117 A swimming spot near the town of Tremezzina; the ancient city of Como; a drawing room at Villa Sola Cabiati. Sola Villa at room drawing a Como; of city ancient the Tremezzina; of town the near spot swimming A left: From CHRISTOPHER BAGLEY Text and photographs by Text

Chefs, designers, hoteliers, and the thatcrowd cool orbits them bringing a new to are energy this In fabled Italian enclave, la much dolceLakevita is perfect Como—but discreetly. pretty as it is.

SPLASH A A BIGGER 118 Villa Balbiano. The newly revamped Lenno. their housenear and Kerry Olsenat Federico Marchetti approaches the dock, a few loud gasps can be heard. The Obama ner, andsure enough,asduskbeginsto setinandaspeedboat has spread thatsomemajor people will beshowing upfor din as diners sipaperitifsandstare intently attheshoreline. Word Sunday inJune, the vibe onthehotel’s veranda isoddly restless views with exactly the right mountain-to-lake ratio. But on this an idyllic world of terraced gardens, white-jacketed waiters, and since thenhasmanaged to exist initsown parallel universe— lake houses,thefive-story villa becameagrand hotel in1873 and Villa d’Este. Built inthe16th century asalake houseto beatall that nothing could ever disturb the air of refined serenity outside ON MOSTSUMMERNIGHTS,itseems Opposite: - powers haven’t waned. One Tuesday afternoon inthe gram, makes itclear thatthelake’s crowd-pleasing destination-wedding websites, not to mention Insta on earth in its loveliness.” Today, a quick scan of “unequaledComo was Stendhal,that who wrote and he was followed by everyone from Byron to est outspoken fans,deemingit“our greatest lake,” The Roman poet Virgil was oneoftheplace’s earli sensus hasbeenthatLake Comoisjustfineasitis. ing. But not alot, Ihope.” Mantero silkcompany, in1902. “Things are chang in thearea sinceher great-grandfather founded the it’s true,” says Maria Mantero, whose family haslived cons of Como in six or seven languages. Simone Ricart, where guestsdiscuss thepros and lake for aparty atthe villa ofMilan-based designer brought in by helicopter. Afterward we motor up the an orchestra plays Dvořák oninstrumentsthat were cert onthelake’s wooded Comacinaisland, where Guadagnino). We hopinaRiva andheadto acon the first interior designproject offilmdirector Luca Olsen, attheir fabnew homeinaformer silkmill(it’s Federico Marchetti andhispartner, journalist Kerry Mandarin Oriental . transformed into thearea’s latest poshhotel, the a bashat Villa Roccabruna, which hadrecently been opposite, ditching the city for the evening to attend a crowd offashionableMilanese who’ve donejustthe But thenext night,onthelake’s eastern shore, Ifind people dofor nightlife. “They go to !”hesaid. noon, hada wisecrack ready when Iasked him what took me for a ride around the lake earlier in the after Granted, a young boatcaptainnamedMichele, who ing really interesting happens—is a bit out of date. dard reproach aboutthisgorgeous place—that noth and I’m already beginningto suspectthatthestan lobby and up the stairs to afirst-floor suite. everybody,” he says, before leading the group into the but the ex-president himself seemsrelaxed. “Hello ing everyone to putaway their phonesandcameras, security guards dart among the tables, command at their own villa farther up the lake. Black-suited ney, who are hosting the group for the weekend across theterrace, trailed by George and Amal Cloo- family—all four of them—step off the boat and stroll For a while now—2,000 years, atleast—the con “There’s abitofrenaissance happeninghere— Later inthe week Imeetup with Yoox founder I’ve beeninLake Comofor only afew hours, ­ ------120 miles from theSwiss border andisbacked by snowcapped look just as good here as Renaissance frescoes and Empire beds. ceiling windows andsleek walnut paneling,ifdoneright,can Il Sereno, designer Patricia Urquiola hasshown thatfloor-to- of Como’s main square. And at modern, built-from-scratch Palazzo in a restored Venetian-style mansion, right on the town has filleda void at the southern tip ofthe lake by opening Vista essentially a private museum.) The family behind Lario Hotels family still own the place and have preserved its upper floors as residence ofthedukes ofSerbelloni.(Heirs of theSolaCabiati indecently dazzling Villa SolaCabiati,theonetimesummer Tremezzo’s portfolio ofprivate villas now includes thealmost upping their games, whether they need to or not. Grand Hotel high endofthemarket, businesseshave beendeterminedly with every non-Italian who’s ever read a Yelp review. But atthe door tables in the medieval village of Bellagio can seem packed on amagnificentrose-laden loggia. Duringsummer theout- some diners will forgive amediocre risotto ifthey’re seated coasting onComo’s reputation, secure intheknowledge that a Tuesday, and everybody still came. peninsula, isoften fully booked on weekends, sothey settledfor del Balbianello,theprettiest event venue onthelake’s prettiest wedding midweek, right? Wrong. The groom explains that Villa shoot, sincenobody would ask their friendsto fly to for a groomsmen intuxedos; Iassumethey’re prepping for aphoto lobby oftheGrand Hotel Tremezzo, Imeetagroup ofEnglish One perennial debate aboutLake Como, which sits afew Inevitably, afew ofthelake’s hotels andrestaurants are dominated by ahandful of mainstays like pan-fried esting—is Como’s food scene, which for years was “We just steer around them.” who charters several boats from Bellagio. He shrugs. definitely notsober,” says skipper Carlo Tettamanzi, couldn’t even operate a boat when sober, and they’re after too many Aperol Spritzes. “A lotofthesepeople hapless first-timers crashing their rented speedboats the baselineis40horsepower, which explains allthe ate acraft with a10- or 15-horsepower engine.Here lakes inEurope you needaboatinglicenseto oper denced by thetraffic situationonthe water. Onmost Italian attitude about rules and regulations, as evi your towel with a wink. There’s also a very lax, very while thetanned,handsomepoolboy setsdown mander darts out of the thick grove of banana plants dip atoneofthe Tremezzo’s three poolsandasala You’ll know you’re notinZurich when you go for a the linebetween theromantic andthedecadent. and palms and rhododendron, constantly blurring microclimate here sustains aluxuriant glut of moss fection ofmany ofthe villas’ gardens, thebalmy Switzerland.” Not quite. Despite the manicured per envy anddismissiveness, thatComo was “basically Naples, where alocalhadtold me, with amixof truly Italian. Before my arrival I’d made astop in peaks for muchofthe year, is whether it’s really, Also unmistakably Italian—and newly inter ­ - - - - Lucia rowboat. in her traditional Maria Mantero Materia restaurant; panna cotta at Villa Sola Cabiati; main salon of the at Il Sereno; the From left: The bar

found theabandoned silkfactory near Lenno that’s now their from ancient stone balustrades. Before Marchetti and Olsen while teenagers show off their backflips with reckless leaps front, granddads fishfor usingtraditional agone bamboopoles or astage setforwater moviesthe like Royale. At Casino reminders that this place is not only abillionaire’s playground along Como’s shoreline remain abigpartofthelake’s appeal— that his mother is the chef. there’s asecret ingredient. “Love, ofcourse!” hesaid,noting tasted inexplicably, sublimely rich, so I asked the waiter if lindana inSalaComacina. A dishoftrout with toasted almonds, able classics are still the thing at the family-run Locanda La Tir reverence for balancingtaste, shape,andcolor. Meanwhile, reli historic center, Davide Maci brings analmost Japanese-style Ducasse. And at the slick, minimalist Market Place, in Como’s dishes by Milanfixture Andrea Berton, who trained with Alain tender isBerton Al Lago, atIlSereno, with regionally inspired “everything that goes on the plate has a mission.” Another con every night.” Instead Caranchini offers twistsondishes where that everybody knows already, it’s easy to filltherestaurant in Copenhagen andLeGavroche inLondon.“If you serve stuff ies,” says chefDavide Caranchini, who’s donestintsatNoma traditional, andthere weren’t many placespushingboundar snagged a Michelin star. “This part of Italy has always been so official stamp of legitimacy in2018 when their place, Materia, somethings with atleastadozentattoos amongthemgot an lake fish. Inthe village ofCernobbio,afoursome ofthirty The tiny andsometimesscruffy historic villages strung - - - - - ­ Como (latirlindana.it). Locanda La Tirlindana family-​ inspired menu, or visit the place.it) for an internationally the Market Place star chef Andrea Berton. Go to regionally inspired dishes by hotels.com), minimalist suites at setting, stay in one of the 30 round. For a luxury modern of the city that’s open year-​ mansion located in the center restored Venetian-style dicomo.com), a recently (rooms from $550; vista​ newcomer main property. Check out Cabiati, just minutes from the book the private but for the ultimate experience many of which offer lake views, .com) has 90 rooms and suites, $565; grandhoteltremezzo Hotel Tremezzo in a category of its own. idyllic, elegant property that’s from $675; villadeste.com), the ( new greenhouse. Check out the and vegetables from its own creates its dishes using herbs Materia EAT private party. expense-spared wedding or a dream venue for the no- theheritage-​collection.com) is Balbiano (price upon request; influence. The six-suite Italian style with East Asian seductive blend of modern mandarinoriental.com) Visit STAY Como Mandarin Oriental, Lago di hotels.com). Go to the Essentials

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121 122 DEPARTURES Olsen got scolded by the other mothers for taking Margherita Adjusting to village life came with some surprises,as when sent their daughter, Margherita, to thepublicnursery school. ovation, thecouple, who are basedinMilan,lived nearby and an indoor pool,” he says. their newWhile place was under ren goals for amidlife-crisis splurge. “Instead ofaFerrari, I wanted ulous in one.” Marchetti, an avid swimmer, also had his own ing,” says the English-born Olsen. “And we might feel ridic historic villas. “But as beautiful as they are, they can be isolat vacation home,they considered biddingononeofthecoveted - - - stopovers ontheir Grand Tours to mingle with noble 18th centuries, English aristocrats made extended shifted continually over the years. Inthe17thand “Everybody sees everything.” lie about why you’re late or whatever,” Olsen says. ing things real. “Here you can’t even tell a white come break from Milanandacrash course inkeep- believe, carriesgerms.) But for Olsen it was a wel out in her stroller on breezy days. (The wind, locals The profile ofthetypicalComonewcomer has - owners. But for allthat,the general lookof thelake rich Russians have been the most visible new home- place, Villa Fontanelle, in1977.) Inthiscentury, mega- J.Lo were paying visits to , who got his erty from theHeinz family, in2002, Madonna and showing up. (Even before Clooney boughthisprop- Ibiza andMykonos, more andmore Americans were and ’80s, when Italians started getting onplanesfor ists, industrialists,and world leaders. By the1970s Milanese families;later cameanelite crowd ofart- Oriental, Lago di Como. the hotel Mandarin Guests on the lawn of they enjoy it. We’d rather be here.” theques, and that’s fine for them,” Maria Mantero says. “I hope water they canogle from their backyards. still itsnatural ones,like theforested mountains andshimmering man-made splendors, this group says, the ultimate attractions are ly’s own villa justdown theshore. For allofComo’s extravagant Mantero, it turnsout,paddledover inakayak from her fami boathouse as we share amassive grilledfishfrom thelake. Lucia who runs the family business, and a few others join us in the stone tinctive wooden arches. Then her father, Michele,cousinLucia, sion in one of Como’s traditional stand-up rowboats, with its dis for cancer patients), headsoutonthe water for a workout ses- (their charity, Deedi Vita, raises fundsandcreates silkheadwear ban printed with oneofthefamily company’s archival designs to adockandsmall beach.Mantero, lookingglaminasilktur Mantero’s family in Tremezzina, where a wide lawn slopesdown the lake shut down between November and March. hotel asa year-round urbangetaway, sincemany properties on says Bianca Passara, owner of Vista Palazzo. She’s positioning the tle by little, people are realizing that there’s actually a city here,” attractions ifthere weren’t somuchcompetitionnearby. “Lit- Renaissance frescoes andBaroque triptychs that would bestar shadowy, candlelit,andusually empty SanFedele basilica, with individually decorated. Deeper inthemedieval quarter isthe the stacked rows of 98 viewing boxes, eachprivately owned and closed when you stop by, theattendant mightlet you into see briefly took over for La Scala during World War II; even if it’s 15th-century Duomositsthe Teatro Socialeopera house, which the mostinteresting innorthernItaly. A few blocks from the out realizing thatthisprosperous, ancient walled city isoneof town ofComoitself.Oddly, many travelers comeandgo with owner is working on his garden, or taking anap,” Droulers says. your boatcango rightpasteach villa and you cansee whether the front, with nothingblockingthe view ineither direction. “So much oftheshoreline. Here, themansionssitrighton water mate than neighboring lakes such as Garda, where a road hugs Como’s steep hillsides and unique topography make it more inti father purchased Villa d’Este inthe’60s. Droulers says thatLake is physically,” says Jean-Marc Droulers, whose French-born from ahundred years ago, they’d besurprisedathow similar it remains remarkably unchanged. “If you brought someonehere “Lots ofpeopleprefer Mykonos, andplaces with disco- Before leaving Lake Como,Istop for lunchatthe villa ofMaria One of the least hyped highlights of a trip to the lake is the

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