La Strada Regina is a myth or perhaps an historical deception, even a misnomer.
Old stone slabs placed on the corners of houses, in many lake villages, and more recent metal signs call it "Queen Theodolinda Street" and, in some cases, it also makes specific reference to Theodolinda (7th century Queen of the Lombards), but that had nothing to do with this road connecting Como with the Northern end of the lake.
The Strada Regina is far older and already existed in pre-Roman times and the name, if anything, goes back to the "Retia", or to its "regal" definition (like saying: a royal highway).
A rebuilding of the route is attributed to the Romans, who however never considered it crucial for links to the Alpine passes (Splugen, Septimer, Maloja-Julier), always preferring the water route from Como to Mezzola, as being faster and safer.
The road therefore remained little more than a mule track and sometimes almost a footpath, also quite steep, despite the continual process of repair work and improvement over the centuries, and with greater frequency in modern times.
The Strada Regina is now actually a set of roads (even three or four) which in some stretches run parallel, and intersect and overlap in others, creating almost a "network" through the territory, able to show the different urban and economic situations to non-specialist eyes. Utterly different is, in fact, moving on foot halfway up the slopes on a narrow cobbled road, or travelling by car, almost on the lake shore.
The Strada Regina, which today one covers by car with difficulty, is however a communicating road among one of the most beautiful in Italy that allows you to enjoy a continuous view of the lake and the opposite shores.
Going through villages and hamlets, it becomes a narrow road, not always easily negotiable; travel is slow, but fascinating and allows you a close-up view of a series of beautiful villas, numerous gardens and parks (some open to the public) and many churches of great artistic interest.
Narrow alleys branch off from the main arterial road leading to villages farther uphill, or vice versa, almost precipitating (by steep steps) to the lake. Stopping often, even in every little square, is an opportunity for the tourist to discover sudden glimpses and colors of the lake and its environs.
