November 16, 2023 0 Comments What to see

The beautiful Villa Balbianello in 10 photos

Villa Balbianello, Lenno, Lake Como…the coordinates of a corner of Paradise

In numbers Villa Balbianello, located in Lenno, is the second most visited villa on Lake Como, after Villa Carlotta.

And understanding why is not difficult.

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The villa was built in 1787, on a pre-existing monastery, by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini. Over the years passed into the hands of no less than five other owners: Giusepppe Sepolina, Luigi Porro Lambertenghi, Giuseppe Arconati Visconti, Butler Ames and the explorer Guido Monzino (1974). The building was thus transformed over the centuries according to the tastes and desires of the personalities who gradually inhabited it, even falling into a state of abandonment for a certain period.

Today, Villa Balbianello is owned by the FAI (a no-profit foundation) as a testamentary bequest from the Lombard explorer. It houses hundreds of extraordinary relics from his fantastic travels around the world in its rooms.

Although some people only visit its gardens, my advice is to also see the interior of the house. If you have enough time and really want to understand who was the man who left his indelible imprint on this mansion, it is among his rooms that you should take a tour.

And in this villa, ‘tour’ strictly means ‘guided tour’.

Every single piece of furniture, object, book here exudes the extraordinariness of the life of a man, Guido Monzino. A man that was anything but banal, and whom it would be a shame not to ‘get to know’.

Add to the interesting stories of those who lived here the fact that the villa is in a stunning location, and it will be easy for you to understand why a visit to Villa Balbianello is a must.

On one side you have the Gulf of Venus and the beautiful Tremezzina, on the other the solitary Comacina Island. You couldn’t ask for more!

If you are passionate about historical residences, discover also the other villas on the lake.

How to visit Villa Balbianello and how to get there

Located on the extreme tip of the Lavedo promontory, it takes about 15 minutes to reach it on foot. Alternatively, you can take a taxi boat (departing from Lido di Lenno) and get there via the lake.

The villa is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.

My warm advice is to buy your ticket as early as possible. The number of daily accesses is limited and visitors, especially in the high season, are very many.

One important thing to keep in mind is that for Villa Balbianello, reservations are strongly recommended and tickets can be purchased online, directly from the villa’s official website.