Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Down in Ossuccio itself, the main road runs past the tiny 11th-century
Chiesa dei SS Giac-
omo e Filippo
, whose unique, lollipop-shaped Romanesque bell tower is something of a sym-
bol of Lake Como.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Lenno
POP 1859
It may not look like much from the main road, but it's well worth dropping down into this
lakeside village. Aside from a pretty main square, Lenno is home to one of Lake Como's
most celebrated villas and has a lovely lakeshore promenade.
Sights
Villa Balbianello
( 0344 5 61 10;
www.fondoambiente.it
; Via Comoedia 5, Località Balbianello; villa & gardens adult/child €13/7,
with prior reservation €10/5, gardens only €7/3; gardens 10am-6pm Tue & Thu-Sun mid-Mar-mid-Nov)
A 1km
walk along the lakeshore from Lenno's main square, Villa Balbianello has cinematic pedi-
gree: this was where scenes from the 2006 James Bond remake
Casino Royale
, and
Star
Wars Episode II
, were shot. The reason? It is one of the most dramatic locations anywhere
on Lake Como.
Built by Cardinal Angelo Durini in 1787, Villa Balbianello was used for a while by Al-
lied commanders at the tail end of WWII. The sculpted gardens, which seem to drip off
the high promontory like sauce off a melting gelato cone, are the perfect place for hope-
lessly romantic elopers to spend a day. Visitors are only allowed to walk the 1km path
(amid vegetation so florid as to seem Southeast Asian) from the Lenno landing stage to
the estate on Tuesday and at weekends. On other days, you have to take a
taxi boat
( 0349
2 29 09 53;
www.taxiboatlecco.com
;
return €7)
from Lenno. If you want to see the villa, you must
join a guided tour (generally conducted in Italian) by 4.15pm.
VILLA
Lido di Lenno
( 0344 5 70 93;
www.lidodilenno.com
; Via Comoedia 1; beach access €5; 10am-3.30am daily May-Sep)
Summer evenings in Lenno take on a hedonistic hue at the Lido di Lenno. People from
near and far converge on this artificial sandy beach, located virtually next to the path and
BEACH
