Villa Carlotta
A late-17th-century villa on the shores of Lake Como at Tremezzo, with an 8-hectare botanical garden famous for its spring azaleas, and a collection of Canova-school sculpture and Hayez paintings inside.
Villa Carlotta was built around 1690. In 1843, Princess Marianne of Prussia gave it to her daughter Carlotta as a wedding gift, which is how the villa got its name. Today it is a museum and botanical garden. Inside are Neoclassical sculptures and paintings, including Tenerani's Cupid and Psyche (after Canova's original) and Hayez's The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet. The 8-hectare garden climbs the hillside, with more than 150 varieties of azalea and rhododendron, a fern gorge, a bamboo grove, a lemon garden and lakeside terraces. The flowering season from mid-April to May is at its most spectacular. Admission is about €15, with discounts for students and seniors. Getting there: take a ferry to the Cadenabbia or Tremezzo landing, then walk 2–5 minutes from the pier. The villa faces Bellagio across the lake, about 10 minutes by ferry. Allow 1.5–2 hours, and you can continue on to the nearby Villa Balbianello. Tip: the garden has many slopes, so wear comfortable shoes. Opening hours change with the seasons, so check the official website.
Opening hours
Approx. late March to early November, 09:30/10:00–18:00 (extended in peak season)
Nearby sights
- Villa Melzi Gardens
- Menaggio
- Bellagio
- Villa del Balbianello
- Sacro Monte di Ossuccio
- Varenna
- Isola Comacina
- Castello di Vezio