Check the best ideas for day trips from Milan to Lake Como and the most gorgeous villas to visit. Learn about Lake Como Stars Wars & James Bond film locations and more of the best things to do in Lake Como.
Northern Italy is known as the land of 5 lakes, with five stunning destinations including Lake Como, Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore, Lake Iseo and Lake Orta. While all of them have highly picturesque landscapes below the marvelous mountain ranges, Lake Como stands apart and can offer something truly unique – a perfect insight into the land of Italian elegancy and la dolce vita.
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Conveniently located for a day trip from Milan, Lake Como (originally called Lario) became particularly famous for its exceptional numerous historical lakefront villas, symbols of the Italian art of slow living. Once a popular 18th century destination for European noble families, Lake Como gradually rose to prominence as a famous Hollywood movie location & an important celebrity destination, not to mention that Lake Como wedding location is one of the most desired in the world.
The land of la dolce vita
Many celebrities, politicians and wealthy individuals own(ed) remarkable villas in Lake Como. Madonna, George Clooney’s Villa Oleandra, Gianni Versace’s Villa Fontanelle, Richard Branson, Jose Mourinho, Sylvester Stallone… Indeed several villas were used as a location for famous movies, such as James Bond Casino Royale, Ocean’s Twelve, House of Gucci and even the Lake Como Stars Wars film location was in the majestic Villa del Balbianello.
Often Lake Como villas have admirable and curated gardens, thanks to the mild climate of lake water that can sustain even subtropical and Mediterranean plants, combined with richly decorated interior and vast art collections thanks to its past nobel owners.
Most of the villas can be admired only during a boat lake cruise (which is included of our Lake Como boat tour, whether in a very small group or on a fully private experience with a private boat). In many of our tours in Lake Como you will also enjoy an inside visit of the villa to admire their magnificent beauty and elegance.
Currently only 6 out of approximately 200 villas of Lake Como vast area remain open to the public.
Villa Carlotta, a villa and a botanical garden in Tremezzo
Villa Carlotta was built for the Milanese noble family Clerici in 1690. It occupies a site of over 7 hectares (17 acres) at Tremezzo, facing the beautiful village of Bellagio. Villa Carlotta has an enormous lake front garden with steps, fountains, and sculptures, filled with orange and camellia trees, together with other precious plants: cedars, palms, redwoods.
After changing ownership several times, in 1843 it was purchased by Princess Marianne of Nassau as a wedding present for her daughter Carlotta, after whom the villa is now named. Besides its well preserved garden, Villa Carlotta is also an art museum with famous artworks from Antonio Canova, Francesco Hayez, Bertel Thorvaldsen.
Nowadays, the villa belongs to public ownership via the charitable foundation of Ente Villa Carlotta. The visit of this remarkable villa can be included in one of our private day trips from Milan to Lake Como with a private driver.
Villa Carlotta location.
Villa d’Este. One of the world’s most elite luxurious hotels since 1873
Villa d’Este is located in the lower part of Lake Como, in Cernobbio. It was built in 1568 by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio, a native of the town Como. In the period of 1816–1817, the villa was home to Caroline of Brunswick, wife of the Prince of Wales, who later on became Queen Consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom. That’s the reason why compared to other villas, Villa d’Este has remarkable English-style gardens, it was also thanks to Queen of George IV that the villa has its name, originally as New Villa d’Este, linking to the famous Villa d’Este in Rome.
In 1873, the villa was turned into a luxury hotel and still considered one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, continuously ranked as the best hotel/resort in the world by famous magazines such as Forbes & Travel + Leisure.
The villa is not open to the public, given that it’s now a luxury resort. However, by booking and enjoying a high-end lunch/dinner in its famous lakefront restaurants, visitors can have the opportunity to visit both inside and the garden of this enormous 100,000 m2 Renaissance villa.
The visit and lunch in Villa d’Este can be included in our private Lake Como tour (and of course we will help you to made all necessary reservations for you).
Villa D’Este location.
Villa del Balbianello. Lake Como Stars Wars film location & more
Villa del Balbianello lies on the western shore of lake Como, near Isola Comacina (Lake Como’s only island). Villa del Balbianello was an important Lake Como Star Wars film location, while many other villas appeared in important Hollywood movies such as James Bond Casino Royale, House of Gucci, Ocean’s Twelwe, Once upon a time in America and more.
Differently from most of the other villas, Villa Balbianello was converted from an existing 13th century monastery. The conversion was made by its owner Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini in 1787.
After the ownership transfer to the Visconti family, Villa del Balbianello was an important meeting location for the famous politicians and patriotic writers such as Giovanni Berchet, Alessandro Manzoni, Giuseppe Giusti, as well as the artist Arnold Bocklin. Italian businessman and explorer Count Guido Monzino is the last owner of Villa del Balbianello, who has totally transformed the interior design of the villa with many items collected from his expeditions all around the world.
In 1988, Monzino passed away and left the villa and an endowment to pay for maintenance, to the Fondo Ambiente Italiano. Thanks to his generosity, the beauty of this panoramic villa can still be observed by the public.
The visit of this remarkable villa that was used as a Hollywood film location can be included in one of our private day trips from Milan to Lake Como with a private driver. It can also be observed from water during Lake Como boat tour, however we suggest not to miss the internal visit of the villa.
Villa del Balbianello location.
Villa Serbelloni. A perfect showcase of the Italian elegance
Villa Serbelloni is located in the famous beautiful town of Bellagio in the golden triangle of Lake Como. Same as Villa Balbianello, Villa Serbelloni was built leveraging on the existing structure of an old castle destroyed in 1375. Villa Serbelloni took its name from its owner during the 18th century, Alessandro Serbelloni, who had enriched the villa with precious decorations and works of art of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The villa was transformed into a luxury hotel in 1905. Later in 1959 it became the property of the Rockefeller Foundation of New York at the bequest of the American-born Princess of Thurn and Taxis, who previously had bought the villa in 1930. What makes the villa outstanding compared to other villas in Lake Como is its park. While the gardens of other villas include many different types of low trees and flowers, the garden of villa Serbelloni mainly includes woody trees with high trunks, particularly pine trees.
In order to visit Villa Serbelloni, we can help to make lunch or dinner reservations in its elegant restaurant ‘’Mistral’’ or more casual ‘’La Goletta’’, both located in the 5-star hotel Villa Serbelloni, which will give you the possibility to admire its beauty and breathtaking view overlooking Bellagio town and the golden triangle of Lake Como.
Villa Serbelloni location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/x6zXvsBs2LF63PrRA
Villa Monastero. 12th century ex-monastery transformation
Villa Monastero is the only villa on this list that lies on the right shore of Lake Como in the village Varenna. It can be easily reached by public train from Milan and is a great idea if you are searching about where to go from Milan for a day. The villa is the result of the transformation of an ancient women’s monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary, built at the end of the 12th century.
Villa Monastero went through different owners from Mornico of Valsassina, to Carolina Maumari, Alessandro Manzoni’s first wife, and finally to the De Marchi family of Milan. It was indeed the De Marchi family that had performed the extensive building and renovation work that over time gave the villa its current marvelous eclectic appearance.
In 1939, the De Marchi family donated the villa to the State of Italy, with the obligation to preserve it and use it for cultural institutions of public benefit. For this reason, the villa still hosts cultural and scientific conferences, including the summer courses of the prestigious Italian School of Physics, which have been attended by more than 60 Nobel Prize winners.
Villa Monastero’s garden is a perfect harmonization of sculptures, architecture and nature, with endless ranges of statues, palm trees, citrus and lake-front terrace for lake viewing and tea ceremonies.
Villa Monastero location.
Villa Olmo. One of the main symbols of Como City
Being the closest villa to Como City, Villa Olmo is well connected via a beautiful panoramic walking path along the lake.
Villa Olmo has a neo classical design and was constructed later compared to other villas in the list. The villa was built in 1797 by Swiss architect Simone Cantoni for nobleman Innocenzo Odescalchi as a summer retreat. Instead of taking its name from the owners, the villa was named after an elm tree, which is unfortunately no longer alive today. The front of Villa Olmo was composed with large fountain and sculpture lines facing the lake, meanwhile the garden at the back of the villa hosts more than 800 varieties of trees.
In 1924, Villa Olmo was acquired by the municipality of Como. Today, both the inside and the garden of the villa are open to the public.
Villa Olmo location.
Villa Cagni Troubetzkoy, not to be missed on a Lake Como boat tour
Villa Cagni Troubetzkoy was built around 1850 by Russian prince Troubetzkoy, who married to one of the daughters of famous ballerina Marta Taglioni. The prince came to the area after having served six months of heavy labour in Siberia during the war and chose Blevio in Como as his resident place.
The prince brought down a pre-existing rural construction, starting work on his own villa. It explains why Villa Troubetzkoy has an architecture style totally different from other villas of Lake Como with triangle roofs and neoclassical architectures.
Even though Villa Troubetzkoy is currently not open for visitors, its outstanding architecture style is worth mentioning and you can spot it easily during our small-group day trip to Lake Como from Milan.
Villa Cagni Troubetzkoy location.
What is the best way to visit the villas of Lake Como?
Given its vast and extended area, sold-out ferries, crowds and limited amount of car parkings, it can be feel overwhelming to understand how to plan an enjoyable day trip from Milan (or another location) by yourself. Most villas are often closed in the winter period, often the tickets can be sold out and the vast majority of the villas can be seen only from water.
With so many things to do in Lake Como, we invite you to have a look at our private Lake Como Tour by car or a small group Milan to Lake Como Day Trip and of course we will be glad to assist you in case you are interested in creating your own personalized dream trip.
