Villas and Villages on Lake Como

During my few days on Lake Como, the weather was erratic — stunning sunshine one day, socked in and drizzly the next, then sun again, then rain again — but I didn’t care. Somehow, mountain lakes are equally serene in any weather.

On most trips, I stubbornly solider on with my research duties regardless of the weather. But lately I’m experimenting with letting the forecast dictate my work. I try to do the outdoor stuff (hikes and boat rides) when it’s nice out, and save the drudgery (pounding the pavement to update hotels) for cloudy or rainy days. This worked like a charm on Lake Como, where I saved my “riding a lake boat from villa to villa” responsibilities for the nicest day.

There are plenty of days where my work really feels like work. But today, I’d have been happy to pay for the privilege. (Don’t tell Rick.)

Lake Como Boat

A variety of lake boats — which come and go every half hour — make it easy to connect Lake Como’s various villages and villas. While most travelers head straight up to the congested top deck, I prefer to stand in the lower area in front of the bridge, where the passengers board. Positioned here, you can move around easily for unobstructed views in both directions, and you get to observe the boat dockings up close. The deckhand generally tries to lasso the cleat as the boat approaches the dock. Success earns a smattering of applause from the other crew members (and any tourists who happen to notice). With a miss, the deckhand hangs his head and hauls in the soggy line to try again from closer range.

Lake Como Mountains

Lake Como Mountains 2

And every boat trip comes with a stunning cut-glass alpine backdrop. No matter which country you’re viewing them from — Italy, Switzerland, France, Austria, Germany, Slovenia — the Alps are equally majestic.

Lake Como Boat Dock

Even the docks on Lake Como have a certain canopied class.

Balbianello TreesMy favorite lakeside villa was the Villa del Balbianello. Reaching it requires a restful hike through a wooded park from the boat dock in the town of Lenno. Finally, you emerge from the woods into a wonderland of stoic cypresses and knobby plane trees.

Balbianello OV

The Villa del Balbianello is familiar to movie buffs (like me) as the place where James Bond recovered from a particularly bruising experience in Casino Royale, and where Anakin first kissed Padme (and later married her) in Star Wars: Episode II. Sometimes I’m tickled by cinematic connections, but in this case the beauty of the villa’s setting trumped any fantasy world.

Balbianello StatueBeing a stony statue, standing sentry at the Villa del Balbianello, may be an even better gig than mine is.

CarlottaSitting just across the lake from busy Bellagio, Villa Carlotta is more crowded than Villa del Balbianello. The interior — a gallery of Neoclassical sculpture — feels like a rerun of other Italian museums. But the sprawling gardens are a delight.

Carlotta Gardens

From inside the mansion, you can look out over the terraced gardens and across the lake.

Carlotta bushes

Villa Carlotta’s gardens are big enough to be dramatically varied, from a lush jungle canyon to this clever maze of giant azalea bushes — and all of it with million-dollar views over Lake Como.

One Reply to “Villas and Villages on Lake Como”

  1. Rather than the hike to Villa del Balbianello, take the water taxi, more scenic then the long hike!

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