Lake Como’s Nautical Treasure: The Museo Barca Lariana

Housed in a 19th-century former spinning mill, the Museo Barca Lariana is nestled in Pianelle del Lario, on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como. This historically rich location, with its loft-like ambiance, welcomes visitors to explore its extensive collection. The museum boasts approximately 3,000 photographs, 1,000 historical artifacts, 300 outboard motors, 200 oars and gondolas, around 80 sailboats, and 200 pleasure motorboats, not to mention racers and fishing vessels. It’s a true nautical haven, the creation of one passionate individual: Gian Alberto Zanoletti.

Discover a diverse array of vintage sailboats, canoes, and skiffs along the picturesque shores of Lake Como.

Zanoletti: Collector and Former Racer

Born in 1943, Gian Alberto Zanoletti spent his childhood on the shores of Lake Como, frequently interacting with local fishermen and mechanics. At the age of 12, he received his first dinghy, sparking a lifelong passion for regattas and motorboat racing. Through determination and skill, he quickly rose to become a top competitor. At just 17, he participated in the “Centomiglia del Lario,” a motorboat competition, aboard a Molinari hull powered by a Mercury outboard motor.

Admire the racers with impressive track records, popular in the 1950s and 60s.

In 1970, he even broke the world speed record in the Sport Outboard class SF (1000 cc) with an Abbate hull and a Carniti engine. Early on, he began collecting wooden boats, recognizing their significance as a memory of Lake Como. Sailboats, motorboats, gondolas, shuttles, work boats – nothing escaped Gian Alberto’s discerning eye. Over the years, he amassed hundreds of “old wooden ladies,” accompanied by countless fascinating objects, photographs to cherish, and stories to tell. It’s simply magical!

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