“Mozzafiato” is the Italian word for breathtaking and Lake Como is certainly that. The lake and mountain views surround you and make for some of the most stunning photographs. Lake Como has been a favorite holiday destination for the leisure classes dating back to Ancient Roman times. Lucky for us they have left behind some of their most charming historic villas for us to enjoy today. Most properties are only 50 minutes from the Milan airport and so easy for your international guests to travel into and out of.

The shores of Lake Como are dotted with spectacular villas built by the famous and wealthy from centuries past. Villa Balbiano is one of the most magical of all. Recently renovated and landscaped, it is a jewel of Lake Como. The ample gardens sit directly on the lake and can accommodate all types of ceremonies and events. The interior, replete with frescoed walls and museum quality artwork, hosts six suites for up to twelve guests.

Villa Pizzo occupies more than a kilometer of land along the lake front. It is the most romantic of villas on the lake with its sprawling and abundant gardens. While gently manicured, the gardens are organic and free flowing in nature.  It can accommodate symbolic wedding ceremonies on its spectacular “Darsene” terrace which played host to the wedding of John Legend and Chrissy Teigen.

Villa Pliniana was built  in 1573 by the governor of Como on the site of an ancient rhythmic water spring. It is such a rare natural phenomenon that Leonardo da Vinci came to study it. Throughout its history, the villa has played host to an illustrious list of emperors, princes, poets, and musicians. The current owners acquired it in 1983 and spent thirty years on a painstaking restoration. 

Villa Pliniana has 17 guest rooms and a spa onsite. Nestled on a quite piece of shore, it is accessible by private boat and lives like the most luxurious home you could ever imagine. Both civil and symbolic weddings can be held on the grounds.

Stately and elegant, it is one of the most grand and opulent locations on the lake. The wedding dinner can be held outside in the ample botanical garden or inside the historic palazzo. The interiors feature frescoed and marbled ballrooms large enough for both the wedding dinner and for the after-dinner party. Villa Erba is one of the few locations on Lake Como that can accommodate over 200 persons for a wedding and it does so with aplomb whether in its gardens or indoor spaces. It is situated in the charming, upscale town of Cernobbio and just a stone’s throw from the city of Como, making it one of the most convenient of all locations. 

No discussion of Lake Como would be complete without the crown jewel of the lake, Villa Balbianello. The villa sits spectacularly at the tip of a peninsula that juts out into the lake. It is exquisitely landscaped and manicured and access is only by boat, adding to the mystique of this one-of-a kind venue. It is a favorite of the film industry with films such as Star Wars and James Bond having been filmed in the storied gardens. The villa is ideal for intimately sized groups with fewer than 80 persons in the Loggia Segré although it can accommodate groups with up to 150 persons on the main lawn. Both civil and symbolic weddings are possible here.