The area of current Menaggio was conquered by the Romans in 196 BC. The Roman conquest culminated with the construction of a road called the Via Regina.

Menaggio was a walled city. Remnants of the wall are evident today.

Construction of big hotels in this cool summer area made it a summer resort area.

Between 1873 and 1939, Menaggio was linked to Porlezza, on Lake Lugano, by the Menaggio–Porlezza railway, a steam hauled narrow gauge line built as part of a multi-modal transport link between Menaggio and Luino, on Lake Maggiore.[1]