Nestled in the heart of the Italian pre-Alps, Lake Como reveals itself like a sparkling jewel, surrounded by a setting of majestic mountains whose peaks seem to caress the skies. Its deep blue waters reflect the slender silhouettes of cypress trees and opulent villas, testimonies of timeless elegance. Like a living canvas, this landscape is adorned with changing shades from dawn to dusk, offering a constantly renewed spectacle to traveling souls. The shores of the lake, dotted with charming villages with cobbled streets and ancient churches, tell centuries-old stories to those who know how to listen. The mountains, benevolent guardians, offer winding paths through dense forests, sometimes opening windows onto breathtaking panoramas, where water and sky blend in perfect harmony. Here, nature orchestrates a symphony of wild and tamed beauties, inviting the traveler to a meditative contemplation, to a delight of the soul before so many natural splendors, both powerful and delicate. Lake Como, with its contrasts and revelations, remains an ode to beauty, a haven of peace where the spirit is recharged, carried away by the murmur of the water and the breath of the mountains, in an eternal embrace between man and nature.

On the boat that takes you from Tremezzo to Bellagio, you think back on everything you liked about the left bank of the most romantic of the Italian lakes.

The city of Como, the starting point.

The city of Como, its medieval center, its Silk Museum, whose factories enriched the industrialists of this region, and the magnificent classical facade of the Villa Olmo on the lakeside, delighted you. You loved walking through the narrow streets of this city that looks out over the lake but only sees a tiny bit of it.

That's when you tried to see more by going up to Brunate, by funicular. The city revealed itself at your feet, and also the western arm of the lake. Long, very long, like a fjord, with dense and bushy vegetation, and villages that follow one another on the banks of the lake.

The parks and villas of Lake Como

On the shores of Lake Como, where the waters gently caress the shores, stand parks and villas of breathtaking beauty, bursts of human grandeur integrated into natural splendor. Among these jewels, Villa Carlotta, with its lush botanical gardens, offers an explosion of colors and scents, a true Eden where sculptures and fountains add a touch of grace to the floral diversity. Not far away, Villa del Balbianello, accessible by a winding path or by the tranquil waters of the lake, reveals itself, majestic, on a promontory offering breathtaking views that have captivated the hearts and imaginations of many visitors. Its perfectly geometric terraces, its loggias open to infinity, tell stories of love and adventure, of rest and contemplation.

In these spaces where the art of living blends with the poetry of the place, each villa, each park tells a unique story, an invitation to dream. Villa Melzi, with its English garden, bordered by rare species and punctuated by ancient monuments, creates a harmonious dialogue between man and nature, a symphony of colors and shapes that evolves with the rhythm of the seasons. These residences, anchored in the landscape like precious stones set in a setting of greenery and water, offer visitors an escape in time, a journey through history and beauty, where each step reveals new wonders, unexpected perspectives on the lake, secret corners filled with serenity. Right here, in Bellagio, the pearl of Lake Como, located right at the intersection of the two arms of the lake, ultimately its widest part. Off the coast of Villa Melzi you already contemplate the north, infinity, the mountainssnow-capped in the distance, a misty horizon. From the Spartivento point the landscape will be even clearer, spectacular, almost pure. The village of Bellagio, its alleys, its stairs, its small squares, its boats lined up in the port, a few Riva racing cars waiting for tourists in a hurry, or simply wanting to treat themselves once, and relive a scene from Dolce Vita.

Perhaps in your new stopover towards Menaggio or Varenna.

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The tour of Lake Como

Tourists tend to favour the western arm of Lake Como, which has the particularity of being shaped like an upside-down Y. The right arm is the shore of the city of Como, with its famous villas and palace hotels, up to the tip of Bellagio and occasional excursions to Villa Monastero on the eastern shore, on the Varenna side.

But Lake Como continues beyond the meeting of the two arms. It continues to the mouth of the Adda River, that great river that runs through the whole of Valtellina, the mountainous land of northern Lombardy.

It narrows, sometimes widens, but retains this alternation of cliffs, small coves, hanging houses and this omnipresent blue color. The mountain landscape in the background comes closer and gives it a wilder side.

Going back down along the eastern shore, we will stop at the 12th century Piona Abbey, on a peninsula that gives the impression of sailing in the middle of the lake. Then we will have fun going up and down the thousand steps of the village of Corenna Plinio, and the sumptuous view of the lake from the balustrades of the Vezio castle.

The eastern arm of the inverted Y is better known as Lake Lecco, named after the city that borders it to the south. For lovers of Italian literature – this city is the setting for the novel “I Promessi Sposi” written by Manzoni – an itinerary through the city allows you to find the sites described in the work.

Here, everything is charm, everything is refinement.

The parks and villas of Lake Como, with their refined architecture and sumptuous gardens, are witnesses to man's love of beauty, places where nature and human ingenuity meet to create living paintings, open-air works of art where every view, every scent, every breath of wind invites contemplation and wonder. In this harmony between culture and nature, Lake Como reveals itself not only as a dream landscape but also as a celebration of creativity and passion, a place where the soul can travel, free and inspired, beyond the boundaries of everyday life.

You are still on this Lake Como, and already you are thinking about your next stay, here, again.

Activities not to be missed around Lake Como

  • City tour of Como
  • Introduction to the preparation of homemade pasta in Como
  • Visit gastronomic from the city of Como
  • Cable car ride to brunate
  • Cross the lake between Menaggio, Bellagio and Varenna
  • Do not miss under any circumstances the sumptuous villas which border the lake:
    • Villa Olmo (Como)
    • Villa Balbianello (Lenno)
    • Villa Carlotta (Tremezzo)
    • Villa Melzi (Bellagio)
    • Villa Serbellona (Bellagio)
    • Villa Monastero (Varenna)
    • Villa Cipressi (Varenna)
  • A ride to Lugano, in Switzerland
  • A cultural break at Milan
  • And for the more romantic, a csailing cruise!

Discovering Lake Como on video

The best webcams around Lake Como

(click on the name of the village)

  • tremezzo : view of Bellagio opposite
  • Intelvi Valley: Lake Como seen from the mountain, at an altitude of 800m.
  • Vercana: the view of the lake and the mountains.
  • Lazy: a bird's eye view of the lake for this mountain webcam
  • Naggio: a view of the lake from the air! The Menaggio refuge, in front of Bellagio.

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