so heartfelt by those who live on these shores. When the last bang erupts, a hearty ovation made up of applause, honking motorboats and roaring boats rises into the sky and expresses all the heartfelt appreciation!
