 Esino Lario was part of a group of local municipalities which provided charcoal for iron production in Valsassina.The management of the forests as a common good is a peculiarity of Esino compared to neighbouring territories; forests still belong to the city and are divided for use between residents and partially transmitted by hereditary right.Tourism in Esino Lario began in the late 19th century with scholars coming to study the fossils of Grigne.