The Charm of Italy's Winding Alleys (Video & Photos)

It's a sunny day at the beginning of September when I'm cycling along the shore of Lake Como. Around here it's good use to have an extended midday break after lunch: From 1am onwards every work comes to an halt for at least two hours. People relax, bathe in the sun or just take a nap at home. Everything's calming down.
It's this midday break period when I pass Brienno, a small village located directly on the shore and home to only around 400 inhabitants. This place still has some kind of comfy, pre-industrial charme since it's been built on a steep slope and the traffic-heavy main road avoids it completely by tunneling around. I decide to lean my bicycle on a wall and explore this pleasantly chilly maze of winding, sunprotected alleys that have lanterns shining even at daytime. Around just a few corners you are in a small world of its own...


Fullscreen recommended. Wide-angle is distorting but brings out the intricate architecture quite well.
Edit (September 2015): Youtube just muted the video, because it had some soothing Japanese piano music in it. Should replace it with a version that at least keeps the sound of my steps and the waves.

Above the main road there's even more to discover. I took a few pictures...

Water bottles like those are said to prevent male dogs from marking their territory.

Ah. Well, looks like there are some people around after all.