INSIDE: The Gardens at Villa Carlotta 2 What to See in Bellagio 5 m o c . Where to Stay on Lake Como 6 r k c i l f , n e Visiting Gravedona 8 g n i r m u o u c . b r n k a c i v l f n i , n w i l d d e u a M Lake Como at night a i l u SPECIAL REPORT: LAKE COMO J Bellagio Two Lake Como dream of ® Villages etyon d Ethex ciptyl oof Crome o, the lake itself is Italy’s deepest (though not its biggest: nearby LBake Garda has that honor, followed by Lake Maggiore ) and is often Volume 13, Issue 10 www.dreamofitaly.com December 2014/January 2015 referred to as Italy’s prettiest. With ITA LY its truly stunning scenery and historical significance, including World War II history in the village The Electric City of Como Awaits of Dongo (see sidebar), where Mussolini and other fascist ministers taly is preparing to welcome from Como directly to the Expo is were captured on April 27, 1945, record numbers of visitors in expected to open soon. opportunities for a variety of I 2015 when Milan hosts the outdoor pursuits also abound. Universal Exposition for six months, The “New City” from May through October. There are gorgeous villas built More than 20 million people Culturally and historically, between 1500 and 1800 that are are expected (eight million Como is large enough to open to the public; lush gardens that from outside the European boast plenty of interest, thrive even in the winter months Union) and many of them though it retains a very due to a unique eco-climate; will travel beyond relaxed feel. As Dream of culinary specialties like lake fish, Lombardy’s capital city. Italy readers may already polenta, salami, risotto, honey, wine While Milan will certainly know from previous and a variety of cheeses; and the be in the spotlight, the town articles or their own combination of rural mountain of Como — and all of Lake travels, the city dates back villages and elegant towns. Como — is poised to attract to the 1st century BC, when The Life Electric perhaps the greatest number it was founded by the Plus there’s the presence of celebrity of those travelers. Romans as Novum Comum (“New couple George Clooney and Amal City”) and in typical Roman fashion it Alamuddin in the village of Laglio, Geographically, Como is perfectly had a grid of perpendicular roads and of course — Lake Como’s moniker situated to be the obvious second walls on all sides, a layout that is still of Un Mondo Unico al Mondo (A destination: the city is 27 miles from recognizable today. World Within a World) seems Milan and is served by bus and train. entirely apt. Additionally, a new train connection continued on page 4 continued on page 2 Como is home to 85,000 people. Other Villages continued from page 1 Just as each villa on Lake Como is not a gem. The Villa Serbelloni, which unique, every town and village around dates from the end of the 1400s, has the lake has its own attributes, and the certainly helped to bring prestige to the northern part of the lake has a very town, especially since it was donated to different feel from the southern part. the Rockefeller Foundation by former m o c An ideal itinerary should include visits . owner Helena (known as Ella) Holbrook r k c i l f to several towns, and two I Walker, granddaughter of Hiram , o h recommend are Bellagio and c Walker and wife of Prince Alessandro e h o h Gravedona for two quite different c von Thurn und Taxis) in 1959. i d experiences. Bellagio And the 5-star Grand Hotel Villa the point where the lake splits, and it Serbelloni, originally built for the Bellagio would be an extremely lovely spot even Fizzoni family in the mid-1800s, has 5 1 Bellagio sits at the tip of a promontory at if the town that has grown on it were insured a steady stream of illustrious 0 2 y r a u n a J / 4 1 0 2 Tremezzo: Villa Carlotta r e According to Monica Neroni, author of the must- he died in 1826, only one of his two sons, Luigi, cated as it was German-owned, but instead of b m have guide was still alive. Luigi was married to a French being sold off, Villa Carlotta was preserved as a e Villas and Gardens: The Wonders of c e Lake Como (in Italian and English and available at woman, Emilia Seillière, and was a naturalized non-profit institution. D nearly every newsstand and souvenir shop), about French citizen. He inherited all his father’s posses - The garden is laid out on different levels with con - 2 90% of the villas on Lake Como are privately sions, but when he died in 1836, he had no will necting gravel paths, stone terraces, and view - owned. Happily, a few villas and their gardens are nor direct heirs. The villa was therefore passed points that emphasize the natural, sloping terrain. m open to the public. down to distant and disinterested relatives who o c Over 500 species of trees and flowers from . y put it up for sale. Emilia l a Neroni writes that “every one of the villas consti - all over the world coexist here, including t i lived in a more mod - f o tutes a unique architectural treasure,” but space bamboo, palm trees, papyrus, cacti, citrus est residence in m a limitations allow us to highlight only one, and that trees, and about 500 varieties of azalea – e r d one is the in it’s well worth it to time a visit in the spring . Villa Carlotta Tremezzo, w w “a true architectural masterpiece” when they are in bloom and cascading w says Neroni, who adds that the down the hillside. villa’s elegant façade “has since Among the noteworthy artworks inside become one of the symbols of Lake the villa are sculptor Antonio Canova’s Como.” Palamede, Amore e Psiche, by Canova’s The villa’s history begins in the late protégé Adamo Tadolini, the detached All photos by igcamercon, flickr.com 1600s, with Marquis Giorgio Clerici, fresco The Apotheosis of Napoleon by who was from a silk merchant family and was a Tremezzo and Andrea Appiani, and the Carrara marble banker and president of the Senate of Lombardy. founded a religious bas-relief Alexander the Great Entering In 1801 the property was acquired by Gian institution in memo - Babylonia by Danish sculptor Bertel Battista Sommariva, a Milanese politician who ry of her family. Thorvaldsen — this 108-foot work wraps formed influential friendships — including with around the walls of the Marble Salon and In 1844 the villa was — and became one of the features a succession of scenes, figures, and Napoleon Bonaparte sold to Princess Marianne of Nassau, most famous art collectors of his time; in fact, Villa quotations from Antique and Renaissance art Albert of Prussia’s wife, and the couple gave the Carlotta was thought to be a pilgrimage for con - around the figure of Alexander. (Via Regina, 2; 39- property to their daughter Charlotte when she noisseurs and art lovers. 0344-4040; www.villacarlotta.it ; open March to married the prince of Saxe-Meiningen, Duke October) Sommariva had an unhappy marriage, and when Georg II. After World War I, the Villa was confis - 26 movies have been set visitors. Michelin-star chef row of fully grown lilac Ettore Bocchia oversees its trees, it is a positively m o c Mistral restaurant. enchanting spot for an r k c i l f afternoon glass of Prosecco. , e c It’s easy to while away hours c u strolling through picturesque n Ristorante Alle Darsene di Bellagio Bellagio, with its steep Loppia (Via Melzi d’Eril,1 cobblestone alleys, stairways, medieval in Loppia di Bellagio; 39-031-952-069; walls, pretty vistas, colorful buildings, www.ristorantedarsenediloppia.com ), and distinctive boutiques. After a few minutes from the center of looking at many of the shop windows Bellagio, offers a small but very good and stepping into the stores, you may menu with lake fish, risotto and conclude that the wares don’t vary uncommon desserts. The outdoor 5 much; but there are some standouts terrace overlooks the Loppia dock and 1 0 2 that are definitely worthwhile: its indoor room is warm and inviting, y r and as it’s located outside of town it is a Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni u n Azalea Silk of Como and filled with locals. a J / Azalea Italian Style The Tacchi family has been in the olive 4 1 0 (www.azaleabellagio.com ) are at wood-carving business since 1855, and The restaurant is very near the Villa 2 r numbers 31 and 41 respectively on the Tacchi Luigi (via Garibaldi, 22; Melzi, built in the early 1800s for e b Salita Serbelloni (the Serbelloni steps, www.bellagio.co.nz/tacchi ) offers a m continued on page 8 e c which are still referred to by locals as wide range of items, including e “the ditch ”, as in medieval times this mappamondi (globes, even a few that D was the ditch used for defending the double as minibars) and nifty stainless 3 old town, known as the Borgo ). steel graters that fit neatly over olive dream of ® Though the Salita is a busy alleyway wood boxes. Saraceno (via Giuseppe m o c .