Lake Como
About 1.5km east of Torno, the waterfront Villa Pliniana is one of the most exclusive places to stay on Lake Como. Constructed in the 16th century, Pliniana is one grand palazzo. The rooms are luxuriously appointed, and the 18 acres of gardens and private spa (complete with heated swimming pool) make for quite the royal hideaway.
Lord Byron was a guest at the villa and his friend Percy Bysshe Shelley thought about buying it.
27.16 MILES
Milan's most famous mural, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, is hidden away on a wall of the refectory adjoining the Basilica di Santa Maria delle…
27.4 MILES
A vision in pink Candoglia marble, Milan's extravagant Gothic cathedral, 600 years in the making, aptly reflects the city's creativity and ambition. Its…
25.86 MILES
Behind striking Renaissance-revival black-and-white walls, Milan’s wealthy have kept their dynastic ambitions alive long after death with grand sculptural…
26.85 MILES
Located upstairs from one of Italy’s most prestigious art schools, this gallery houses Milan’s collection of Old Masters, much of it ‘lifted’ from Venice…
23.64 MILES
Rising dramatically above the Old Town, this medieval stronghold is Bellinzona’s most visible icon. Head up Salita San Michele from Piazza Collegiata, or…
27.09 MILES
A stroll around the Quadrilatero d'Oro, the world's most famous shopping district, is a must even for those not sartorially inclined. The quaintly cobbled…
26.95 MILES
Originally a Visconti fortress, this iconic red-brick castle was later home to the mighty Sforza dynasty, who ruled Renaissance Milan. The castle's…
27.45 MILES
Overlooking Piazza del Duomo, with fabulous views of the cathedral, is Mussolini's Arengario, from where he would harangue huge crowds in his heyday. Now…
1.11 MILES
This elegant 18th-century villa on the banks of Lake Como was once home to composer Vincenzo Bellini is now an award-winning luxury hotel.
1.15 MILES
This 11th-century church has a soaring bell tower and fragments of a Renaissance fresco depicting the martyrdom of Saint Agatha.
2.28 MILES
On the east side of Cernobbio, this small but lush garden makes a fine setting for a stroll. What was once an illegal refuse site has been dramatically…
2.74 MILES
One of the most outstanding stile liberty (Italian art nouveau) villas in the lakes area, Villa Bernasconi was built by successful textile merchant Davide…
2.87 MILES
Following signs out of central Cernobbio, take the scenic drive that winds 17km up through the residential villages behind Cernobbio to Monte Bisbino …
2.98 MILES
Como is flanked to the east and west by steep and thickly wooded hills (scarred in part by the spread of residential housing). Northeast along the…
3.03 MILES
One of the oldest churches on Lake Como, St Martin's dates from the 11th century, and its stolid brick bell tower makes a photogenic backdrop against the…
3.43 MILES
A grand villa overlooking the lake, northwest of the centre, Villa Sucota was built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It has been home to various…