DREAM TRIPS FOR LUXE LOVERS

ROMANTIC LAKE COMO

In Italy’s deeply enchanting lake district, days are spent peeking into grand Renaissance palazzos with glorious manicured gardens and bobbing about on boats on Lake Como’s ludicrously blue waters.

WHY IT’S SPECIAL

This is arguably the most glamorous of Italy’s lakes – and not just because George Clooney is its most famous resident. The trio of pretty towns that sit roughly halfway down its length are a natural place to begin pottering: there’s the charming fishing village of Varenna; Bellagio, which has a lively café-lined waterfront and back alleys full of aperitivo wine bars and boutiques selling chic silk scarves; and Menaggio, where life seems to revolve around the main Piazza Garibaldi.

There’s nothing quite like being on the water itself, whether you take a boat trip to Villa Balbianello, made famous by an appearance in the Bond film Casino Royale (fondoambiente.it/ luoghi/villa-del-balbianello), swim out from one of the beaches or go on a kayaking tour (bellagiowatersports. com). If you are staying at Il Sereno hotel in Torno (serenohotels.com) – designed by Patricia Urquiola, and distinguished by its Michelin-star restaurant and a spa in the former boathouse – you can use one of the hotel’s sleek Riva boats for exploring the lake.

But perhaps Lake Como is at its most magical in the evening, when outdoor restaurants fill up with diners tucking into plates piled-high with spaghetti, children run around the squares eating ice cream until late and there’s the nightly passeggiata along the waterfront.

YOU’LL NEVER FORGET

Even those who aren’t particularly green-fingered will be impressed by the botanical beauty that surrounds some of the lake’s finest villas – among them Villa Carlotta near Tremezzo (villacarlotta.it), a former residence turned museum with an Italianate-style garden, and Villa Monastero (villamonastero.eu) in Varenna where the long, narrow terraces follow the shoreline.

INSIDER TIP

All the towns on the lake are easily visited by boat (it’s the most scenic way to get around), but it’s worth noting that Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio are connected by a middle lake ferry shuttle (navigazionelaghi.it).