If you are visiting Northern Italy, I can highly recommend visiting Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como. Lake Como is less than an hour outside of  Milan.  Just a short drive from the city of Como in Lenno you will find Villa del Balbianello.

The Villa is protected under FAI, which is a non-profit organization that protects the Italian culture. 

If you join this organization, you are not only helping protect their culture but you can benefit from many discounts on FAI properties.  As a family we have joined and enjoyed visiting many historical properties. 

 

James Bond or Star Wars fans may find this Villa even more exciting to visit.  The Villa has been used in many movies. Before our first visit we watched a few clips from films, which got our kids even more excited for the visit.  

You can reach the Villa by hiking in or taking a boat.  If you choose to take a boat you can catch a charted boat from Lido di Lenno.  There are a few small boat docks with boats to take you to and from. You can also charter boats from other towns on Lake Como. The boats will drop you off near the museum and you can walk up a short distance to the entrance.  

The Villa is built right on the lake front with absolutely stunning views. Pictured above is where the boat will drop you off .

If you choose to walk in, I recommend parking by the Lido di Lenno and hiking in on the path. It is about a 20 minute walk (2.5 km) with breathtaking views.
Once you arrive at the Villa you can pay your entrance fee. You have 2 option, see only the gardens or take a tour of the home.
To view the gardens the entrance fee is 3 euros
A tour of the Villa is 10 euros for Adults and 5 euros for ages 4-14
I recommend the tour as the artifacts collected by the owner are fascinating.

A visit to Villa del Balbianello will not disappoint.  If you are planning a visit it is important to know the Villa is only open from March to November and closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.