From Milan to Como Lake

Just one hour away from the noisy and bustling Milan, Lake Como is located, a true gem, an oasis of tranquility, a magical combination of lush Mediterranean vegetation and snowy alpine peaks. Its characteristic shape of an inverted «Y» is formed by three branches: Colico in the north, Lecco in the southeast and Como in the south-west.

Fascinating and captivating beauty, wild landscape, rich vegetation and treasure of traditions of Lake Como will leave you unforgettable experience.

We begin the visit of the lake with the shore town of Varenna . Varenna is located in the center of the lake on the east coast , at the foot of a high promontory. This is a very picturesque town, with charming houses, flowering balconies and windows curtained of lace. You can also visit two famous villas: Villa Chipressi (Cypress Villa) which famous terraced gardens cascade down to the shores , and Villa Monastero which is frankly speaking my favorite place in the whole lake area. The cost of visiting the Villa Monastero garden is 6 euros.

Then we will go by boat to the Bellagio town. Bellagio, located on a promontory that separates the two lake branches: that of Como and that of Lecco, is considered by many the most beautiful city in Europe. This is a real gem of a lake. Its narrow streets , breathtaking views , impeccable homes and glorious villas make it the most charming place . Thanks to a special location Bellagio famous for its huge variety of panoramas , with its highest point , you can cover the whole lake view .

The city is especially famous for its luxurious villas, surrounded by beautiful parks. Villa Serbelloni and its park is considered one of the most beautiful in Italy , and it takes about 2 hours to get around the whole garden. Today Villa Serbelloni is the location of the Cultural Fund Rockefeller and a special permit is needed to visit it. Villa Melzi, built in 1808-10 in neoclassical style, is still open to the public. It was a summer residence of Francesco Melzi , vice-president of the Italian Republic, the Napoleonic era. The villa is surrounded by an English-style park with its greenhouses, family chapel , statues and even a Japanese garden. ( The cost of visiting the park is 6 euros)

Continuing our trip we will stop either in Villa Carlotta or Villa Balbianello. Lake Como offers a huge selection of fabulous scenery and luxury villas. Magnificent scenery of Villa Carlotta, which is located in Tremezzo along Lake Como, sheltered the main botanical garden in Italy with more than 150 kinds of azaleas and rhododendrons .

Villa Balbianello is located at the peak of a wooded peninsula. It is also famous for its fabulous scenery , palm trees, mountains , reflections on the water surface of the lake. The climate is gentle enough and favors lovely palm tree growing . Villa Balbianello impresses with its romantic atmosphere and harmony. No wonder it was chosen to shoot many movies, the most famous of which are : the second episode of the saga “Star Wars” and one of the last series about James Bond “Casino Royale” . The villa is located in the town of Lenno in the middle of the lake .