Bellagio

At the junction of the two southern arms of Lake Como, Bellagio is a pretty village known as the “pearl of Lake Como”, a resort town situated on the promontory of land that juts out between the waters. It was in this exceptional setting that aristocratic and bourgeois villas were built from the 18th century onwards. These played host to historical celebrities such as Napoleon, Liszt and Manzoni.
It is a tourist destination, well supplied with cafés and restaurants. Despite its sometimes slightly excessive crowds, the place retains a great magnetism, with its small hill surrounded by the two arms of the lake that meet at the tip, at Punta Spartivento. You can reach it via lakeside walks, or by crossing the remarkable historic centre, whose picturesque alleys are made up of colourful houses, stairways and old churches.
Two of the villas stand out and can be visited: the Villa Serbelloni on a promontory with its terraced garden that hosted emperors and Manzoni, and the Villa Melzi, a 19th-century neo-classical villa with its English-style garden that welcomed Bonaparte and Liszt.
From Bellagio you can reach several other villages on the lake by boat, including the two other shores.

Visiting Bellagio

The Villa Serbelloni, not far from the tip on the western side, is one of the symbols of Bellagio, built in the 17th century on the remains of an old castle, bought from the Sfondrati by the great Lombard Serbelloni family, which is now a prestigious hotel belonging to the Rockefeller Foundation, hosting international congresses. Visitors can discover its charming labyrinthine gardens, with its terraced park criss-crossed by paths, exotic plants and rose gardens. They can be visited from late March to early November.
Illustrious guests have stayed here for a long time, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Cardinal Borromeo, and in the 19th century for example Alessandro Manzoni, Emperor Francis I of Austria, Kaiser Wilhelm and the King of Italy Umberto I.

In the nearby historic centre, the Basilica of San Giacomo (Saint James in English) is a beautiful 12th-century church in the Lombard Romanesque style, with a fine bell tower. The interior preserves works of great value, including the triptych of the Virgin with Saints Rocco and Sebastiano and the Deposition of Jesus, from the school of Perugino.

South of the centre, the Villa Melzi is a neo-classical building from the early 19th century, with a sober façade and its English-style garden. It notably welcomed Bonaparte and Liszt. The vast green space is adorned with works such as Egyptian statues and Etruscan urns, amid rare plants, centuries-old trees, etc. The interior was carefully furnished by the best sculptors, upholsterers and painters of the time, including canvases by Appiani and sculptures by Canova.
The villa is private, but its gardens can be visited from late March to early November.

About 2 km south of the town centre, the charming Baroque church of San Giovanni preserves a fine high altar and an altarpiece with the Risen Christ by Gaudenzio Ferrari.
Next to it, the Museum of Navigation Instruments displays a collection of sundials, astrolabes and other instruments, dedicated to maritime history. It contains more than two hundred objects.

In the surrounding area, the Lariano triangle, between Bellagio, Como and Lecco, is a massif between the two arms of the lake, whose peaks offer beautiful panoramas, such as from Monte San Primo (1682 m), Monte Palanzone (1436 m) and the Corni di Canzo (1373 m).
You can also set off from Bellagio on boat excursions to discover beautiful sites in this part of the lake, such as Menaggio, Varenna, Villa Carlotta, Tremezzo and Lenno.

Information

• Bellagio municipal website: www.comune.bellagio.co.it
• Article Wikipedia
• Tourist portals: www.bellagiolakecomo.com, www.in-lombardia.it

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