Bellagio Como Lake: the pearl
Bellagio Como Lake has been called “the pearl of Lake Como” and is perhaps the most famous Lake Como town in the world.
It has the reputation of being considered one of the most beautiful panoramic terraces in Italy and is famous for its picturesque location. It is in fact right on the tip of Lake Como which joins the two branches. In particular: that of Como and that of Lecco (Punta Spartivento – the most extreme point of Bellagio).
It is not only high-class hotels and restaurants, where elegance is the master, that makes the Lombard location a real gem. But also the ancient and suggestive houses of the old village. As well as the mysterious alleys and characteristic cobbled stairways where colorful shops parade one after the other that offer different quality products.
Position
Thanks to its particular position, Bellagio is a unique place. This cute small village is capable of making even the most demanding tourist fall in love. The tourist does not fail to be enchanted by its beauty. And thanks to the fact that you are in the middle of Lake Como, Bellagio offers a truly 360 ° panoramic view of the Alpine peaks. First of all on the eastern branch of the lake, where you can see the peaks of Grigne. As well as Grignone and Grignetta. Going north with Monte Legnone. Up up to Valtellina and the Alps Chain.
Bellagio enjoys a temperate microclimate comparable to that of the Ligurian Riviera. Thanks to this feature, Bellagio is one of the first holiday destinations in Northern Italy. This since ancient Roman times. To then leave traces in the thoughts of many European writers, including Flaubert and Stendhal.
Hotels, villas and more
One of the most renowned and world-renowned hotels in “the pearl of Lake Como” is undoubtedly the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, a 5-star luxury hotel. It was first built in 1850 as a luxury holiday villa on the lake shore for a noble family from Bergamo (Count Frizzoni). Later in 1873 it has been transformed into the Grand Hotel. From the beginning it had a great success and became the destination of nobles from all over the world. The Empire, Neoclassical and Liberty styles cross harmoniously to please and enchant the wealthy guests of the time. In 1918 it became property of the Bucher family, pioneers of the luxury hotel industry. In the 1950s, it became the center of the “Dolce Vita”, increasingly popular with Hollywood stars and international politicians. Sir Winston Churchill, Roosevelt, the Rothschilds, J. F. Kennedy, Mary Pickford, Clark Gable, Al Pacino and beyond.
The Rockefeller Foundation
In Bellagio since 1959 there is also a headquarters of the Rockefeller Foundation The centre has hosted thousands of artists, politicians, scientists from all over the world to seek solutions to the problems of our society. To get an idea, Nobel laureates Joseph Stiglitz and Mohamed Yunus. Writers such as Maya Angelou and Michael Ondaatji. They stayed with the Center along with international politicians such as Mary Robinson and Montek Ahluwalia.
The gardens of Villa Melzi d’Eril
In addition, in Bellagio you can visit the English gardens of Villa Melzi d’Eril. Here you can find rare and exotic plants. As well as ancient trees and beautiful flowers, such as azaleas. Not at least architectural settings and furnishings. Like the III century BC Etruscan urn in the cave. The two Egyptian sculptures of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. B.C. in the water lily pond. The nineteenth-century sculptural group Dante led by the hand of Beatrice. This statue inspired Franz Lizst for his Sonata a Dante. The villa, which cannot be visited, was built between 1808 and 1810 by the architect Giocondo Albertolli for Francesco Melzi d’Eril, Duke of Lodi. The Duke wanted an elegant villa like the Royal Villa of Monza. He brought in the most important artists of the time to embellish it, such as the painters Appiani and Bossi. The sculptors Canova and Comolli. The bronze artist Manfredini.
The pearl of Lake Como: curiosities: films and more …..
The alleys and streets of Bellagio, the pearl of Lake Como, were also chosen for the setting of successful films. Luchino Visconti set “Rocco and his brothers” there. Sergio Leone a sequence of “Once upon a time in America”. Plus Bobby Deerfield’s “A Moment of Life”, John Irvin’s “A Month at the Lake”, just to give some examples.
Perhaps not everyone knows that the futurist poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, considered the father of the Futurist Manifesto, died in Bellagio in 1944 at the Hotel Excelsior. The poet’s last day is told in the article in the local newspaper La Provincia di Como.
The fame of the name Bellagio was therefore used to call Las Vegas (USA) one of the most important and luxurious hotel-casinos in the city.
Bellagio is located just 30 km from Como, a comfortable ferry-boat connects it to Cadenabbia – Tremezzo, where you can admire the wonderful Villa Carlotta, or reach Lenno with Villa Balbianello. Or reach Varenna, on the other spon