Villa d'Este: Legend on Lake Como

Luxury, lake views, and the art of living well make this magical place a unique, iconic, and evocative destination that fills the eyes and inspires the mind.

“The location of the earthly Paradise has never been established with certainty but it could truly be around here.” —Herb Caen

Home to the aristocracy for centuries, after princesses, marquises, sultans, and tsars, since 1873 Villa d’Este in Cernobbio has become one of the most fascinating and celebrated hotels in the world. A magical place of emotions, it has fascinated famous guests such as Joséphine Baker, Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall, Gene Kelly, Robert Mitchum, Ava Gardner, Alfred Hitchcock, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Frank Sinatra, Maria Callas, and Aristotle Onassis.

Villa d’Este is considered one of the most beautiful examples of sixteenth-century Lombard architecture, overlooking one of the most romantic lakes, Lake Como. Designed by Tibaldi, the villa is immersed in a park with centuries-old plants where you can admire the Nymphaeum, the Fountain of Hercules, and the Temple of Telemachus. In its halls, you can find decorations by Andrea Appiani and works of art from the nineteenth century, some of which are from the school of Canova.

About the Author:

Guido Taroni grew up in the family villa on Lake Como, where he developed his love of beauty, colors, and shapes that would become the subject of his photographic research.