Fun Facts, Tips and Favorites...Lake Como
So much to do and to explore...Where to start?
12 Amazing Things to Know about Lake Como, Italy
- Lake Como is the deepest lake in Italy at about 410 meters (1,345 feet) deep.
- Lake Como has a unique shape similar to the letter Y. The most visited part of Lake Como is the three cities in the middle of the Y-shaped lake.
- There are many celebrities and famous people that own villas here at Lake Como, the most famous is without a doubt the villa of George Clooney. Other celebrities that own property on Lake Como include Julia Roberts, David Beckham, Richard Branson, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
- While most people come here to enjoy the views, and villas and maybe rent a boat on the lake, there are many hiking trails at Lake Como. So you can walk off all your gelato and late Italian dinners.
- There is only one island on Lake Como – Isola Comacina. It’s small and covered in trees and you can visit on a guided boat tour.
- Lake Como has a lot of history. It was created by the melting glaciers of the nearby Alps (you can see Switzerland from the lake). And the area was first settled by the Romans who were the first ones to build villas on the lake. It later became part of the Holy Roman Empire and Italy.
- Lake Como is a popular place for windsurfers and it has its own winds. The locals will tell you that the Southern wind called Breva blows in the afternoon and Tiviano which blows from the north only at night or in the morning.
- Lake Como is famous for its villas, in fact, there are more than 2000 of them.
- Ocean’s Twelve and James Bond movies were filmed at Lake Como. And yes the cast of the movie actually stayed at George Cloney’s own villa while they filmed at Villa Erba which is featured in the movie. Villa Erba is François Toulour’s house and dates back to 1882. It isn’t a residential home, but an art museum and exhibition centre.
- Director George Lucas shot scenes from “Star Wars” Episode 2 (2002) in the Villa Balbianello in Lenno on Lake Como. Villa Balbianello was designed by Giuseppe Sommaruga and the villa cost $1 million to build. It is open to the public.
- There are a total of 24 villages and towns at Lake Como and about 160km of shoreline.
- Lake Como has a fantastic ferry service, so when you visit, you can visit other towns along the Lake. Or you can rent the boat for a few hours. MORE TO COME...
