Villa Balbianello, Historic house museum in Tremezzina, Italy
Villa Balbianello is a historic house museum on the Lavedo peninsula in Tremezzina, consisting of stone buildings and terraced gardens that descend to the shore of Lake Como. The property includes colonnaded loggias overlooking the water, pathways among old trees, and interiors furnished with period furniture and collected items.
A cardinal commissioned the estate in 1787 on the site of an abandoned monastery, incorporating parts of the older structure into the new residence. In the 20th century, a polar explorer acquired the property and transformed it into a place documenting his travels around the world.
The estate takes its name from the local word for the gentle wind that blows across the peninsula, and rooms are filled with relics from expeditions that visitors can examine today. Carpets, photographs, and personal items from distant lands reflect the former owner's collecting spirit and invite exploration.
Visitors reach the grounds either on foot via a roughly one-kilometer path from Lenno or by water taxi directly from the lake. The property opens for guided visits typically from March through December, on most weekdays except Mondays.
Several film productions chose the gardens and loggias as backdrops, so visitors may recognize locations from international cinema. Camera setups often used the view from the shore and the shaded arcades for scenes with dramatic backgrounds.
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