A 1km walk along the lake shore from Lenno's main square, Villa Balbianello has cinematic pedigree: this was where scenes from Star Wars Episode II and the 2006 James Bond remake of Casino Royale were shot. The reason? It is one of the most dramatic locations anywhere on Lago di Como, providing a genuinely stunning marriage of architecture and lake views.
Built by Cardinal Angelo Durini in 1787, Villa Balbianello was used for a while by Allied commanders at the tail end of WWII. The sculpted gardens, which seem to drip off the high promontory like sauce off a melting gelato cone, are the perfect place for hopelessly romantic elopers to spend a day. Visitors are only allowed to walk the 1km path (amid vegetation so florid as to seem Southeast Asian) from the Lenno landing stage to the estate on Tuesdays and at weekends. On other days, you have to take a taxi boat from Lenno. If you want to see inside the villa, you must join a guided tour (generally conducted in Italian) by 4.15pm.
