Como - Command Performance by Daphne Beames
Featured Hotel in Lake Como
Grand Hotel Tremezzo
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The shimmering blue-black waters of Lake Como are deep, eerie and fascinating. Great snow-capped mountains rise from the hidden depths – their sides steeply angled against the skyline and their lower, densely wooded slopes brushing the lake’s edge.
Tall bottle-green cedars, blood-red geraniums and the picturesque outlines of shuttered Italianate villas create a scene of striking beauty. It is not always a tranquil scene as frequent, heavy cloud can bring sudden flashes of lightning, dark thunderstorms and drenching rain.
Lake Como, snuggling between Lombardy and Switzerland is shaped like an inverted ‘Y’ and, at its south-western extremity, stands the old, ecclesiastical city of Como.
During the Bronze Age the settlement was inhabited by a Celtic tribe – the Orobii – and in the 1st-century BC Julius Caesar ordered the building of a walled town: Novum Comum. Coveted by Franks, Spaniards and Austrians it was not until 1859 that Guiseppe Garibaldi finally secured this ‘strategic pawn in the chess game of Europe’ for the newly created Kingdom of Italy.
At the lake’s edge - centrally located in the city and surrounded by smart buildings - lies the impressive Piazza Cavour; its stones washed and often flooded by the trapped waters. (The river Adda drains the eastern arm of the lake: Lecco - but not Como.) To the east of the square rises the magnificent 18th-century, turquoise dome of Como Cathedral. Built entirely of marble, the Gothic façade of the Duomo was begun in 1398 and statues of Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, both natives of Como, keep watch at the main entrance.
A five minute walk from the lake to the ancient heart of the old walled town will bring you to Piazza San Fedele. An ancient corn market, this public square is home to a 12th-century Romanesque Basilica – erected on the site of an earlier cathedral - and to many beautiful Renaissance buildings. The bustling, cobbled streets are awash with stylish, fashion conscious shoppers and all around are up-market boutiques sporting Burberry, Versace and other expensive labels.
At the top of the Via Cantù, the mood is again medieval. Here the commanding presence of an arched, stone gateway dating back over nine hundred years - the Porta Vittoria - stands sentinel over the city. Further back, on the hill behind, the old Baradello Tower - attributed to Frederick Barbarossa - offers spectacular and unforgettable views of the entire lake.
On the western shoreline, 2 kms from Como and set in an age-old park of citrus trees, is Villa Flori - a highly recommended hotel. It is close to the celebrated village of Cernobbio and ‘A Month by the Lake’ was filmed near-by. Our bedroom was furnished with antiques, its walls covered with blue and gold patterned silk, and the view over the lake - on a calm July evening - was perfect.
After dining in the Raimondi Restaurant the night manager was persuaded to show us the charming, small chapel and the famous Garibaldi Room. (In 1860 the Marquis Raimondi gave the villa to his 18-year old daughter as a present on the occasion of her marriage to Garibaldi. However, this ill-starred union was destined to last only a few hours as the General reputedly discovered some shady secrets from his young wife’s past. Until 1978, their divorce was the only one in Italy!)
We returned, unsuspectingly, to our room just as the first thunderstorm broke and flashes of sheet lightning illuminated the hills. The colourful display was festive until, suddenly, the electricity fused, the TV faded and the electric shutters jammed shut. In the morning, we woke to find a flood in the bathroom and a deluge of rain - inside the bedroom. We could only watch as the water stained the beautiful drapes and furnishings. Such is the fury of the elements over Lake Como!
In the village of Cernobbio the crown jewel gracing the water’s edge is Villa d’Este - one of the most exquisite palace-hotels in all of Europe. Built in 1568 by a Cardinal; home to a Queen (Caroline of Brunswick, wife of George IV of England); adored by a Sultan (of Morocco); owned by a Russian Empress and favoured by Greta Garbo, Mikhail Gorbachev, Elizabeth Taylor and Brad Pitt - everyone should spend at least one day here.
The sumptuous entrance hall of polished, white marble will not disappoint. It has impossibly high, gilded ceilings; is lit by sparkling, crystal chandeliers, and opens directly onto the lake. A unique swimming pool and sun-deck float on top of the water and antique statues line the landscaped avenues in the English-style, park-like gardens. Whether you enjoy a simple drink beside the grand piano on the sweeping terrace, dine in the velvet-draped ballroom or check into the Alfred Hitchcock suite - you will have bought a priceless memory. This setting might, with difficulty, be equalled - but it can never be surpassed!
A few kms to the north is the quaint village of Moltrasio. Clinging perilously to the cliff face its picturesque steeple, bell-tower of natural stone and winding alleys all invite the tourist to linger. The distinctive terracotta of the tiled roofs and the intense stillness are added attractions. Stop for a night at the Grand Hotel Imperial to soak up the sunshine from the pool-deck over the lake as well as some wonderful views and real, Victorian grandeur.
Drive north along the western shore until you reach Tremezzo. Here the attraction is the Villa Carlotta. This gracious mansion, decorated with beautiful stucco work and ceiling frescoes, was presented as a wedding present to Princess Carlotta of Prussia and the family lived here until the First World War. Now a museum, it houses a wonderful, neo-classical art collection – the pièce de résistance being Canova’s statue of ‘Eros and Psyche’. Over five hundred species of plants adorn the park where palms, magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas lend a riot of colour, fragrance and charm.
The best views of the large, lakeside villas are from the water where they can be seen in their entirety and in their landscaped settings.
White ferry boats criss-cross the lake, connecting Como with the small villages while the more rapid aliscafi dart around making fewer stops.
Directly opposite Tremezzo, on the eastern shore and only a boat ride away, is Bellagio - the ‘pearl of the lake’ and deservedly called the most beautiful village in Italy. Clustering together at the water’s edge the delightful old houses, in pastel pinks and ochres - with their wrought iron balconies and rows of beautifully proportioned windows, create a perfect picture. Their sloping roofs and graceful outlines are seen against the deep green cypresses and pines on the wooded slopes and behind them, in the distance, rise the pale blue mountains.
Drink an apéritif on the verandah of the Hotel du Lac beside the manicured trees on the quayside and then drive up to view Villa Serbelloni – set on a romantic promontory and once owned by Pliny the Younger. (Both Shelley and Longfellow were enraptured with this place.) Make a last stop at the Castello di Pomerio. Tucked away in the forests on the old road that links Como to ancient Erba, stands a legendary hotel. This ‘Italian hide-a-way’ was once the castle of Charlemagne’s son, then became a silk factory – to which ancient mulberry trees still bear testament - and is now a well-hidden haven of luxury frequented by discerning Milanese on lost weekends. The impact of Como is intense. Artists and writers through the ages: Virgil; da Vinci; Stendhal and Wordsworth; Churchill and Paul Johnson have all tried their hands at painting or penning descriptions – but the essence remains elusive. The magnetic attraction to this very deep lake is awesome. Perhaps it is the contrast between the heavy outlines of the mountains and the graceful lines of the villas – and between the navy-blue of the water and the bright colours of a myriad of cascading flowers - that leaves so indelible an imprint? Words 1332