Milan and Lake Como
Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide | No trip to Italy is complete without Milan and Lake Como. In Milan we'll take a peek at Italy's highest fashion, fanciest delis, grandest cemetery, and greatest opera house...not to mention Leonardo's Last Supper. Then we'll cruise along Lake Como, settling down in the lakeside village of Varenna...classic honeymoon country, where Italy meets the Alps.
© 2006 Rick Steves' Europe
Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy
Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy's Natural Beauty
Lake Como is situated in Como province in Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is part of the Italian Lake District. Popular with visitors for well over 100 years for its combination of fresh air, water, mountains and good weather, it's still worth a visit.
The Lake is shaped rather like an inverted 'Y', with two 'legs' starting at Como in the South-West and Lecco in the South-East, which join together half way up and the lake continues up to Colico in the North. The first few kilometres of the 'legs' at the southern end of the lake are relatively flat, but Lake Como becomes more mountainous as you head northwards into the Alps. Some of the nearby peaks go slightly above the tree-line so the views are really impressive. In the winter, there is skiing in the nearby valleys.
The area around Lake Como, or Lago di Como in Italian, is pretty characteristic. It has a kind of flair and sense of history that tends to impress its visitors in a sense deeper than only from a touristic point of view. It has been appreciated for its beauty and uniqueness for ages, and even as early as the Roman Times. Its atmosphere and natural surroundings have been the inspiration for an important part of the creation of Naboo, in the Star Wars movies.
Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many villas and palaces. Many famous people have or have had homes on the shores of Lake Como, such as Madonna, George Clooney, Ronaldinho and Sylvester Stallone. Lake Como is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe.
QUESTIONS?
We would like to hear from you! If you have any comments or questions about this destination or just need some general travel advice, feel free to leave a comment below!
ABOUT
VideoVoyage.TV is a travel channel specializing in informative videos about various travel destinations around the world. We are publishing a short video every day starting with places around Southeast Asia, but planning to extend our coverage to Europe and the Caribbean in the upcoming months.
SUBSCRIBE
CONNECT
Website:
Google+:
Twitter:
Instagram:
Tumblr:
Facebook:
YouTube:
Lake Como, Como, Lombardy, Italy, Europe
Lake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 square kilometres (56 sq mi), making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over 400 metres (1,300 feet) deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe, and the bottom of the lake is more than 200 metres (660 ft) below sea level. Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many villas and palaces (such as Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni, and Villa Carlotta). Many famous people have or have had homes on the shores of Lake Como, such as Matthew Bellamy, Madonna, George Clooney, Gianni Versace, Ronaldinho, Sylvester Stallone, Julian Lennon, Richard Branson, Ben Spies, and Pierina Legnani. Lake Como is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe. As a tourist destination, Lake Como is popular for its landscapes, wildlife, and spas. It is a venue for sailing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing. In 1818 Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote to Thomas Love Peacock: This lake exceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty, with the exception of the arbutus islands of Killarney. It is long and narrow, and has the appearance of a mighty river winding among the mountains and the forests. The lake is well known for the attractive villas that have been built there since Roman times, when Pliny the Younger built the Comedia and the Tragedia resorts. Many villas on the lake shores have admirable gardens that benefit from the mild climate induced by the stabilising presence of 22.5 km³ of lake water and are fit to host tropical plants. Villa Carlotta was built for the Milanese Marquis Giorgio Clerici in 1690 and occupies a site of over 70,000m² (17 acres) at Tremezzo, facing the Bellagio peninsula. An Italian garden (with steps, fountains, and sculptures) was laid out at the same time. The villa was later sold to powerful banker and Napoleonic politician Giovanni Battista Sommariva. Stendhal was his guest in 1818, and his visit is recalled at the start of La Chartreuse de Parme. In 1843 it was purchased by Princess Marianne of Nassau as a wedding present for her daughter Carlotta, after whom the villa is now named. The latter, together with her husband Georg II of Saxen-Meiningen, laid out the woodland landscape park in Romantic style. The villa today includes a museum of agricultural implements as well as important works of sculpture by Sommariva’s friend Antonio Canova and by Luigi Acquisti. Villa d'Este, in Cernobbio, was built in 1568 by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio, a native of the town. In 1816–17 the villa was home to Caroline of Brunswick, estranged wife of the Prince of Wales and shortly to become Queen Consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom. The landscaped gardens in the English style are a product of this period. Later in the century it was turned into a luxury hotel. Today the Villa d’Este is known for attracting celebrity guests. Villa del Balbianello, famous for its elaborate terraced gardens, lies on a promontory of the western shore of the lake near Isola Comacina. Built in 1787 on the site of a Franciscan monastery, it was the final home of the explorer Guido Monzino and today houses a museum devoted to his work. Villa Melzi d'Eril in Bellagio was built in neo-classical style by architect Giocondo Albertolli in 1808–10 as the summer residence of Duke Francesco Melzi d'Eril, who was vice-president of the Napoleonic Italian Republic. The park includes an orangery, a private chapel, fine statues, and a Japanese garden, and is planted, as often on lake Como, with huge rhododendrons. 19th-century guests at the Villa included Stendhal and Franz Liszt. Villa Serbelloni, also in Bellagio, hosts the Rockfeller Foundation Bellagio Center, a 50-acre (200,000 m2) international conference center set up and managed by the Rockefeller Foundation since 1959, which also operates a scholar-in-residence program for scholars from around the world. This is believed to have been the site of Pliny the Younger’s villa Tragedia. Its well-known park was created at the end of the 18th century by Alessandro Serbelloni. The Lake Como ferry service is a highly developed public transport system linking the many small towns around the Lake. A motorized service began in 1826 when a steamship with sails, the “Lario”, was launched by the newly established Società privilegiata per l'impresa dei battelli a vapore nel Regno Lombardo Veneto. Since 1952 the system has been run under the auspices of a government organization called first the Gestione Commissariale Governativa and subsequently the Gestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi, which is also responsible for services on Lake Maggiore and Lake Garda. The lake's name in Latin is Larius, Italianised as Lario, but this name is rarely used; it is usually called Lago di Como (literally ‘lake of Como’).
Lake Como, Como, Lombardy, Italy, Europe
Lake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 square kilometres (56 sq mi), making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over 400 metres (1,300 feet) deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe, and the bottom of the lake is more than 200 metres (660 ft) below sea level. Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many villas and palaces (such as Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni, and Villa Carlotta). Many famous people have or have had homes on the shores of Lake Como, such as Matthew Bellamy, Madonna, George Clooney, Gianni Versace, Ronaldinho, Sylvester Stallone, Julian Lennon, Richard Branson, Ben Spies, and Pierina Legnani. Lake Como is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe. As a tourist destination, Lake Como is popular for its landscapes, wildlife, and spas. It is a venue for sailing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing. In 1818 Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote to Thomas Love Peacock: This lake exceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty, with the exception of the arbutus islands of Killarney. It is long and narrow, and has the appearance of a mighty river winding among the mountains and the forests. The lake is well known for the attractive villas that have been built there since Roman times, when Pliny the Younger built the Comedia and the Tragedia resorts. Many villas on the lake shores have admirable gardens that benefit from the mild climate induced by the stabilising presence of 22.5 km³ of lake water and are fit to host tropical plants. Villa Carlotta was built for the Milanese Marquis Giorgio Clerici in 1690 and occupies a site of over 70,000m² (17 acres) at Tremezzo, facing the Bellagio peninsula. An Italian garden (with steps, fountains, and sculptures) was laid out at the same time. The villa was later sold to powerful banker and Napoleonic politician Giovanni Battista Sommariva. Stendhal was his guest in 1818, and his visit is recalled at the start of La Chartreuse de Parme. In 1843 it was purchased by Princess Marianne of Nassau as a wedding present for her daughter Carlotta, after whom the villa is now named. The latter, together with her husband Georg II of Saxen-Meiningen, laid out the woodland landscape park in Romantic style. The villa today includes a museum of agricultural implements as well as important works of sculpture by Sommariva’s friend Antonio Canova and by Luigi Acquisti. Villa d'Este, in Cernobbio, was built in 1568 by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio, a native of the town. In 1816–17 the villa was home to Caroline of Brunswick, estranged wife of the Prince of Wales and shortly to become Queen Consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom. The landscaped gardens in the English style are a product of this period. Later in the century it was turned into a luxury hotel. Today the Villa d’Este is known for attracting celebrity guests. Villa del Balbianello, famous for its elaborate terraced gardens, lies on a promontory of the western shore of the lake near Isola Comacina. Built in 1787 on the site of a Franciscan monastery, it was the final home of the explorer Guido Monzino and today houses a museum devoted to his work. Villa Melzi d'Eril in Bellagio was built in neo-classical style by architect Giocondo Albertolli in 1808–10 as the summer residence of Duke Francesco Melzi d'Eril, who was vice-president of the Napoleonic Italian Republic. The park includes an orangery, a private chapel, fine statues, and a Japanese garden, and is planted, as often on lake Como, with huge rhododendrons. 19th-century guests at the Villa included Stendhal and Franz Liszt. Villa Serbelloni, also in Bellagio, hosts the Rockfeller Foundation Bellagio Center, a 50-acre (200,000 m2) international conference center set up and managed by the Rockefeller Foundation since 1959, which also operates a scholar-in-residence program for scholars from around the world. This is believed to have been the site of Pliny the Younger’s villa Tragedia. Its well-known park was created at the end of the 18th century by Alessandro Serbelloni. The Lake Como ferry service is a highly developed public transport system linking the many small towns around the Lake. A motorized service began in 1826 when a steamship with sails, the “Lario”, was launched by the newly established Società privilegiata per l'impresa dei battelli a vapore nel Regno Lombardo Veneto. Since 1952 the system has been run under the auspices of a government organization called first the Gestione Commissariale Governativa and subsequently the Gestione Governativa Navigazione Laghi, which is also responsible for services on Lake Maggiore and Lake Garda. The lake's name in Latin is Larius, Italianised as Lario, but this name is rarely used; it is usually called Lago di Como (literally ‘lake of Como’).
Amazing lake Como, Lombardy, Italy
Mezzegra, Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy, Europe
Mezzegra is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy. It lies on the northwestern shore of Lake Como between Tremezzo and Lenno at the foot of Monte Tremezzo (1700 m). It is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Milan and about 20 kilometres (12 mi) northeast of Como. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,016 and an area of 3.4 km². Mezzegra borders the following municipalities: Grandola ed Uniti, Lenno, Tremezzo. On 28 April 1945 in Giulino, a frazione of Mezzegra, Benito Mussolini and his lover Claretta Petacci were executed by partisan fighters.
Colonno, Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy, Europe
Colonno is a municipality in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Milan and about 15 kilometres (9 mi) northeast of Como. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 557 and an area of 5.7 km². Colonno borders the following municipalities: Argegno, Laino, Lezzeno, Ossuccio, Pigra, Ponna, Sala Comacina.
Lake Como Lombardy Italy
Como lake is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 square kilometres (56 sq mi), making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over 400 metres (1,300 feet) deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe, and the bottom of the lake is more than 200 metres (660 ft) below sea level.
Lake Como, Griante, Como, Lombardy, Italy, Europe
Lake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 square kilometres (56 sq mi), making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over 400 metres (1,300 feet) deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe, and the bottom of the lake is more than 200 metres (660 ft) below sea level. Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many villas and palaces (such as Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni, and Villa Carlotta). Many famous people have or have had homes on the shores of Lake Como, such as Matthew Bellamy, Madonna, George Clooney, Gianni Versace, Ronaldinho, Sylvester Stallone, Julian Lennon, Richard Branson, Ben Spies, and Pierina Legnani. Lake Como is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe. The lake's name in Latin is Larius, Italianised as Lario, but this name is rarely used; it is usually called Lago di Como (literally ‘lake of Como’). In guidebooks the lake may be variously referred to as Lake Como, Lake of Como, or Como Lake. Its name comes from the city of Como, known to the Romans as Comum. While the town of Como is referred to as Como, the lake itself is never referred to solely by this name. This is not true of another lake in Italy, Lake Garda, where Garda may refer to either the town fronting the lake, or the lake itself. The lake is shaped much like the letter Y. The northern branch begins at the town of Colico, while the towns of Como and Lecco sit at the ends of the southwestern and southeastern branches respectively. The small towns of Bellagio, Menaggio and Lierna are situated at the intersection of the three branches of the lake: a triangular boat service operates between them. The Lierna area is an historical charming site of the lake with a white beach and a famous castle.
Lake Como is fed primarily by the Adda River, which enters the lake near Colico and flows out at Lecco. This geological conformation makes the southwestern branch a dead end, and so Como, unlike Lecco, is often flooded. The mountainous pre-alpine territory between the two southern arms of the lake (between Como, Bellagio, and Lecco) is known as the Larian Triangle, or Triangolo lariano. The source of the river Lambro is here. At the centre of the triangle, the town of Canzo is the seat of the Comunità montana del Triangolo Lariano, an association of the 31 municipalities that represent the 71,000 inhabitants of the area. Lake Como weather is generally mild. It is known for its Mediterranean-like climate where tropical and sub-tropical plants can grow year-round.[citation needed] In the winter, the lake helps to maintain a higher temperature in the surrounding region. Average daily temperatures range from about 2 °C (36 °F) in January to 30 °C (86 °F) in July. Water temperatures can reach an average of 24 °C (75 °F) during the month of July. Snowfall is erratic and primarily affects the higher elevations. Rainfall is heaviest in May and lowest during the winter months. As a tourist destination, Lake Como is popular for its landscapes, wildlife, and spas. It is a venue for sailing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing. In 1818 Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote to Thomas Love Peacock: This lake exceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty, with the exception of the arbutus islands of Killarney. It is long and narrow, and has the appearance of a mighty river winding among the mountains and the forests. The lake is well known for the attractive villas that have been built there since Roman times, when Pliny the Younger built the Comedia and the Tragedia resorts. Many villas on the lake shores have admirable gardens that benefit from the mild climate induced by the stabilising presence of 22.5 km³ of lake water and are fit to host tropical plants. Villa Carlotta was built for the Milanese Marquis Giorgio Clerici in 1690 and occupies a site of over 70,000m² (17 acres) at Tremezzo, facing the Bellagio peninsula. An Italian garden (with steps, fountains, and sculptures) was laid out at the same time. The villa was later sold to powerful banker and Napoleonic politician Giovanni Battista Sommariva. Stendhal was his guest in 1818, and his visit is recalled at the start of La Chartreuse de Parme. In 1843 it was purchased by Princess Marianne of Nassau as a wedding present for her daughter Carlotta, after whom the villa is now named. The latter, together with her husband Georg II of Saxen-Meiningen, laid out the woodland landscape park in Romantic style.
Jelajah Eropa #16: LAKE COMO - LOMBARDY — ITALIA
Lake Como - Lombardy - Italy
Lake Como (Lago di Como), is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 sq. km., making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over 400 meters (1,300 ft) deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe.
Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems.
A Visit to Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy
This travel video consists of Lake Como beautiful Images, Lombardy, Italy.
********************************************************************
Audio Courtesy from: Jasper Sawyer is a famous musician and one of the highest synced indie artists on YouTube. Jasper Sawyer Team granted permission to use his copyright free music to my YouTube videos at no cost.
MUSIC:
Rocks
_____Written, arranged and produced by Jasper Sawyer.
======================================================
Thanks for watching!
Please subscribe for more videos
Italy | Lake Como | Lombardy | 1973
Stunning Lake Como in the Italian region of Lombardy. Popular holiday spot of the rich, famous and aristocrats alike.
Filmed in 1973.
First Transmitted in 04/02/1974
Quote: VT7793
Music:
Passing Time - Kevin MacLeod
Varenna, the Village on the Lake (EN) - Lake Como - Lombardy - Italia.it
Varenna, a magnificent fishing village on the shores of Lake Como, dates back to the 11th Century.
Those that walk its streets and pass by its perfumed gardens can breathe in the air of other times, and those strolling along the nearby lake pathway will be rewarded with a magnificent and romantic panorama.
Castello di Vezio, used by Queen Theodelinda as a lookout point, hovers over Varenna, while a couple of luxe villas also decorate the scene - Villa Cipressi, with its terraced garden, and Villa Monastero, with a 2-kilometer long lakefront garden. The beauty and unique atmosphere of this spectacular lakeside village contribute to its reputation for being both inspirational and relaxing.
Brienno,Lake Como,Lombardy Italy
Brienno is a very nice small village on the western side of Lake Como in Lombardy,Italy.
Lake Como, Italy: Bellagio and Varenna
More info about travel to the Italian Lakes: Lake Como — lined with palm trees and elegant pastel-colored villas, crowned by snowcapped mountains, and criss-crossed by a fleet of ferries and hydrofoils — is a great place to take a break from the intensity of Italy that one finds further south. Bellagio is a classy combination of Old World elegance and new world luxury. Varenna has a romantic waterside promenade, a tiny harbor, and inviting narrow lanes. Subscribe at for weekly updates on more European destinations.
Visit to learn about Rick Steves' European tour packages, including the Best of Italy in 17 Days.
Visit for more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations, and more.
Como Tells Its Story (EN) - Lake Como - Lombardy - Italia.it
Lake Como, 30 miles from Milan, offers one of the most evocative natural settings in all of Lombardy. On its shores sprouts the City of Como, namesake of the Lake itself.
Como proudly displays to visitors its dual character: that of an art city rich in history, and that of an active center buzzing with modern life.
Close to the coast rises the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, with its magnificent Gothic facade, its Renaissance absidal complex, and its Baroque dome by Filippo Juvarra.
Como also offers walks through other epochs, particularly Medieval Como, returned to its former splendor after significant restoration works.
Bellagio, Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy
Lake side view of Lake Como at Bellagio
Isola Comacina, Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy, Europe
Isola Comacina is a small wooded island of Italy's Lake Como, administratively a part of the commune of Ossuccio. It is located close to the western shore of the Como arm of the lake in front of a gulf known as Zoca de l'oli, a Lombard name referring to the local small-scale production of olive oil. In the late 6th century (c. 587) the island was a remaining Roman stronghold under Francio, a subordinate of Narses; though the areas surrounding Lake Como were entirely controlled by the Lombards. The island was besieged for a good deal of time by the Lombards under Authari who released Francio to flee back to Narses' capital at Ravenna. The Lombards found the island to contain many riches deposited for safekeeping by local Roman loyalists. In 1919 the island was given to Belgium, in homage to King Albert I. The island was returned the following year.