Lake Como is Italy's third-largest lake after Lake Garda and Maggiore and a popular and well-established vacation destination. Spectacular waterfront dwellings, rural landmarks, sites of historical importance and excellent restaurants attract a discerning clientele.
Lake Como is surrounded by several award-winning 5-star luxury hotels, attracting more and more tourists. In parallel to a flourishing luxury hotel tourism, the area has seen an unmatched rise in demand for holiday homes.
The cathedral (Dumo) of Como
Take a seat at a restaurant or bar in the square out front of the Piazza di Como and admire the magnificent 15th-century neogothic façade of the Duomo, including sculptures of Pliny the Elder and the Younger. While doing so, one can also admire the famous buildings around the Duomo, such as the Broletto and the city tower. The Dumo is not only convinced as the last Gothic cathedral built in Lombardy but also via its diverse and astonishing interior design, which has been more than 400 years in the making. Entrance, of course, is free.
Villa del Balbianello
This estate, on the lake’s western bank, offers an enchanting view of the area. Accessible by boat or via a short hike, the late 16th-century villa sits in a lovely garden with an assortment of beautiful flowers and greenery, creating a combination of art and nature that is hard to find elsewhere. It is a must-see for nature and history buffs and nowadays a location for private events such as weddings.
Taxi Boat Varenna
What better way to explore Lake Como than by boat? Taxi Boat Varenna has been one the best water taxi on Lake Como for more than 15 years. The Taxi Boat offers short and long trips from Varenna to various attractions on the lake while providing relaxing and memorable sights and memories. The shortest tour is that of Varenna , lasting half an hour, and the longest is called George’s tour, which takes you past the villas dotting the shoreline, including George Clooney’s, in Laglio (2.5hrs). The boatman will also give insights into the local culture and must-gos’.
Basilica di Sant’Abbondio
About 1km from the city center of Como is the Basilica di Sant’Abbondio. It was built in the 11th century on top of a 5th-century basilica. The basilica’s nave was built in Romanesque style between 1050 and 1095. It is older than the Cathedral of Como and one of the most important churches at Lake Como. The simple decor is balanced by a highly ornamented apse, with frescoes dating back to the mid-14th century. As the building was constructed over different periods, one can see trends of each era that influenced the history of Lake Como. Hence, this is a must-see for architecture and history enthusiasts.
Clooney, Branson, Novikov - Stunning homes at Lake Como owned by celebrities.
Opinion leaders such as George Clooney and Richard Branson own extraordinary lakefront properties. While these lakefront plots are scarce, demand and prices are rising steadily. Lake Como is just 50 km from Milan, very close to Switzerland and can be reached quickly by car from Milan Malpensa Airport making Lake Como easily accessible for EU- and Non-EU travelers.
Prime Properties' presence in the Lake Como region
In late 2021 we hired our country manager Andrea Favarato and started our research of the region. We defined two targets for our development projects - lakeside properties with boat houses and direct access to the lake and 2nd line properties with a tremendous lake view and absolute privacy.
In total, we screened more than 1.000 properties, asked for hundreds of exposés, had viewings for around 65 properties, and started negotiations for more than 12 properties. After lot of work and a massive time investment later we are currently in the acquisition process for our first Lake Como development project which we will be able to share with our clients over the next weeks.
