A dream called Lake Como: a tour to discover 5 unforgettable villas

Francesco Melzi d 'Eril, Duke of Lodi and Vice-President of the First Italian Republic at the time of Napoleon, was the inspirational mind behind these spectacular gardens at a villa in Bellagio dating back to the early 19th century, in Neoclassical style.

The gardens were designed by architect Luigi Canonica and botanist Luigi Villoresi. The trees are a mix of classical and exotic species. There are cedars from Lebanon, Ginkgo biloba, red beeches. And all around a series of sculptures with historical and mythological themes.

The Japanese pond is a real gem with its water lilies and water plants in a setting of maples, azaleas and rhododendrons in bloom.
Then there's also a private chapel on the edge of the lake. See the Moorish-style shrine and the orangery with its museum collecting memorabilia from the Napoleonic Republic. 

The first thing to enchant you will be Villa Carlotta's panoramic position on the shore of Lake Como. It is located in Tramezzina in Tremezzo and combines landscapes and art, with several important collections housed in a building dating back to the 17th century. The rooms include sculptures by Antonio Canova and paintings by Francesco Hayez.

Exploring the 70,000 square metre botanical park is a treat. In spring, rhododendrons and azaleas burst into bloom. The Italian garden with tall bushes recreating geometric figures and water features alternates with the English garden of the Romantic period. 

From Piccolo Mondo antico to Casinò Royale, the Villa del Balbianello in Lenno has often been used in films. It stands atop a terraced garden amidst statues, paths, flowers and trees. It was commissioned by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini during the 18th century, and was built on the remains of a Franciscan convent, of which the church façade can still be seen.

Inside, its halls boast a rich artistic and historical heritage. In the Primitives hall, pieces of African, Pre-Columbian and Cycladic art are on display. When the building passed to Luigi Porro Lambertenghi, it began to host several intellectuals, including Silvio Pellico and Massimo D'Azeglio.
It has been a heritage site of FAI, Fondo per l 'Ambiente Italiano, since 1998.

Getting married here? Very expensive, but also incredibly romantic.

The Marquis Odescalchi commissioned the construction of this Neoclassical building in the early 1700s, but it was not completed until a century later. It had several owners in the 19th century and only in 1925 did it pass to the Municipality of Como to become a cultural and art exhibition centre.

The garden of Villa Olmo in Como is one of the most beautiful and important in the entire province, and the villa was used to film some of Adriano Celentano's film Innamorato Pazzo, as well as a popular location for numerous exhibitions and conferences.
The panorama is enhanced by some 800 trees including horse chestnut, cedars of Lebanon and plantains. The greenhouses date back to the 19th century.

Overlooking the eastern branch of Lake Como and today a major international conference centre known for hosting the physics lectures of Nobel Prize winner Enrico Fermi in 1954.

Villa Monastero in Varenna is striking for its eclectic style, but it actually has a centuries-old history stemming from an ancient convent of nuns of the Cistercian order dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, from which it also takes its name. The monastery dates back to the 12th century, but in the 16th century it was suppressed by Cardinal Carlo Borromeo. Later, it became a patrician residence.

Today it is a house museum with various goods and furnishings left by the various owners. It is surrounded by a beautiful botanical garden, with species from all over the world.