I Giardini di Villa Melzi

“Located in the municipality of Tremezzo, Villa Carlotta is one of the most important and well known villas of the Lake, not far from Villa del Balbianello. The villa, built in 1960 at the behest of Giorgio Clerici, has passed over the centuries from the Clerici heirs to the Sommariva family and finally to the Saxonian Meiningen family who lived there until 1914. In 1927 the management passed to the Ente Villa Carlotta, after long vicissitudes and thanks to the intervention of the lawyer Giuseppe Bianchini, supported by the Rotary Club of Milan. The Ente Villa Carlotta has kept the Villa perfectly and has opened to the public an important museum, the result of the legacy of Giambattista Sommariva, second owner of the Villa and an art collector. Among the famous works on display are: Palamede, Musa Tersicore and Maddalena Penitente by Antonio Canova, The last kiss given to Giulietta by Romeo by Francesco Hayez, The Entrance of Alexander the Great into Babylon by Bertel Thorvaldsen. The whole complex extends over to 70,000 m2 (17 acres) area of gardens and museum. You can reach Villa Carlotta by car or on foot easily because it is located on the Regina road that runs along the lake, between Tremezzo and Menaggio; or by boat docking at the dock of Tremezzo, which is just a few steps from the entrance. ”

“The site, originally a Cistercian convent, was purchased in 1569 by the Mornico family who over time embellished it with eclectic decorations. In 1980, the villa passed to Walter Kees of Leipzig, who continued to embellish the building in an eclectic style, relying on important architects such as Emilio Alemagna, Achille Majnoni, and Enrico Citterio. From around 1940 Villa Monastero is a conference center and a museum house as well as the headquarters of an important and spectacular botanical garden that stretches for two kilometers from Varenna to Fiumelatte. ”

“Great place to visit with a great view and magnificent garden. Hint: Walk there and take a river taxi for your way back to enjoy the view from the lake.”

“enjoy a swim after a sunny fdfay drinking a Spritz. And from friday to sunday you can dance!!!”

“you can discover the lake from a different perspective: by kayak or sup boards”