Once upon a time, Bellagio was a small village of few inhabitants who lived mainly from fishing; today everything has changed, because it is considered the pearl of Lake Como. A sought-after destination, besieged by foreign tourists especially in the summer, it owes its fame partly to its privileged position, on the tip of the promontory from which the two branches of Lecco and Como arise, and partly to the presence of luxury accommodation facilities, some of which have already made their appearance in past centuries. It is precisely in this area that there are, in fact, hotels with an important past such as the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, but also villas of public or private ownership of extreme beauty, all easily reachable from Bellagio by car or ferry: Villa del Balbianello, Villa Carlotta and Villa Monastero, not far from the village of Varenna (we have described some of these destinations in a previous article, which you can read here.
Bellagio is a tangle of alleys and streets that descend from the mountain to the long lake, embellished with rose beds and full of attractions for tourists: restaurants, bars and cafes, high fashion boutiques, art or craft galleries excellence, such as Pierangelo Masciadri’s Art & Fashion Showroom. In the historic village we recommend visiting: the Church of San Giacomo, an interesting example of Romanesque-Lombard art built between 1075 and 1125 by the Comacini Masters and guardian of a Deposition of Christ created by the school of Perugino; the ancient square tower once having defensive purposes, which has now become a very active artistic-cultural centre; the curious Museum of Navigation Instruments; the giant bench, moving to the town of San Vincenzo di Civenna.
The Gardens of Villa Melzi deserve a separate paragraph, winners of the Most Beautiful Park in Italy award in 2016, as well as being part of the Grandi Giardini Italiani and Great Gardens of the World circuits. Starting from Villa Serbelloni, which is located right at the beginning of the long lake and for this reason acts as a point of reference for both the community and tourists, just walk the entire straight line until leaving the village behind; proceeding a few more meters you arrive straight at the entrance to the gardens, which are open every day during the summer season. Here you can walk in the silence and greenery of nature among rare and centuries-old plants (adequately marked on the map), little bridges, lakes, camellias, tree-lined avenues a stone’s throw from the lake, in an English and therefore romantic style; it is no coincidence that they were created at the beginning of the nineteenth century with the help of illustrious artists, technicians, decorators, architects and botanists of the time. The imposing historic villa can only be visited from the outside, but since 2021 the museum has been reopened to the public, with guided tours for schools or individuals.
The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni is not only a dream place where people from all over the world come to spend their holidays and often to declare themselves with a precious ring, but it is also a residence with a long and important history. If today it is among the most famous and loved 5-star luxury hotels on an international level, it was initially born – in line with the romantic spirit that still characterizes it today – as a birthday gift from Count Frizzoni, originally from Bergamo, for his beloved and involved the work of numerous architects and artists from northern Italy. Therefore inaugurated in 1854 as a private residence, it subsequently went through various sales and acquisitions, until the great-grandfather of Jan Bucher, the current Director of the structure, became its owner. The family has therefore been its custodian for four generations, undertaking the difficult task on the one hand of keeping the atmosphere of the time alive, restoring with extreme care the frescoes, the furniture, the furnishings, the upholstery and more generally the original layout of the structure so as not to lose continuity with the past, on the other to renew it every season, always introducing some current element and also working from the point of view of eco-sustainability, as well as comfort.
Of typical neoclassical layout, inside it welcomes the visitor with some immense halls that refer to the Empire and Art Nouveau style, starting from the scenic central staircase, the large room used for breakfast and the one in which aperitifs are served, which constitute a a true experience of excellence, thanks to the combination with edible perfumes sprayed on cocktails and with small gastronomic pearls. Outside is available to guests: a large swimming pool right in front of the lake, with a comfortable Pool & Beach Bar; the panoramic Terrazza Darsena, in an elevated position and open until the night; a portion of private beach which was not easy to obtain, but which now constitutes a real plus for guests; the enchanting gardens extend all around the villa. Finally, it is worth remembering that this year the completely renovated Spa & Wellness Luce del Lago was inaugurated, with sand and blue colors that recall the surrounding environment: here you can enjoy the warm water of two swimming pools – one of which are reserved for children – with hydromassage, the Turkish bath, the sauna, the relaxation room with chromotherapy and even the Luxury Hairstylist & Nails Spa. The real pleasure, however, comes from the special treatments of the Collection Villa Serbelloni, based on the use of one hundred percent natural; among these, we suggest trying the special Five Senses treatment for face and body.
The most famous restaurant in Bellagio – if not even on Lake Como – is Mistral and is located right inside Villa Serbelloni, although it is also open to outsiders. The large window overlooking the lake is tinged with warm reflections at sunset, when the often snow-capped mountain peaks, the light that illuminates the dark water and the bright pink sky. This year Bocchia celebrated his 25th birthday at Mistral: an apparently long period of time, which however has not dampened his enthusiasm nor his creativity in the slightest. Having become known in Italy and abroad for having invented molecular cuisine, the chef believes that one of the main strengths of an excellent dish is the raw material; this is why he personally takes care of selecting the products, choosing elements of the highest quality. Dishes that seek elegance and balance, his, but which are also striking for their rather rare peculiarities: from the presence of peacock to Asetra caviar, from the ethical foie gras “Edoardo Sosa” to the Melanosporum truffle, up to the desserts with ice cream ‘liquid nitrogen or crispy pastry made with a particular method.
However, there is also another restaurant that we suggest, still inside Villa Serbelloni and overlooking the lake: La Goletta is the informal version of Mistral, focused on typical Italian regional dishes and the Mediterranean diet. Worth trying, for example, is the “Villa Serbelloni” focaccia with burrata and Sant’Ilario reserve Parma ham or the lake chub pâté; or again, the linguine with clams exceptionally cooked in the dining room and the steamed bao with browned prawns. A curiosity: upon leaving the restaurant, in the corridor there are photos that immortalize the most significant moments in the villa’s past; it will be like taking a journey through time thanks to the images showing the many VIPs and heads of state welcomed here, the layout of the building over the centuries, the protection document signed during the Second World War which allowed the hotel not to never been invaded or bombed, right down to the letters written in the handwriting of the old owners. In short, not just a restaurant, but in a certain way a real museum.
