Lake Como Villas

The villas of Lake Como are treasures of art and history in perfect harmony with the landscape in which they are immersed. The branch of the lake where lay the Como Lake Hotel Cernobbio, hosts the best villas of the entire area. Some of them are private, others used as hotel, others are public and open to visitors. The best way to enjoy and admire the majesty of the villas is through a boat trip. Here below our suggestions of the best villas:

• Villa Olmo: A massive neoclassical building built in 1797 and located at 2 steps from Como city center. The villa was acquired by the city of Como in 1924 and is used as exhibition and cultural center. In recent years the villa hosted several exhibitions of famous artists such as Kandisky, Rubens and Boldini.

• Villa Erba: This villa is one of the most important nineteenth-century Italian villas.it is now owned by a public consortium that has created a conference and exhibition complex and it hosts, during the entire year, important shows and events.

• Villa del Balbianello: Beautiful villa built in 1787, located in Lenno and since 1988 owned by the FAI (Fondo per l’ambiente Italiano). This villa has been used as a scene for famous movies such as “Star Wars – Episode II” and “007 Casinò Royal”.

• Villa Carlotta: Built at the end of 1600, the villa is located in Tremezzo. Visitors, during their visits, can enjoy both its famous art collections, located inside the villa in a two-floor exhibition, and the immense botanical garden, one of the most famous of Europe.

• Villa Melzi: Historical villa located in Bellagio and built in 1808. The complex consists of a massive park which stretches for 800 meters along the lake coast, a museum and a forest. The gardens, the chapel and the museum are open to public.