2023 Edition

Belle Èpoque sul Lago, the first edition of Belle Èpoque Lake Como, was held on 18 June 2023 in Colico in Piazza Garibaldi.

The event is aimed at two- and four-wheeled vehicles designed and built before 1950 carried by drivers and crews dressed in the style appropriate to the era of the vehicle.

The streets of the lakeside and Piazza Garibaldi in Colico were the splendid setting for the event, thanks to the municipal administration which promptly collaborated in the organization by making the spaces usable, and to the Proloco which actively contributed by providing everything necessary for the event to take place .

On Sunday morning the square, already a popular tourist destination, was animated by the live music of the “Manoucherie” group who accompanied the arrival of vehicles.

Vehicles of particular historical importance that can rarely be observed outside the rooms of a museum or important international events. We are talking about forty or so motorcycles, among which stand out a 1920 Rudge Multi 500, therefore over a century old, driven by Ugo Foppoli, a 1924 Sarolea 23F Sport S.V. owned by Baroni William, a 1927 Peugeot P102 A owned by Boracchi Roberto, to which should be added models by BMW and Sunbeam.

As for the Italian manufacturers, some of the most prestigious models produced between 1929 and 1950 by Moto Guzzi were present, such as the Sport 14, Sport 15, GTV, GTS, GT 17, Superalce, as well as Gilera, Piaggio and Innocenti, as well as a considerable number of sidecars that owners only rarely have the pleasure and opportunity to take on the road.

The two wheels were flanked by cars of particular importance which made the historical motoring panorama of that era complete. Among these we mention: a 1929 Ford Model A Pick-up by Lodetti Graziano, a 1928 Ford Model A Convertible by Pusterla Diego, as well as Mercedes, Lancia, Fiat, and a rare and precious 1932 Alfa Romeo 8 C which amazed the audience with the roar of his engine.

The public was able to admire the elegance of the vehicles moving along the city streets in a long procession led by a 1934 Moto Guzzi Sport 15 sidecar with Luciano Gugiatti, a club advisor and promoter of the event, in the saddle, accompanied by his wife Simona Baldini, both dressed in splendid period clothing. The parade ended with the passage in front of the jury which had the task of evaluating the vehicles assisted by the precise descriptions of the highly trained journalist Oscar Malugani. Friend and supporter of the Valtellina Veteran Car, Malugani gave the people present in the square curiosities and little-known details of each of the participating vehicles. In addition to the characteristics of the vehicles, some of which are in a splendid state of conservation, the clothing of the crew was also evaluated, both in terms of historical coherence and elegance. The event achieved its goal: to bring together a group of people accompanied by vehicles of particular historical importance and to recreate, on the banks of Colico, a slice of history, a dive into the past that allowed participants and the large audience in attendance to capture in their memories a splendid living postcard from almost a century ago, promoting historic motoring as well as Italian elegance and fashion.

The event concluded in the afternoon with the award ceremony, which featured Lara Mazzina as the event’s patron. This was preceded by a thank you to the participating clubs, the Pro Loco for its support, and the Mayor of Colico, Monica Gilardi, who graced the day with her presence. She expressed her hope that we will meet again in 2024 for an even more joyful and exciting edition.