Green Way of Lake Como: let’s trek surrounded by art&nature!

The Green Way of Lake is a walk of about 10 Km, from Colonno to Tremezzo, which follows the route of the ancient roman origins the Via Regina, which  was  the only and main drag along the western shore of the Lake in the past.

 Today I want to introduce you this pleasant walk, not hard at all and so beautiful. It takes you through the typical villages of the center lake , the famous Centro Lago, the heart of Lake Como. It begins in Colonno to then reach the nice village of Sala Comacina, from where you enjoy stunning views over the so called “Gulf of the Oil” with the Isola Comacina, the only Island of my lake that was so meaningful in the past centuries and nowadays is an interesting open air museum with its ruins connected to the Middle Age. In few minutes you go down at the lake shore, exactly in Ossuccio, and walk close to the ancient romanesque Church of Saint James which keeps inside some frescoes of the XIV century, one of them can be seen also on its side wall;  the Via Regina used to pass just at the side of this small grey stones Church.  Try to image how many people, pilgrims, merchants walked on this old path in the very past centuries.

Green Way-Gulf of the Oil
Green Way-Gulf of the Oil
Green Way a Sala Comacina
Green Way Saint James
Green Way Saint James

We are now really in the heart of Lario Lake (the official name of Lake Como)!

Lenno is the very nice village that you meet after, and the green way let you pass through the old streets of Campo, its hamlets of medieval origins, Villa where there is still a military tower dating that time to then walk along its beautiful “lungo Lago”, one of the well knowest lake walk of the area. From here you enjoy an amazing view to Bellagio. Do not forget that this is also the village of the unique Villa Balbianello, located not far from the green way path! But this is another story, just try to imagine how gorgeous this piece of lake is!

Green Way-Campo Villa Balbiano

From Lenno a short rise takes you to Mezzegra, and to the parvis of the XVII century Church of Saint Abondio, dedicated to the patron of Como. In the Church you admire magnificent baroque frescoes made by one of the main Masters of this are: Giulio Quaglio who belonged to the tradition of the Magistri Comacini, later known as Magistri Intelvesi.

Mezzegra has a bunch of elegant  country palaces among which Palazzo Brentano, owned by this family who built a good business net  in Holland and Germany first selling typical items of Lake Como agriculture such as olives, citruses and  chestnuts and later becaming one of the wealthiest European families.  From the hamlet called Bonzanigo you walk down again to the lake and you arrive in Bolvedro a very cosy corner of Tremezzo, one of the most popular tourist locations of the Lake. Bolvedro has a nice little inlet where in summer time it’s easy to see elegant wooden boats, the famous Riva boats ! Just behind the corner is the very elegant Villa la Quiete, that represents the typical mansions built along the lake shore during the XVIII century for the main noble European families. Try to imagine how splendid it is!

From Bolvedro walking through the beautiful Meier garden ( public garden of Tremezzo) , where a nice kiosk is situated and  you can stop for a break tasting a local wine, an original Italian Spritz, a gelato/icecream or whatever you wish,  you easly arrive at the gorgeous Villa Carlotta of Tremezzo. A guided visit of it is a “must”! 😉 Try to imagine all its important artworks and its lush garden with so many flowers, plants and forest trees coming from all over the world! But this is another story and I’ll tell you about in another article 🙂

After this cultural stop at the Villa Carlotta you can decide if taking a ferry to Bellagio or seat and relax breathing all the beauty of my Lake!!!

And now try to imagine how beautiful this walk is and how better it can be doing it with me, your official Tourist Guide of Lake Como District !!! 😉  So do not waste time and write me or call me, so I  organize your special day along the Green Way of Lake Como!!

Green Way

Green Way -Colonno
Green Way -Colonno
Green Way Ossuccio
Green Way Ossuccio
Green Way round trip
Green Way round trip

 

Green Way and me!
Green Way and me!

The pictures in this article are by Daniela Rampoldi Tourist Guide Lake Como

Christmas Time in Como!!! Don’t miss it!

Christmas is almost here, few days are missing , the countdown has finally begun and the entire city of Como is ready to welcome it!!!

In these few last days the main Christmas event in town has started and a unique Christmas atmosphere is everywhere around the city. It is so amazing strolling in the lighted up streets of the “città murata”, everybody goes back in time and look around like a child, yes also adults are never grown up people in these weeks!

All the streets are dressed up with lights, beautiful windows, Christmas trees, stars…. you do not know where to look because you do not want to miss any of this magic Christmas days in such a charming old city.

And when yo arrive at the Piazza del Duomo, the Cathedral Square, the only word that you can say is “WOW”!!! Yes it is really wow!!!

Lights, colors, music, people, smiles, children, dogs…. wow! What a Christmas time it is!!!! It is so great, so colorful so special and I like it!!!

I love Christmas and my town when it is so ligted up!!! Don’t miss it, come to Como and let go yourself back in time!!! Merry Christmas, peace and joy for everybody!

 

Villa Carlotta blooming season!!

Villa Carlotta is one of Lake Como’s jewels, built at the end of the XVII century for the Clerici Family of Milan and later property of the important Count Gianbattista Sommariva famous politician, businessman and patron of arts who enriched its interiors with his private art collection.  With him the villa became a temple of XIX century art with works by Canova, Thorvaldsen and Hayez: Palamedes, Eros and Psyche, Terpsychore, The last kiss of Romeo and Juliet are only some of the masterpieces that make the extraordinary collection. Furthermore Sommariva started to create the lush romantic garden that still surrounds the mansion. The current name Carlotta is due to the Princess Carlotta who received it as wedding gift from her mother Princess Marianne of Nassau, Albert’s of Prussia wife in 1843, when she married with Georg II of Saxen-Meiningen. George II was  very fond in botanic, he also contributed to  enrich the park with a great number of rare botanic sorts among which the splendid azaleas and rhododendrons.
Blooming Villa Carlotta
Blooming Villa Carlotta

The period between the end of April and beginning of May is the best one to visit the boatnic collection of Villa Carlotta; walking among its paths you see at each corner the magnificent flowers of azaleas and rhodondendrons, it’s their main blooming season and you feel like to be immersed in a sea of colors and scents; more than 150 different varieties  of azaleas are around you, trust me  it is a breathtaking experience !!!

Do not miss the occasion to come to Tremezzo and enjoy this unique “show”!!!

Villa Carlotta blooming season!
Villa Carlotta blooming season!
Villa Carlotta garden blooming
Villa Carlotta garden blooming
Villa Carlotta azaleas blooming
Villa Carlotta azaleas blooming
VILLA CARLOTTA AZALEAS
Villa Carlotta blooming time!

Photos by Daniela Rampoldi

 

 

 

LAKE COMO EVENT LOCATION

Lake Como event location! For more year my Lake is looked by many people, mostly from abroad, as the perfect location for their special events and who can blame them?

Lake Como offers so many great venues where your private event can become a unique one, exclusive in its organization and setting.

It is enough to come here look around and get inspired to choose your venue, they are gorgeous and ideal to become your special place. it is enough that I tell you just few names of Amazing locations where you will dream to get proposed, married or simply celebrate your birthday or family party!

Villa Balbianello, Villa Erba, Villa La Pliniana…. and many more !

Contact me and I will help you to find out what you are looking for and to organize step by step your special day or night or both of them !!!! 😉

Villa Erba-LakeComo location
Villa Erba-LakeComo location
villa erba lake como location
Lake Como Venue- Villa Erba
V.Erba Cernobbio lake como location
Lake Como Location
boat lake como location
Event at LakeComo
villa balbianello lake como location
Special party at Villa Balbianello
Isola Comacina-LakeComo Location
Isola Comacina-LakeComo Location

 

 

SEASON 2016 IS KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR!!!

Season 2016 is knocking on Heaven’s  door, at Lake Como’s door!!

Even if today when I’ve waked up and looked through the window I’ve seen a grey sky, clouds, strong rain, a perfect winter day … and it is already March 5th but don’t worry it is just a fleeting low pressure area, actually forecasts announce good weather for the next week and it seems i t will be a warm spring time!  🙂

A spring which is not far at all, and so Lake Como is prepairing to welcome its guests and me too!!!

All the beautiful Villas are going to open in the next weeks.

 The gorgeous Villa Balbianello will open its gate on March 12th and people will be able to admire this magnificent and unique property, that became so popular also thanks having been the location chosen for some worldwide famous movies “007 Casino Royale” and “Star Wars Episode II Attack to the Clones” above all.

Villa Balbianello
Villa Balbianello
Villa Balbianello Daniela Rampoldi
Villa Balbianello Lake Como

Villa Carlotta instead will restart its tourist season on March 18th, in time to see the awaking of its lush garden where hundreds of different boatnic species from all over the world are. The museum, hosted in its elegant rooms, is mostly dedicated to the neo-classical art with artworks by important artists such as the great Masters Antonio Canova, Bertheld Thorwaldsen, Francesco Hayez …

Villa Carlotta Gardens -Azalea
Villa Carlotta Gardens -Azaleas’ wood

 

Villa Carlotta Tremezzo Daniela rampoldi
Villa Carlotta Tremezzo
Villa Carlotta-Museum "Mars&Venus"
Villa Carlotta-Museum “Mars&Venus”
Villa Carlotta-Azaleas
Villa Carlotta-Azaleas

Some days later on March 24th also the beautiful  gardens of the elegant Villa Melzi in Bellagio will be ready. Villa and gardens are a splendid expression of neo-classical style and as such stated national monument. The architectural complex was realized between 1808 and 1810 for Francesco Melzi d’Eril (1753-1816), Duke of Lodi, Vice President of Italian Republic under Napoleon and afterwards Gran Chancellor of the Napoleonic Reign of Italy.

Villa Melzi - "Dante &Beatrice"
Villa Melzi – “Dante &Beatrice”
Villa Melzi Gardens
Villa Melzi Gardens

So everything and everybody here is getting ready for the new season and the thousands of tourists who will come and visit the most beautiful Italian Lake!!! 😉

Also the more hotels, after their usual winter restyling, will reopen in few days;  we are all already feeling the arrival of another working season which will be hopefully still better than the past one!

Lake Como is a really a “WOW” location so don’t miss it if you are coming to Italy!

As usaul, I live this pre beginning period with trepidation, I am excited to restart working and leading my clients around this peace of Heaven! I am looking forward to make you fall in love with Lake Como’s  beauty, culture, traditions and history.

Do not hesitate to contact me and I will show the top highlights of my homeland, because I am 100% “Laghee”, that means I am 100% a local person who was born, grew up and has always been living in this paradise. My roots are really in Lake Como!!!

I always like to remember Robin Williams’ words “That a God exists, when you look at the sky of Lake Como, it is clear “

Lake Como Sky!
Lake Como Sky!

George Clooney will soon return Lake Como!!!

DON’T LOOK TO THE CLOONEYS!!!

Lake Como town of Laglio has outlawed approaching George and Amal Clooney and their friends at and around their villas, as well as physically trespassing on the land when they’re not home.

Mayor Roberto Pozzi of Laglio, Italy has warned that anyone who sets foot within 100 meters of George and Amal Clooney’s twin luxury villas overlooking Lake Como will be fined up to €500 ($550.)

The temporary ban is centered around Clooney’s 53rd birthday party, which will take place at his Villa Oleander and the adjoining Villa Margherita. While obviously aimed at paparazzi, the VIP regulation also blocks parking and boating around the area.

Mayor Pozzi said Laglio’s residents are happy to have Clooney as one of their own. “He’s returned Lake Como to a very high profile, not just in Europe but around the world,”

While brief, accidental eye contact is presumably still acceptable…calling out a friendly hello will likely cost you a hefty fine.

While Clooney’s birthday is on May 6th, it is unclear when the party will be !!!! Come to Lake Como to find it out!!!

George&Amal Clooney
George&Amal Clooney
Villa Oleandra
Villa Oleandra