Bellagio-Italy | Idyllic Dreamland Destination,Pearl of Lake Como.

Bellagio is a stunning resort of Italy,an idyllic dreamland destination,the pearl of Lake Como  that stupendous waters basin which is a place where poetry embraces those picturesque landscapes formed by the mountainous peaks of Lombardy which form a sort of crown around the Queen of that lake shared by the counties of Como and Lecco.

That divine resort located at the intersection of the three arms the lake which has the particular shape of a letter Y inverted,was originally a former fishing village transformed in a marvellous and beloved tourist resort since the 19th century,for many people a dreamland destination,and talking about dreams,it is enough to close the eyes for a while and after taking a look,admiring all that there is around,to image for what you have seen and the sensation is you are dreaming in one of the most shining corners of our world.

There are not words enough to describe that place,you can say magnificent,outstanding,inimitable,divine and much more that resort appears simply unique at first sight.

The view of that fairytale promontory you can admire from the other coast coming from Tremezzo is absolutely stunning and unforgettable.That resort is a hymn to the beauty of the globe,you are in front of an extraordinary reality,the enchanting view of such place is absolutely sublime and in its kind also magic.

With its approximately 3,100 inhabitants and the charming silhouette of the majestic Alps visible across the lake towards north,the name Bellagio is well known all around the world,it inspired America with the famous and famed Hotel Bellagio Casino in the city of Las Vegas, designed by architect Jon Jerde for the owner Steve Wynn and two other International Casinos took the name from that resort the Peruvian Casino of Lima and the Casino of Colombo in Capital of Sri Lanka.

There are many prominent and distinguished people of our history who for tourism or transiting along the coast of that idyllic place falling in love with Bellagio. Over the years travellers,poets,actors,filmmakers, politicians,painters and artists of all kinds,of national fame and worldwide reputation such as Alessandro Volta,Silvio Pellico,Ippolito Nievo,Franz Liszt, Richard Strauss,Cosima Wagner,daughter of Franz Liszt and wife of Richard Wagner,Rockfeller,Alfred Hitchcook,Charlie Chaplin,John Fitzgerald Kennerdy,Liza Minelli,Giorgio Napolitano,George Clooney and many others.

Undoubedtly an endless list and as detail  the famous musician and composer Franz Liszt spent his honeymoon in Bellagio with Marie d'Agoult after that glad event,the artist often came back to that magnificent place of the Lario and the famous Rockfeller Foundation after several visits all around the world decided to establish there,one of its famed headquarters.

Historically Bellagio area was inhabited since the Paleolithic era over 30,000 years ago and in the 5th century BC,already existed a small village on that wonderful headland.According to the Roman historian Livius,a Celtic tribe settled in that picturesque promontory led by a mythical leader named Bellovesus and from that figure according one of the versions derives the current name.

Despite that as in many other cases there are always debates about the origins of historic names and a second supposition could also come from the words two lakes ,in Latin language:Bilacus,due to the position of the resort,between those two picturesque arms. 

 During the Roman colonisation the former village was also called Larium and later in the 59 BC, Julius Caesar founded a Novum Comun,sending along the coasts of the lake some Greek settlers from Sicily, specialised in boat construction and operation of waterways with other with a solid experience linked to  grapes cultivations.

The Romans also developed in that land the culture of  olive trees and they built along the local coastline some Patrician Villas.Even Pliny the Younger loved Bellagio and lived there,he narrated the beauty of that place several times according historic documents,a street and the paddle steamer Plinio are dedicated to that famous Latin historian.

 In the Middle Ages,Bellagio was under Lombard rule and in the in the 10th century the territory was donated to the Bishops of the city of Como although the former town fought for its independence and autonomy.

In the late 13th century, the area became a stronghold of the powerful Milanese Lords who established a governor called Capitano del Lario,(Captain of the Lario) it was a kind of police authority on the lake.In the 15th century, the fortress of Bellagio was a refuge for Bartolomeo Colleoni, and later famous during the period of Ludovico il Moro rule,another relevant figure who ruled Milan and several lands in Northern Italy.


In the year 1533,a noble called Francesco Sfondrati bought the land taking the title of Conte della Riviera,(Count of the Riviera) and for two centuries his descendants have contributed to the progress of the economy, developing silk and candle industries and promoting trade.In the year 1788, after the extinction of that family,the town became a territory of the Duke Alessandro Serbelloni who resisted until Napoleon Bonaparte occupation and also in that period Francesco Melzi, Duke of Lodi,a town of Southern Lombardy, bought a villa along the beautiful west coast of Bellagio,which also became a meeting place of aristocratic class, also visited by emperors as Ferdinand I of Austria in 1838, the Minister Metternich and the Duke of Monaco Ranieri.

The place is known for its picturesque location on the tip of a charming peninsula which divides the two southern arms of Lake Como.You can start the visit along its picturesque harbour facing the opposite coastline admiring Villa Serbelloni,where the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Centre has its headquarters and some prestigious Hotels are also another relevant highlight of the town.

Villa Serbelloni dominates the town's historic centre reachable from Via Garibaldi street and it  is currently owned by that famed New York Foundation.That majestic mansion was built in the 15th century on the site of a former old castle razed in the year 1375 according to some  historic sources,in ancient times there was in that place one of the two Lake Como villas of Pliny the Younger, which had a peculiar name : The Tragedy.

In the year 1788 the Villa was owned by Alessandro Serbelloni who enriched it with splendid decorations and marvellous artistic works of the 17th and 18th centuries.In the year 1905 that outstanding mansion was transformed in a Luxury Hotel and in the year 1959 it was bought by the Rockefeller Foundation.The villa is also home of relevant international conferences,often held by American scholars housed in the former residence.

During its history it was revised and restored several times and today you can visit only the gardens with a fascinating maze of walkways surrounded by a wonderful vegetation with old trees,some exotic plants, rose gardens and charming flowered corners.The paths,as well as of the villa, lead to the Capuchin Monastery and Sfondrata,a residence situated along  the Lecco Lake arm erected by Sfondrati family.

Apart the iconic Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni situated on the magnificent waterfront,there was also the historic Hotel Britannia which has been vacant for years and it declines more and more into a ruin.Not far on the other side of the lake arm  in Cernobbio there is another important Hotel which is as the Gran Hotel Villa Serbelloni an aristocratic Villa  the famous Hotel Villa d'Este dated 16th Century, which was designed by the architect Pellegrino Tibaldi and both had the same destiny,becoming Top hotels.


Along the shore of that promontory of Bellagio there are many stunning aristocratic villas and mansions, each surrounded by parks and gardens,all them are definitely other magnificent attractions,forming a sort of enchanting frame of that unique and marvellous place.The famed and iconic Villa Melzi lies on the coast road leading to the city of Como.With its magnificent garden for centuries,the place due to its picturesque location always attracted celebrities some relevant names who spent days in that majestic Villa are John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Charlie Chaplin and Konrad Adenauer and in love with such place they came back again.

The beautiful Villa in the year 1963 was restored and many initiatives came from the Association Amici del Plinio (thee friends of Pliny).The park around the Villa is absolutely divine,decorated by ancient artifacts,such as a 3rd century BC Etruscan urn and two Egyptian sculptures dating back the 13th and 14th centuries BC among others.

 The villa is still inhabited and can not be visited,but it is possible to have access to a small Museum housed in a pavilion containing archaeological collections,paintings and sculptures including one depicting a  head attributed to the great Michelangelo Buonarroti and the Neo-Classical Chapel located in southern side of the park.

Also worth a mention a Venetian Gondola used by Napoleon Bonaparte to reach Bellagio and the statues of Dante Alighieri and Beatrice Portinari,the famed Florentine writer author and his "impossible love"protagonist of the famous work La Divina Commedia which inspired another famous figure Franz Liszt who composed a Sonata.

The magnificent and charming Bellagio promenade stretching from the pier to Villa Melzi is a great walk to enjoy unforgettable views of Menaggio,Tremezzo,Villa Carlotta and Cadenabbia.There are several viewpoints and benches to sit contemplating those idyllic landscapes towards the opposite coastline and the promenade is embellished by numerous trees,charming flower beds and some sculptures.


The old town centre which dominates the entire lake is reachable by a picturesque step starting from the lake promenade in proximity of the harbour in a scenic position ad where is situated the beautiful Romanesque Basilica of San Giacomo,in addition to its picturesque narrow streets and stairways, luxurious mansions and colourful houses with flowered balconies and charming alleys,give Bellagio a wonderful aspect unique in its kind.

The Basilica of St.Giacomo,dedicated to Saint James was erected between the 11th and 12th century and  it became Parish Church in the 17th Century,exactly in the year 1657.It  has three naves,the original building remain outside of the three apses and decorated with bows double ring,four capitals and symbols of the Evangelists in the hallway.
 
It was transformed internally and externally in the 18th century as it remained until the early decades of the 20th century when it was renovated and restored to its original style.

 The interior contains works of art dating from different historical periods,some relevant examples are two images dated 15th century by artists of Umbria and Lombardy schools.You can also admire various Romanesque sculptures and paintings from the late 16th and 17th centuries, including the deposition in the tomb of Jesus and Our Lady of Grace,the first attributed to the famous artist Perugino and the second dated 16th century a work by the painter Foppa.

 The Cappella di Sant´Orsola (Chapel of St. Ursula,) with a mosaic work by the company Castemari of Venice is dated the early 20th century,with a gilded wood altarpiece and above the tabernacle a work by the sculptor Domenico Bellagio.

The Cappella di Sant´Antonio a Chapel dedicated to St. Anthony presents some mosaic works which are among the main highlights.The altar is dated 1985 and it was made by the Kelly Company,with slabs of marble from Musso while the pulpit is the result of a reconstruction led by the architect Perrone during the restoration works of the ancient Church.

 Another highlight is an image depicting  Jesus Christ dated the 17th century,a work by Spanish School,which traditionally belonged to a Spanish settlement in Pian di Spagna,at the top of Lake Como,swept away during a flood of the river Adda,transported into the lake and recuperated along the shore of Bellagio.

It was found by local fishermen and placed in the interior of the Church as venerated icon and today it is carried in procession every Good Friday.The Baptistery is the result of the actions undertaken during the restoration of the Church.The arrangement of the entire building which stands today is dated 1986. The mosaic of Venetian school depicting the Baptism of Jesus Christ is a relevant work by  Bergognone while the canvas are from Melegnano a town in the southern county of Milan and the drum support is a work by the sculptor Daverio from Bergamo.

The Church was declared a National Monument in 1904 by a Ministerial Decree and in that year there was a further restoration started with the intention to give it its Romanesque appearance,with the large reconstruction of two of the apses you can see today in its present appearance,other works were made for the framed summit with blind arches on the facade with an oculus and a single portal.

A chapter apart is the bell tower which was totally restored in the year 1990.The history of that architectonic element is pretty peculiar,because it was obtained elevating and altering the 17th century defencive check point tower close to the walls on the northern side,which was developed at about the same level of the Church roof. With those transformations,it acquired its current aspect and it was also plastered, like the rest of the building until the last works.

Very close to that relevant Religious building you can admire another one,the Chiesa di San Giorgio a Church dedicated  of St.George which is located next to the Municipio the Town Hall and it is more or less contemporary to the Basilica of St Giacomo,a little bit older because it was erected in 10th century. century.

The style of the period of construction shows in its perimeter stoned walls,windows and a conch in the small portal,very particular is the bell tower.Inside you can admire a beautiful fresco dated 11th century depicting the Virgin Mary and a wooden statue representing the Virgin which is carried in procession on the second Sunday of September for a local traditional religious event.

Originally the apse and the altar were facing east,they were then moved to the opposite side, thus shifting the entrance to the street while the Chapel adjacent to the the Church is dated 1658.

Worth also a visit the Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista,a Church dedicated to St.John Baptist),dated 17th century,erected in Baroque style consisting in a nave,notable for its lines is the facade,with the symmetry of its three portals and a splendid sinuous pediment in the upper section topped by a cross.

The highlights in its interior are charming wooden altar dated 17th century and the Madonna delle Grazie,a relevant fresco of Lombard school,furthermore a statue of  the Virgin Immaculate made by Carrara marble of the school of Bernini,walnut choir stalls carved dated 17th century and a painting by Gaudenzio Ferrari  dated 16th century.

In the square Piazza Miotti you can visit the Museo degli strumenti per la navigazione,the Museum of Instruments of Navigation hosted in an old house and tower set up properly where you can see over 200 great objects which in the past centuries has enabled humans to navigate discovering new lands.

Among the most interesting instruments in that private collection,there are a Venetian 18th century telescopes,some ancient compasses,sundials of various ages,a rich variety of marine chronometers,a sphere and a wonderful brass planetarium.

The Torre delle Arti (Arts Tower) is a cultural centre open for different purposes,emphasising the historic artistic territory and promoting different expressions of culture.That centre is particularly sensitive to promote various forms of art making culture out of its temples,its rites and its exclusive private clubs,bringing it to deal with ordinary people,trying to combine the accessibility and quality,local and universal of past and present.During the year are celebrated various events with the presence of local artists but it is also an international place,hosting workshops of various kinds,small theatrical performances, poetry recitals, literary contests and artistic exhibitions.


The beauty and charm of that resort is notorious all around the world.The famous Cinema Director Luchino Visconti chose the resort as set for one of his movies titled  Rocco and His Brothers,some scenes were filmed along the Lake Promenade, between the pier and then running to the Hotel Britannia.Also in Bellagio was filmed a scene of a movie by Sergio Leone in the year 1984 that film titled,Once Upon a Time in America with the walk of Robert De Niro (Noodles) with his beloved Deborah.

In the garden of Villa Melzi and interiors as in other areas of Lake Como were shot several parts of the movie Haunted Summer directed by Ivan Passer based on a novel by writer Anne Edward.It is instead set in the garden and in the first floor of Villa Melzi  a sequence of the famous movie Frankenstein over the bounds of time Frankenstein Unbound directed by Roger Corman, which is the house of Percy Bysshe Shelley and his wife Mary Wollstonecraft author of the novel.

Bellagio offers the opportunity to enjoy many outdoor activities such as water sports,surfing, hiking, trekking,riding,rowing,mountain bike and cycling.From  Bellagio the climb to the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ghisallo,(I wrote post about that place) the Patron of cyclists and a major destination for fans of that sport. 

For who wants to visit Switzerland usually the car ferry which runs from the sites located on the west bank of Menaggio and Varenna from Menaggio you can reach in a short time the border via Porlezza.(I wrote a post about that splendid destination in the case you are interested).

Alternatively, you can also use the quays of Como and Lecco,but that is a detour of about 60,0 kilometres km,furthermore you can also reach Erba,along a winding mountain road,simply spectacular for its beautiful natural landscapes.

The local is really excellent with the traditional Bresaola as starter the,Missoltini (marinated and fried fish),fish ravioliyou can also taste fried Alborelle,the Fritto Misto di Lago which is combination of fried fish really excellent and the Lavarello alla griglia,grilled fish simply excellent.

 The famous Polenta is cooked in different ways,the Polenta Uncia is cooked with butter and cheese,it can also be accompanied by Luganeghe,local sausages,mushrooms or also by delicious beef stews, such as Brasato and Spezzatino.

The risotti are cooked in different styles,risotto funghi (mushroom risotto) with cheeses,there are excellent local cheeses as Zincarlin,Gorgonzola and Taleggio,with herbs,sausages and very famous is that one with fish ,Risotto al Pesce Persico.Another plate combined with cheese is the Gnocchi di patate. 

Milan Malpensa Airport is situated 1 hour and 15 minutes away from Menaggio and Tremezzo from there you can take the ferry with destination Bellagio,in Menaggio from its harbour while in Tremezzo you can also take the ferry outside the magnificent Gardens of Villa Carlotta.

Bellagio is simply a magnificent destination,not many places offer a natural frame as that one you can admire there,where all seems so unique with the immediate impression to be in a fairytale world,a place that the famed French artist Stendhal described as a landscape unparallelled in Italy.

Bellagio could be an endless queue of outstanding adjectives,that pearl will charm you with the desire to come back as soon as possible.That dreamland destination is a place where the verb to revisit after to admire such splendour is definitely a must. 


Francesco Mari



Recommended Hotels in Bellagio 


Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni 
Hotel Belvedere Bellagio 
Hotel Metropole Bellagio 
Hotel Du Lac 
Hotel Excelsior Splendide 
Hotel Fioroni

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