Situated at the very peak of a wooded peninsula jutting into the waters of Lake Como. According to legend, it was the site of one of the villas of Pliny the Younger, a native of Como. A monastery once stood on this secluded promontory.
His church has been preserved, although nowadays it has become part of the architectural complex of the villa. The villa was built by Cardinal Durini at the end of the 18th century, and each subsequent owner has endeavoured to contribute to the development of this fabulous place. The last owner of the villa, Guido Monzini, was a passionate traveller. Among his most notable achievements: climbing Mount Everest, conquering the North Pole by dogsled.
The house has a museum preserving numerous memories of these journeys, including the famous dogsled itself. Very interesting varied collections, rare in their completeness. The library, entirely dedicated to the voyages, includes more than 3,000 books, and in the same room there is one of the largest collections of old images of landscapes of Lake Como. The walls of another room are completely covered with vetrines containing many ancient figurines of various civilisations: Chinese, Aztec, Sumerian, Cretan and many others. Some of them are priceless.
Add to this should be added the magnificent interior of the rooms with English and French furniture of the XVIII and IXX centuries, valuable tapestries, oriental carpets, luxurious Venetian and French chandeliers. The real highlight of this villa is a series of secret passages, the existence of which can be learnt only by a guide.
The majority of visitors arrive here by water, being able to admire the general panorama of the garden stepping down to the water. The plane trees are magnificent, with two experienced gardeners working for a fortnight to trim each one. The through terrace, covered with century-old Ficus Pimula wattles, is unrivalled.
Lake Como offers a huge range of fabulous landscapes and luxury villas. But even against this backdrop, Villa Balbianello impresses with its romantic atmosphere, a harmony that seems to spill into the air. Not without reason it has served as a backdrop for many films, the most famous of which are: the second episode of the Star Wars saga, one of the last films in the James Bond series, Casino Royale. The villa’s terrace can be hired for events.
The villa is particularly popular as a wedding banqueting venue.
The villa is located in Lenno in the middle part of the lake.
Open from mid-March to January, every day except Monday, Wednesday, 24 December, 1 January, 1 March
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