Villa Carlotta

Top choice


The star of the show on a lake shore not bereft of elegant touches, the Villa Carlotta is a fabulous fusion of neoclassical architecture and harmonious garden design. The botanic gardens are filled with colour from orange trees interlaced with pergolas, while some of Europe's finest rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias bloom. The 8-hectare gardens also contain a lush fern valley, a bamboo grove, a Zen-style rock garden, towering cedars and a high-up lookout fringed by olive trees.

The 17th-century villa, set off by a sculpture of Venus and Mars by Luigi Acquisiti, adds a wonderful human touch to the surroundings, with bright uncluttered rooms embellished with a minimalist selection of sculpture, paintings and tapestries.

The name of the villa comes from the Prussian princess who was given the place in 1847 as a wedding present from her mother. Upstairs, rooms with period furniture provide an irresistible insight into the royal lifestyle. You, too, can swan from the Salotto Impero (Empire Room) to Carlotta's bedroom and wonder just what it must have been like to hit the hay after a hard day at the lake.

Villa Carlotta has its own ferry dock.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Villa Melzi d'Eril

1.14 MILES

The grounds of neoclassical Villa Melzi d’Eril are a highlight among Lake Como's (many) delightful places. The villa was built in 1808 for one of Napoleon…

2. Basilica di San Giacomo

1.41 MILES

Bellagio's most interesting Romanesque church is the Basilica di San Giacomo, built in the 12th century by master builders from Como.

3. Villa Serbelloni

1.52 MILES

The lavish gardens of Villa Serbelloni cover much of the promontory on which Bellagio sits. The villa has been a magnet for Europe's great and good,…

4. Lido di Lenno

2.06 MILES

Summer evenings in Lenno take on a hedonistic hue at the Lido di Lenno. People from near and far converge on this artificial sandy beach, located…

5. Villa Balbianello

2.13 MILES

A 1km walk along the (partially wooded) lake shore from Lenno's main square, Villa Balbianello has cinematic pedigree: this was where scenes from Star…

6. Santuario della Madonna del Soccorso

2.82 MILES

On the heights above Ossuccio, this lavish sanctuary is the destination for devoted pilgrims who make the steep 30-minute climb, passing a series of…

7. Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista

2.84 MILES

Much overlooked in all the excitement about Varenna's villas are the lovely 14th-century frescoes, somewhat damaged but nevertheless full of colour,…

8. Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena

2.86 MILES

This tiny Romanesque church was first mentioned in 1169, and was likely built in the 11th century. Faint frescoes remain in the interior of the church,…