Villa del Balbianello is a beautiful villa with terraced gardens, panoramic views, and a long history. It is on the Laredo headland next to the town of Lenno.
Balbianello sits high on a hill, surrounded by thick woods and water, and can be accessed through a footpath or by boat.
It has played host to some influential and Nobel people over the centuries and remains one of the most famous residences in Lake Como, Italy.
One of the most famous properties around, thousands of visitors come each week to explore the grounds. From transportation, ticket options, and historical information, this guide includes everything you need to visit Villa del Balbianello.
History of Villa del Balbianello
The villa was first owned and built by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini in 1781. Before that, the only thing located on the peninsula was a Franciscan monastery from the 13th century.
He came here to get away from the big city and loved to host friends and study. It was in his possession until 1796, when it was passed down to his nephew. For over 100 years, the villa was passed along to several owners and eventually fell into extreme disrepair.
In 1919 the villa was purchased by Butler Ames, an American businessman who spent a small fortune to renovate the property to its former glory.
Finally, it passed into the hands of the Italian explorer Guido Monzino. He filled the home with artifacts from his many expeditions and rare pieces of English and French furnishings. He even added a secret underground passage that connects the main buildings to the Loggia.
Today, Villa del Balbianello is owned by the FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italian), a historic preservation organization. The villa is now open five days a week to visitors and private tours. You can even rent it out as a luxury wedding venue.
How to Get to Villa del Balbianello
There are a few ways to get to Villa del Balbinello, but it can be tricky depending on where you are coming. Here is a detailed breakdown of you to get to Villa del Balbianello from nearby towns.
Ways to Get to Villa del Balbianello
- From Varenna or Bellagio to Villa del Balbianello:
- You will first need to take the ferry to the town of Lenno. From there, it is about a 30-minute walk to the villa. Next, you will walk around the city’s edge to a small parking area at the front of the property. From there, it is an uphill journey through a treelined path to the villa entrance.
- If you do not want to walk, you may be able to find a taxi to take you from Lenno. If you have a car with you, you can take it across the lake on a ferry and drive from Lenno to the villa entrance.
- A third option is to take a water taxi from Lenno straight to the villa. This is the most scenic of the three options!
- From Mennagio or Tramezzo:
- Since both of these towns are on the same side of the lake as Villa del Balbianello, you can get to Villa del Balbianello by taxi. Ask your hotel concierge to call one for you! Once you reach Lenno, you will walk around 1.5 miles to the villa around the edge of the town. If you do not feel like walking, taxi boats can take you straight there.
- You can also take the ferry to Lenno, but it will take much longer than traveling from Varenna or Bellagio due to the routes’ routes.
Most Popular Forms of Transportation
Walk from Lenno
The town of Lenno is just around a 20–30-minute walk from the villa’s entrance. Once getting to the edge of town, you will take a marked trail through the forest to the villa entrance. Just a heads up, it is uphill the entire way!
Take a Water Taxi
There is a boat dock at the bottom of the villa. The primary way to get here is using the Lenno taxi boat service that can take you to and from the property. You will then follow a winding path around the church to the villa’s entrance.
Use a Car
There is a small parking lot at the foot of the property. Parking here is free, and you can also find some street parking. You will have a 10-minute uphill hike through the forest to get to the entrance.
Villa del Balbianello Tours and Tickets
Villa del Balbianello Hours
- Open from Mid-March to Mid-November
- Opening Times: 10 am – 6 pm (Last admission at 5 pm for gardens and 4:30 for villa tours)
- Closed Mondays, Wednesdays, and holidays
Entrance Tickets
- Garden Tickets: Adults €11, Children €6, National Trust Members and Students €9.
- Garden and Villa Tickets: Adults €22, Children €12, National Trust Members and Students €16.
The Garden and Villa ticket includes a 1-hour tour. Tours are offered in English and Italian and are in small groups of up to 15.
We only waited 10 minutes for our tour to begin, but depending on what time of year you visit Villa del Balbianello and the number of people, it may be longer. You can choose your time slot in advance if you purchase your ticket online.
Purchasing Tickets
You can buy tickets at the entrance or online at www.villabalbianello.it
Touring Villa del Balbianello
The Main Building
The villa consists of two buildings and a church. The larger main building of the 18th-century mansion comprises 25 rooms and houses artifacts worldwide. It is adorned in a mixture of furnishing dating back to the 1600s. The top floor of the villa, which sites above ground, was the main living area, with guest rooms, a kitchen, and an entertainment area below.
The main floor library has a spiral staircase that leads up to another room dedicated to his explorations. Guido, who led the first Italian expedition to Mount Everest, has an extensive collection of items from his travels displayed up there.
The entire main building is five levels and built into the rocks. What makes this property unique is that with each level, the number of rooms gets less and less as they dig further into the rock. The actual main door of the villa is on the bottom floor, closest to the water and just in front of the boat dock.
A fun fact about some of the rooms is that they have fake windows. Since several rooms are carved in the rock wall, fake windows with hidden lights behind them were made to give the illusion of light.
The Loggia
The beautiful terrace is where you will get some of the best views and pictures of the villa. It was built perfectly parallel to the peninsula on which it sits to give guests panoramic views of the lake. The Loggia terrace is between a music room and library.
It is also where many weddings are hosted. Unfortunately, there was a wedding taking place during our visit. Thankfully, once our tour was over, the party had moved to the reception, and we could go up and look.
Villa del Balbianello in Film
Villa del Balbianello was first made famous as being the setting of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. It was then later featured in the James Bond Casino Royale movie. Used as a private hospital, there are several filming locations for the Bond film, including the outside lawns where he spends much of his time recuperating.
Weddings at Villa del Balbianello
The stunning mansion is easily one of the prettiest places to get married in Lake Como. Weddings are extremely popular here, for obvious reasons! There was even a wedding taking place during our visit.
The ceremony took place on the Loggia, followed by a reception in a private ballroom covered in moss and floor-to-ceiling windows. Due to the ceremony, our tour guide started us by touring the main building. By the time we finished, the ceremony had ended, and we could explore the beautiful views of the lake from the Loggia.
Weddings here are not as pricey as you may think! Small weddings during visiting hours start as low as 2,000. Of course, larger weddings after hours can cost a pretty penny.
Places to Stay Near Villa del Balbianello
Hotel Il Perlo Panorama
This hotel has private gardens and a terrace for guests to enjoy. If you are interested in cycling around the lake, this hotel is great. They are very knowledgeable about the best paths to take and offer guided bike tours and rentals.
Make sure to take advantage of their restaurant, which offers outdoor seating with a spectacular view. After 5:00 pm, a wine expert will also be available for wine tastings!
Mid-Range: Check Availability | Location: Bellagio
Royal Victoria
Named after Queen Victoria, who visited in 1838, this beautiful hotel is full of historic charm. It offers several types of rooms and four suites to choose from.
The Royal Victoria also has two restaurants and three bars for guests to enjoy. The best part about your stay is that the concierge will help you plan out an itinerary or suggest the best places to visit and dine.
Mid-Range: Check Availability | Location: Varenna
Grand Hotel Tremezzo
If you want to stay in a luxury hotel, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is as luxurious as it gets. The hotel contains multiple types of rooms to choose from and eight rooftop suites with private terraces overlooking the water.
Guests can enjoy access to their full-service spa, three pools, a private beach, and a park. The most popular area for guests is the “floating” pool that sits in the middle of the lake.
Hotel Tremezzo has many dinner choices for guests. For a fine-dining experience, the Gualtiero Marchesi offers only the best Italian dishes.
Try the T-Pizza bar outside in the gardens for a more laid-back option. Make sure to take advantage of the many bars around the hotel and wine cellar.
Luxury: Check Availability | Location: Tremezzo
AirBnb
Airbnb is another popular option in Lake Como. There are numerous wonderful homes in town, near the water, and up in the mountains.
Many people like to book an Airbnb when staying in Lake Como for longer periods of time because many include kitchens, multiple bedrooms, and private outdoor areas. Airbnbs can also be a less expensive option than some of the hotels.
Conclusion
Villa del Balbianello is an exquisite property in the heart of Lake Como. One of the most well-known villas, I highly recommend adding it to your itinerary.
I hope this guide will help you visit Villa del Balbianello during your travels! For additional things to do in Lake Como, check out some of my Lake Como posts below.
Enjoyed this post? Here are some other Italian destinations!
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Lake Como
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- Rental Car: RentalCars.com is my go-to site when booking rentals. They work with 900 companies worldwide to help you find the best car for your needs and budget.
- Trains: Rail Europe is the leading company in Europe for train travel in Europe. They help you easily book passage by looking at routes, timetables, and prices for 50 different train companies.
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SCHEDULE YOUR TOURS | There are many top companies available in Europe. Get Your Guide is one of the best sites for tours, excursions, and activities. Viator is another terrific website for all types of experiences.
GET TRAVEL INSURANCE | Having travel insurance is always a good idea. World Nomads is one of the top travel insurance companies. It will cover you if you must cancel your trip or if something unexpected happens.
Check out the resource page for additional travel planning resources.
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