George Clooney, Madonna, Donatella Versace and Sir Richard Branson all own or have owned villas on northern Italy's idyllic Lake Como. Surrounded by roaming mountains and dotted with pastoral villages, it's no wonder that this 28 mile-long, Y-shaped lake in Lombardy has always served as a tranquil paradise for the rich and famous.
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George Clooney bought an £8million mansion in Lake Como in 2002
It was officially put on the map in 2002 when Gravity star George Clooney bought an £8million mansion in the lakeside village of Laglio, and now the handsome Hollywood actor spends up to four months every year amid the locals at his luxury 30-room Villa L'Oleandra.
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George Clooney's Villa L'Oleandra
Sir Richard Branson is reportedly his neighbour, said to own the sumptuous Villa La Cassinella in Lenno, a quaint village on the western side of the lake – accessible only by private motor launch and available for hire with a pricetag of €90,000 per week. Popular since Roman times, the lake is a top romantic travel destination where many celebrities including singer John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have chosen to tie the knot.
A guide to Lake Como
Como, the capital of the province and regarded the silk capital of the world, is home to some 80,000 residents and lies at one end of Italy's most popular lake. Built around its magnificent duomo – regarded as one of the best examples of 'Gothic Renaissance Fusion' – the bustling city has a cosmopolitan feel and wonderful café culture filled with charming piazzas.
Visitors have a range of pretty towns to choose from nestled in the hills of Lake Como. Bellagio, known as the pearl of the lake, is situated where the three branches of the lake come together. Here you'll also find The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, one of the oldest and most elegant hotels in the area and the only 5-star de-luxe hotel in Bellagio.
Bellagio is known as the 'pearl of the lake'
Meanwhile, Villa d'Este occupies a pristine position on the banks of the lake, in the village of Cernobbio on the west coast, and, now a luxury hotel, is one of the most famous of Lake Como's villas.
Villa d'Este
The well-known and idyllic village of Tremezzo – situated near Lenno – is home to Villa Balbianello, with its magnificent gardens and unmissable views. The 17th century Villa Carlotta is also found here. One of Lake Como's most visited villas boasts an immense garden offering more than 500 species and varieties of plants, trees and flowers including azaleas, rhododendrons and ancient cedars and sequoias, as well as a masterpiece by famous Italian sculptor Canova.
The Village of Tremezzo
