Villa Del Balbianello

Villa Del Balbianello

Villa Del Balbianello
5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
This magnificent villa is known for its beautiful architecture, picturesque gardens, mesmerizing views of Lake Como and the surrounding mountains, and for being the filming location of blockbusters like 'Star Wars: Attack of the Clones' and 'Casino Royale'. You can take a guided tour of the villa's lavish interiors, where you’ll also be able to view artworks and artifacts collected by explorer and former owner Guido Monzino. The villa is only open to the public from March through to November, so it can get pretty busy—book your tickets early to secure your slot and get there in the morning for fewer crowds. – Tripadvisor
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • The Rogue Diplomat
    Los Angeles, California62 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A little underwhelming (Definitely go in the off-season)
    We took the guided tour (recommend) and saw inside all the rooms. They were ok, but more '70s-'80s-style than some of the grand palaces we're used to touring. The grounds are what is nice, but there are enough people that it turns into a photoshoot everywhere you turn. Honestly, we enjoyed seeing it more the following day from our boat tour. The big drawback is the parking here. There is a lot about a mile away from the entrance, but only about 20 spaces available. We had to park an extra .3 miles away. From that main lot, EVERYONE must walk the mile to the entrance, and if you are disabled at all, or elderly, it is not very convenient. Once inside, it would also be challenging. It's one of those places you feel that you must visit when in town, but ok. We enjoyed Villa Carlotta more.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 April 2024
  • Mintra M
    40 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An interesting piece of property
    We took the English guided tour and it was very fun. Our guide was excellent. Highly recommend. The Villa and the garden are beautiful and very well maintained. Spring is one of the best visit time as the wisteria are blooming.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 18 April 2024
  • Agnès G
    Strasbourg, France90 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Superb villa
    Visiting the villa and its gardens was a great pleasure because the place is truly superb! We had booked the entry ticket online, which saved us from queuing upon arrival. By arriving early at 10:30 a.m., we were able to sign up for the 11 a.m. guided tour in English. The visit is really interesting because the life of the last owner is fascinating. It takes 30 minutes to walk (easy) between the boat pier in Lenno and the villa, it's definitely worth it!
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 May 2024
  • Sabrina_Alfredo
    Padua, Italy200 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful!
    The garden of this villa is beautiful, we saw the interiors on a guided tour and they are really interesting. The ticket is a bit expensive but we paid €5 because we have an FAI card. It is difficult to find parking (we recommend the car park in Via Diaz, not very close but less frequented than the one under the villa) and we advise you to book entry.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 May 2024
  • Jardin-de-miel
    Berlin, Germany177 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    For me the most beautiful villa on Lake Como
    Worth a trip. It's best to book tickets online. If the weather allows, it's even better to combine a private boat trip across Lake Como with a trip to the villa. The morning is the most beautiful and not so crowded.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 May 2024
  • nina2121
    San Antonio, Texas16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gorgeous!! + wear comfortable shoes!
    Gorgeous Villa, outstanding gardens and interesting tour. A few important logistical notes: 1. Buy your ticket online in advance. This will save valuable time by not standing in line. Try to book a minimum of a week or two ahead of time. If you want to see the inside of the villa, book way in advance. You might get lucky and get a tour at the window when you arrive (we did!). 2. It is critical to wear comfortable shoes. The villa is a 20-25 minute walk from l where the ferry drops off in Lenno. Much of it is uphill. It is a nice stroll but wouldn’t be if not wearing the right shoes. 3. There is a pier at the back of the villa where private tours can drop you. Wish I’d done this! You can also get a ride on a water taxi back BUT the line may be long. I think they take about 12 people every 20 minutes. I believe it cost 6 Euro one way per person and you pay on board. We ended up walking back (again, wear good shoes!) just to make sure we caught the departing ferry on time. It is a gorgeous and special experience, especially if you are prepared with good shoes, water, and sun protection. And maybe a snack or two :)
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 May 2024
  • Sean L
    Brisbane, Australia36 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Picture Perfect
    Wonderful wonderful wonderful. This place is magnificent and you simply must visit. Staff were also fantastic and very accommodating as we were a bit late, so they changed us to a later booking. Michaela was a wonderful guide around the house. You’ll get some amazing photos so dress up as you’ll want to frame them! 😀
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 23 June 2024
  • WitchyYork
    Strensall, United Kingdom1,430 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing!
    Amazing villa with the most spectacular views everywhere you look. We booked online before our holiday and as members of the British National Trust, we got a discount of €6 each. Just make sure you take your card with you. Parking can be challenging in the summer, we parked at Via Armando Diaz across from the cemetery where it’s free parking. This is a 30-40 min walk from there, in total, to the Villa gates where you get your timed entry for your guide. Part of this walk is the 25 min uphill walk from the ticket entrance. We saw a queue of people waiting to be admitted at the ticket entrance, so book ahead and buy online to bypass this. When you’ve reached the Villa gates you are given an entry time to tour the house with your guide, where you meet on the gravel between the loggia and the main house. The house is left just how it was when it was given to the FAI (Italian National Trust) and is fantastic. Our guide Annalisa was brilliant, so interesting and informative. The grounds contain the movie locations of James Bond Casino Royale and Star Wars Attack of the Clones, which whilst fun to find are bustling with people trying to get the perfect photo.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 July 2024
  • dapper777
    Monaco68,498 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very beautiful.
    We loved it. It is an absolute "must" for connoisseurs and garden lovers! Originally it was a monastery, then, after being partially abandoned for decades, this villa was restored and inhabited again at the end of the First World War. There is a museum in the buildings with objects and furnishings brought by one of the former owners. There is also an extraordinary collection of Arctic maps, some of which were used for 19th-century expeditions. The last owner died in 1988 and bequeathed the villa to a private Italian cultural and monumental association, which now takes over its management and maintenance. The easiest way to get here is by boat from Lenno. The short boat ride is also truly spectacular, not to be missed. The entire property can also be rented for events such as weddings, conferences and meetings. The villa is spectacular, the gardens are very well kept, and the internal spaces are really well preserved. You can't miss it if you are in the Lake Como area.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 July 2024
  • Brown_Samantha
    Kennewick, Washington1,826 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning views gorgeous terraces fascinating history - this is definitely a must do while at Lake Como
    The photos, the movies, the raving reviews. We knew we had to come when we planned our vacation to visit Lake Como. This review will focus a bit more on the logistics to help with some of the questions we had when we were planning. Be sure to book online to tour the inside of the villa itself. We booked months out, nonrefundable, for 2:15 pm. This allowed leisurely time to travel from Bellagio to Lenno. Visit Lenno town, have a nice lunch lake side. Then we took the water taxi to go across the lake. This offered us a magnificent view of the villa, and great photo opportunity. We arrived earlier than the 2:15 pm as they allow you to explore the gardens. At the gate, they check your names and told you the villa tour meeting spot. The grounds of the villa is simply beautiful. We especially enjoyed the terraces that looked out to the lake. If you have patience, you can actually wait and get photographs without crowds. People were very kind and courteous. The last owner, Guido Monzino, kept a lot of his exploration memorabilia in the villa. He was also an avid collector of many amazing artifacts. Some thousands of years old. We found the secret passage and trap doors fascinating. We feel it is definitely worth the cost and effort to get the interior tour. The umbrella trees were so unique, they were admired by many. We found the grounds to be very clean and well maintained. There were bathroom facilities for use and they were clean. There is a bit of "up and down" to walk this property. Be sure to wear good footwear. In the end, we chose to walk back to Lenno town, as it was mostly down hill. About 30 minutes or so, leisurely and mostly in the shade. Note the ferry back to Bellagio did not run too late, so plan accordingly.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 12 July 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles3,559 reviews
Excellent
2,893
Very good
540
Average
78
Poor
24
Terrible
23

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

Marilena73
Cavallermaggiore, Italy70 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
We recommend a complete guided tour of the Indoor Villa + Gardens (perhaps by making the Fai card first which allows the price reduction from 24 euros to 5 euros). Very difficult to find availability on the online site, so either you leave well in advance or you try at the ticket office on site. Visits every 15 minutes from 10 am, in various languages. We chose to arrive by 9 am so as to take the free parking (there are only about twenty) arranged before the path that leads to the ticket office. Comfortable shoes are recommended because it takes about 20/30 minutes of walking on an asphalt road but sometimes uphill in the middle of the hill, but doable calmly by everyone!! Great visit and very good Guide in the presentation!! Beautiful and well maintained gardens, but worth much more the visit inside the Villa. Overall duration of the Villa+gardens visit: about an hour and a half/2 hours. Great views for photos!!
Automatically translated
Written 11 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rachael T
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
Take the C10 bus from outside Como train station and pay by card on the bus €6 return ticket each. Get off at Lenno Campo and walk up to the villa in 20 minutes. Buy villa tickets online a week before to avoid all queues. Take the water taxi from the little villa pier back to Lenno centre. €6 each and pay by card on board. A taxi quoted us €100 each way! Great places for lunch by the sea and then walk up the little path opposite the water taxi stop to the street to jump back on the C10 bus to return to Como town or train station. Much easier than expected! Villa is an absolute must visit!
Written 24 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Suzanne L
Washington DC, DC85 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
This was my favorite villa visit on Lake Como. Definitely reserve timed tickets in advance for the villa tour and gardens as they limit the number of walk-ins. Consider taking a water taxi if anyone in your group has mobility concerns as the walk up to the villa is very steep. Our English speaking tour guide was excellent. Catch the film about Guido Menzino in the first building you come to by foot to see clips of his North Pole and Everest expeditions. There is no food for sale at the villa, just cold drinks. We arrived early to spend some time walking around the gardens. It also looked like parking is very difficult so I would recommend arriving by boat or bus.
Written 4 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Musique4ever
Blotzheim, France78 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
Not having a ticket, we wanted to arrive early, unfortunately due to the cancellation of the 11:45 a.m. ferry, we only arrived at 2:20 p.m. and had to wait 1h30 in the sun to be able to enter and go buy a 9€ ticket per person

The reception is disorganized, no logic on the number of people they let in without tickets (5 people enter while 30 people have already left...)

What a disappointment with all these positive reviews and having heard so much about this villa, almost nothing to visit apart from the arches which of course were full of people wanting a photo alone in front for the souvenir photo...

In short, a lot of waiting for a villa that is much less beautiful inside than seen from the lake, I recommend settling for a boat ride to see it, if you really want to visit it, order your tickets in advance

Big disappointment, we appreciated the villa Melzi in Como and the villa Monastera in Varenna much more
Google
Written 26 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DIAGONAL_1975
Tuscany, Italy349 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Friends
Famous and advertised everywhere, this villa deserves better management starting from the entrance: a path with a small gate where insufficient young staff try to manage a constantly overbooking situation under stress. Courtesy in such a context is optional. The limited access does not allow the public's demand to be satisfied in the slightest. The entry price is overall high. I wonder what is the point of advertising this place everywhere without giving much emphasis to the fact that it can only be accessed with online reservations. Closing days including midweek. In short, if you really want to visit the villa, everything must be planned many days in advance, risking adverse weather conditions.
Google
Written 4 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

EvaHK
Madrid, Spain1,275 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
highly recommended. It has been made more fashionable by the recorded scenes of Star Wars and 007. It is a beautiful villa with very beautiful gardens in a special location on a ledge of land. The house has 6 floors and is embedded in the stone and is certainly worth a complete visit because its history is very interesting. It is advisable to get your tickets online in advance to avoid queues. You can walk from the town of Lenno about 20 minutes or take a taxi boat
Google
Written 9 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mrstraveller1
York, UK2,246 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Very popular attraction in Como, it was a worthwhile visit. Book in advance, as tickets sell quickly, especially for the villa tour. Group sizes are small & viewing the villa inside is only possible on the official guided tour lasting 45 minutes. Tickets for the gardens are easier to get as these aren’t with a guide, but bookings are still by time slot. That said, we noted people rolling up & buying tickets on arrival. The lakeside setting is stunning, the gardens beautifully manicured & preserved.
From Lenno, where Balbianello is located, access is either via a short water taxi ride (€6/8 single/return) or by a mainly uphill 20/25 minute walk.
Written 26 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eric
Ulrum, The Netherlands135 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
The villa looks really beautiful with a lake background. We came in the afternoon and it is cloudy at first, but the sun came out at last, and the villa looks even more beautiful under the sunshine. The garden is very well kept, with grass, trees and statues which reflect the hard and delicate work of the designers. Transportation from Milan city is a little bit far, recommend you take a regional train from central station (one hour duration) to Varenna, and change to a ferry boat to Lenno.
Written 6 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

robs8
Philadelphia, PA USA28 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
This is a wonderful garden that I've been to 3 times. It is very small and has become very popular over the years. I would not recommend it anymore because the grounds are too small for the hoards of crowds which descend on it each day. It's popularity also allowed the owners to raise the price, making the experience even less satisfying.
Written 29 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Neil W
Lancaster District, UK30 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
Although some might have complained about the price, we thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the villa, as well as a wander round it's gardens. The beauty of this place is bucket list worthy in my opinion so I don't see a problem in the price at all. We were completely captured by the story of the Villa and it's late owner, from the history down to his secret escape passageway. The scenery and the photo opportunities within the gardens are nothing short of perfect, easy to walk around and just take in the surroundings. There are spots from the movie Star Wars that you can recreate if you're a fan of the movies, an ice cream vendor onsite with the most gorgeous gelato. My advice, if anyone is visiting Lake Como would be that this is a must see place that you have to add to your itinerary.
Written 8 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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VILLA DEL BALBIANELLO (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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