SAILING THROUGH WONDERLAND

Glide through a dream landscape on this full-day lake spree from Como or Cernobbio. Meet your guide at your accommodation and together reach the dock. Here your skipper will be waiting ready to lead you on an unforgettable exploration of this watery wonderland. Hop aboard your private boat and let the adventure begin!

As you cruise along watch the delightful views of Lake Como’s winding shoreline unravel in front of you: dark green forested slopes rising against a backdrop of majestic snowy peaks, elegant mansions set amongst lush Mediterranean foliage, lavish terraced gardens tumbling right down to the banks, charming villages sprinkled with pastel-hued buildings. Such a setting would seem to belong to the sphere of landscape painting and yet you’re in it and it’s real! Here natural beauty, botanical rarities, art treasures and architectural marvels merge perfectly, creating one of Italy’s finest scenes. Poet Percy Shelley navigated these waters, enjoying the very same sights you admire today, as he cruised from Como to Tremezzina: “The union of culture and the untameable profusion and loveliness of nature is here so close that the line where they are divided can hardly be discovered”, he noted in a letter dated 1818. You will sail by Villa d’Este, once a Renaissance residence and today a luxurious hotel, glimpse views of the privately owned exclusive Villa Oleandra and Villa La Cassinella, glide past the tiny Comacina Island and dock at Villa Carlotta.

Built between 1690 and 1743 for the pleasure-seeking marquis Giorgio Clerici, the villa now houses an exquisite museum. Sculpted masterpieces by Antonio Canova and Bertel Thorvaldsen are on display together with a fine collection of paintings, cameos, furniture and decorative pieces from the mid-19th century. The eight-hectare neighbouring garden is a triumph of colour and variety and provides a magnificent backdrop to the splendid palazzo. Five hundred different botanical species, including hydrangeas, rhododendrons, palms, tropical plants and aromatic herbs flourish in this romantic oasis, rated among Italy’s most beautiful gardens by prestigious local and international magazines.

Following the visit, a short ride by taxi boat will bring you to Bellagio, the celebrated “pearl of the lake”. Enjoy some free time for lunch, before stepping into the ravishing gardens of Villa Melzi. First built as the summer residence of politician Francesco Melzi d’Eril, ally of Napoleon and vice president of the Italian Republic from 1802 to 1805, the Neoclassical-style villa is owned today by a local aristocratic family. Although the interior is not accessible to the public, guests may take a scenic walk through the grounds designed by architect Luigi Canonica and agronomist Luigi Villoresi in the early 1800s. Once a favourite picnic spot of the composer Franz Lizst, perhaps he had this very oasis in mind when he gave the following tip to the author Louis de Ronchaud in 1837: “When you write the story of two happy lovers, place them on the shores of Lake Como. I do not know of any land so conspicuously blessed by heaven”. Here you may amble along winding paths, flanked by statues, flower beds and centuries-old trees, admire a range of exotic plants such as Ginkgo Biloba, Bamboo and Japanese maples, feast your eyes on colourful camellias and azaleas and saunter around the oriental-style pond.

Next, your guide will accompany you up steep stone steps lined with pastel-hued houses, cosy cafes and flowering balconies to the heart of the old town. After an introduction to the history of Bellagio and its major landmarks, you may take some free time to browse around boutiques and craft shops.

In the afternoon your chauffeur will pick you up in Bellagio and drive you back to your accommodation in Como or Cernobbio.