From Milan’s eastern outskirts, the route heads north to Monza, passing directly beside the Royal Villa. Beyond its neoclassical frontage, Brianza unfolds in a mixture of residential streets, small industrial areas and green hills. The road gradually gains height before dropping through the outskirts of Como. The cathedral dome rises above the rooftops, then the harbour opens onto the southern arm of Lake Como. Boats sit below slopes crowded with buildings, with mountains rising behind them. The waterfront is a brief interlude: another climb begins as the route turns west. Rolling roads through the hills around Olgiate Comasco lead towards Varese, where the first day finishes among the streets and squares of the centre after roughly 83 kilometres.
