Villa d’Este: Lake Como’s most glamorous hotel
In a world where everything happens so fast and in which our lives flow at a hectic rhythm, sometimes we just feel the need for a place to escape.
Without any doubt, Villa d’Este is one of the best locations to do so, as it is universally acknowledged as one of the best hotels in the world. Located in the small, peaceful village of Cernobbio, Villa D’Este is a living temple of Lake Como’s prestigious lifestyle, as well as an architectural and historical masterpiece where a highly trained staff pursues a daily mission: providing their guests an experience able to match the hotel’s centennial reputation.
History of Villa D’Este
Like many other masterpieces of Lake Como, Villa D’Este’s glorious history dates back to the Italian Renaissance. In 1442 Gerardo Landriani Capitani, Bishop of Como, built an abbey, which was demolished one century later by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio. The clergyman was quite fond of earthly pleasures rather than the spiritual delights, and so he commissioned a lavish summer residence on Lake Como for personal use.
That’s how Villa del Garovo, ancestor of Villa d’Este, was born on the gentle coast of Cernobbio. After cardinal Gallio died, the villa was inherited by his family, who, over the years, let it fall into a state of decay. After several decades, Villa D’Este was brought back to its full splendor by Marquise Bartolomeo Calderara, who performed major restorations and created the villa’s gorgeous Italian gardens.
In 1815, the villa became the residence of Caroline Amalia of Brunswick, Princess of Wales, who renamed the palace “Nuova Villa d’Este”, as Caroline allegedly descended from the ancient Italian family of Estensi. In five years of staying at the villa, Caroline had the park redesigned in English style.
Did you know? The “Old Villa D’Este” is located 400 miles away from Cernobbio, in the town of Tivoli (just outside Rome). It is another bright jewel of the Italian artistic heritage, a must-see once in a lifetime!
From 1868 to 1870, Tsarina of Russia Maria Feodorowna settled down in Cernobbio and chose Villa D’Este as her residence on Lake Como, renting the villa and animating it with nocturnal parties, torchlight processions, and fireworks. The villa was finally transformed into a luxury hotel in 1873.
Today, Villa D’Este is an exclusive resort for the wealthiest clientele and is also a top-level congress tourism destination.
Recommended experience
PRIVATE BOAT CRUISE
Luxury Boat Tour in Lake Como
- from €580
- from 2h
- up to 6ppl
The E26 Classic is a sporty 8-meter luxury tender featuring a distinctive and refined style, striking the ideal balance between vintage charm and modern simplicity, seamlessly blending beauty with comfort.
Villa D’Este: an exceptional venue on Lake Como
A stay at Villa D’Este represents Lake Como’s ultimate hospitality experience: its guests are treated majestically and can benefit from a wide of exclusive activities.
Attend the worldwide-famous Concorso D’Eleganza
If you are into luxury, vintage cars, or you are just irretrievably in love with Italy and all its jewels, chances are you already know it.
The Concorso D’Eleganza is held, in May, every year since 1929, and transforms the Cernobbio and Lake Como into open-air garages for classic and historic automobiles. A car show and competition organized in partnership with BMW, A. Lange & Söhne, and other luxury brands, where rare 4-wheels masterpieces are displayed but also compete for certain prices.
A stage for true legends, from the 1961 Ferrari 250 gt California Spyder, to other gems, such as the 1931 Mercedes-Benz 770, the Bentley 8 Liter, the Tatra 87, the visionary Renault Dezir, and the mythical Delahaye 145.
A genuine and heartfelt hymn to automobiles, but also to the spirit of real nobility and elegance.
Take the most amazing swim of your life
Villa D’Este is famous for its one-of-a-kind floating pool. Swimming in it, contemplating the marvelous lakeside of Cernobbio, the blue waters of Lake Como, and the lush green of the Alps, guarantees a breathtaking experience, without leaving the comfort and luxury of your safe haven.
Work on that swing at the Villa D’Este Golf
A delight for golfers, since 1926. The Villa D’Este Golf Club is located in the serene village of Montorfano (just 7 miles from Lake Como), and it offers one of the most technical and prestigious golf courses in the world. Surrounded by verdant mountains and immersed in the perfect peace of the Italian countryside, the Villa D’Este Golf Club also offers a top-notch Italian restaurant, and the exclusive Green Golf Academy, with some of the most prestigious golf instructors in the world.
Enjoy the top-class facilities and activities of Villa D’Este
So far, with our little selection, we barely scratched the surface. Villa D’Este offers a vast choice of top-class facilities: a Sporting Club (with a fitness room, sauna, steam room, golf simulator, and squash court), as well as tennis courts, hiking trails, waterskiing in Cernobbio’s waters, sailing, windsurfing in different Lake Como localities, etc.
If you are there to take care of business, eleven rooms for conferences, banquets, and meetings will be at your disposal. But there’s more, much more.
Feast on the most delicious Italian specialties
La Veranda, Il Platano, the Grill and then the Bar Canova, the Sundeck and the Terrazza a Lago. Six restaurants and bars, six different concepts, and six unique food and drink experiences offer Lake Como’s best culinary delights from all over the world. Moreover, chef Zambanini offers tours of the exclusive vegetable gardens, and sometimes he shares his secrets with exclusive cooking demonstrations for selected groups of food aficionados.
How to get to Villa D’Este
Villa D’Este is located in Cernobbio, just 10 minutes north of Como on the lake’s western shore.
From Milan to Villa d’Este
Milan is easily reachable from all the international airports nearby, via bus, private transport, or the Malpensa Express; from there, the best public option transportation is the well-developed railway system.
From Milano Cadorna: this railway station can be accessed via the green or red metro lines. Trains bound to Como usually depart twice per hour, at an average price of €4.80. The trip to Como’s stations (either Como Borghi or Como Lago, near the Lake) typically lasts around 1 hour.
From Milano Centrale: another viable option, as the station is well-connected to Milan’s subway network (green line), and offers two trains per hour for the station of Como S.Giovanni, a few steps from Lake Como. The trip is frequently shorter than the one from Milano Cadorna, and can be purchased for the same price. Check the official website for more information.
Once in Como, hop onto the C10 bus, usually departing from both the stations of Como Lago and S. Giovanni: it offers one to two 10-minutes trips per hour, for a price of €1.70.
By car to Villa d’Este
Jump behind the wheel, adjust your seat and get ready to hit the road! From Milan, get the A9/E35 freeway, exit at Como, and switch to the SS340 road. After about 1.6 miles, Cernobbio will appear in all its beauty. The total duration of the trip will be around 1 hour.
If you are traveling from Switzerland, take the Lugano – Milan freeway towards Como-Chiasso (A9). Right after passing the border, exit at “Cernobbio Lago”, head towards Lake Como, and cross the village of Cernobbio. VillaD’Este will welcome you on the right, upon exiting the bottleneck.
By Boat
In less than 10 minutes from the stations, reach the town’s dock. From there, sail to Cernobbio in a little more than 10 minutes, and for a €2.50 fare. Take a look at the official website for further info, discounts, and much more.
LCE Tip: Feeling Fancy? Land on Villa D’Estes private pier, after sailing Lake Como on your private Venetian Limousine or Riva speedboat! Moreover, the hotel’s superb concierge service will be able to take care of any personalized travel arrangement. After a wild clubbing night in St. Tropez, reach Lake Como for breakfast with a private flight, a helicopter, or a spacious, cozy limo. Check out the dedicated page to know more!
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Villa D’Este: Useful Information
If you picked Villa D’Este for your holiday experience on Lake Como, some info and tips might come in handy.
Villa d’ Este opening period
Happy birthday, Villa D’Este! 2022 marks the 150th anniversary of the hotel, and what better way of celebrating than sharing this milestone with its beloved guests? Just for this year, Villa D’Este will extend its opening season, from March 2022 to January 2023. Normally, the hotel is open between March and November.
COVID-19 Regulations
For a timely update about the enforced rules, click here.
Rooms at Villa d’Este
Villa D’Este offers a wide range of luxury accommodations, with 152 bedrooms in the Queen’s Pavilion and 27 in the Cardinal’s Building. Every room has its colors, design, and personality, with fine, antique furniture, paintings, brocade drapes, and a jaw-dropping view of the internal courtyard, the lush European gardens, or the crystal clear waters of Lake Como.
Villa d’Este’s private villas
For a privileged few. Scattered around Villa D’Este’s garden are 4 historical palaces (Villa Cima, Villa Malakoff, Villa Garrovo, and the Mosaic House). They can be rented by highly demanding guests, wishing to enjoy the impeccable service of the hotel, without renouncing the privacy of their own accommodation. Each villa is beautifully unique in every detail, offering jaw-dropping vistas on Lake Como and providing a truly otherworldly experience.
See the official videos of the villas and discover more here!
Contact Villa D’Este
The friendly and courteous staff of Villa D’Este will be glad to provide specific information, or attend to any tailored request, in order to make your stay on Lake Como as memorable as it can be:
- Contact Form
- E-mail: [email protected]
- Phone: +39 031 3481