Como by foot, by boat

Seen from below, the great dome – which was designed by Juvarra in the 1700s – of Como’s ancient Duomo, with its stunning façade, is enough to leave you open-mouthed.

Equally extraordinary, we’re sure, is the view of the city from amongst the clouds during a breath-taking seaplane flight. Yet the true beauty of Como only reveals itself once you go down by the water. We recommend you take a walk along the “Chilometro della Conoscenza”, a stunning trail though 17 hectares of beautiful centuries-old parks on the western bank of the lake. The walk takes you past six neoclassical homes with lush gardens, from Villa Scacchi-Carminati to Villa Olmo, the starting point of the route.

Cernobbio is another must-visit space, if only for Villa d’Este and its quintessentially Italian garden.

Isola Comacina – all 600 metres by 200 metres of it – will provide similarly unforgettable views. If you’re lucky enough to visit on 24 June, the evening will bring with it a stunning fireworks display.

Laglio enno is the village that won over George Clooney, and we’re willing to bet that it will steal your heart too: from the lake, the view of Villa del Balbianello, which belongs to the Italian Environmental Fund, is magnificent. It is little wonder that George Lucas chose it for the setting of his love story between Anakin and Padme in Star Wars.

Villa Carlotta, in Tremezzo, greets you with an explosion of colourful rhododendrons and azaleas, while inside it conceals a stunning art collection, including Antonio Canova’s statue of Palamedes.

If, however, modern architecture is more your thing, Como also boasts several buildings from Italy’s Rationalist era: from the Asilo Sant’Elia to the Fontana di Camerlata, the Casa del Fascio di Giuseppe Terragni, the Monumento ai Caduti and even the Novocomum condominium, these buildings depict a city in step with the future.

And all the while, Como’s relationship with the water endures. So what are you waiting for? Book your own Grand Tour on the water – destination: Bellagio!