The queen of Lake Como, Villa del Balbianello rests on the tip of a small wooded peninsula and is celebrated for its elaborate terraced gardens. The villa was built in 1787 on the site of a Franciscan monastery. By the time wealthy American businessman Butler Ames purchased the property in the early 20th century, the villa had fallen into a state of neglect. Ames renovated the estate extensively, making vast improvements to the already impressive gardens. In 1974 the property was sold to Guido Monzino, the leader of the first Italian expedition to Mount Everest, who filled the villa with a rich collection of fine art and artifacts acquired on his expeditions. After paying the entry fee, you can walk freely through the gardens and enjoy the sweeping views of the lake. Guided tours of the interior are available at additional cost. To visit Villa del Balbianello and get the most from your holiday in Tremezzina, create itinerary details personal to you using our Tremezzina day trip planning tool.
Tours to Villa del Balbianello
Villa del Balbianello reviews
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Amazing place! I loved it! Super aesthetic and very well taken care of. It’s the second time I come here and I was stunned like the first time. I suggest you get a tour guide because they will tell...
Amazing place! I loved it! Super aesthetic and very well taken care of. It’s the second time I come here and I was stunned like the first time. I suggest you get a tour guide because they will tell... more »
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An amazing building with an interesting history and superb gardens with epic views. We took the guided tour, I can't remember the guides name but she was full of interesting facts that engaged the...
An amazing building with an interesting history and superb gardens with epic views. We took the guided tour, I can't remember the guides name but she was full of interesting facts that engaged the... more »
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Charming Villa on top of a small hill which enjoys marvellous views of lake Como. The trees, the plants, the flowers, the rockery, the variety of natural landscapes and man-made pathways is simply amazing. Fascinating history of the place, full of twists and turns until the last owner died and donated it to a National Trust. The architecture blends in beautifully with the complexity of the natural landscape surrounding the villa. Almost a fairytale place, unsurprisingly used as a cinema set for some very famous movies. Not to be missed!
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So so glad we booked the day out here! If you have the opportunity book a guided tour as you can go inside, and it went through the history which was so interesting. The gardens are gorgeous, extremely well kept, and were very fun to explore. There's a small ice cream place within which was nice as it can get hot, but I would love to visit this again!
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