Villa del Balbianello

Lake District

Plan a dream wedding in this wonderful location by Lake Como

Worldwide renowned, Villa Del Balbianello is one the most spectacular wedding venues. Dating back to the 18th century, the villa is ideally set in a privileged position offering some of the nicest views of the lake.

Famous for being the backdrop of Hollywood movies such as Star Wars and Casino Royale, the villa is managed and preserved by the Italian Environment Fund which takes care of the most important monumental villas in the country.

Nestled in a magnificent garden with romantic alleyways lined with statues and elegantly trimmed hedges, the villa is reachable by boat through its private pier.

The decor will leave you quite breathless. The main building of the villa hosts some English and French furnishings, which date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, such rich findings. The interiors are embellished by many glass paintings and a rich collection of ethnic sculptures and artifacts.

Highlights

Event options for your day

You can rent the villa for an outdoor ceremony or to have your civil blessing legally officiated here. Depending on the number of guests, ceremonies can be held on the Terrace (small groups) or under the Loggia (bigger groups). For groups smaller than 50 guests, the ceremony can be also celebrated with the villa being open to tourists, which makes the rental fee more affordable. For groups of 50 people and over, ceremonies are only allowed when the villa is closed to the public and bookable for exclusive use.

Villa del Balbianello has only two small indoor rooms, the Library and the Cartographer room which are available in case of bad weather or for special requests. The rooms are set facing each other on both sides of the Loggia. Dinner under the Loggia, which is the only roof-covered place of the villa is allowed only for small groups of up to 45 people. With over 45 guests the dinner will instead be served in the gardens under the white marquee.

Features

no accommodation onsite
up to xx guests
1 hour drive from Milan airport
parking available

Surroundings

Green mountains all around

Built right on the lake banks, Villa del Balbianello is a connecting point between the calm, cold waters of Lake Como and the rocky cliff Rhaetian Alps set in the back. Declared as one of the most beautiful places to visit in all of Italy, the lake is a once-in-a-lifetime chance of attending such natural spectacle. Words fall short to describe how one feels when you look at the native goodness of this corner of paradise, but pictures speak clearly.

Hiking and incredible viewpoints aside, keep in mind that the road contouring the lake is frequently interrupted by lovely towns like the municipality of Lenno, the closest to the villa and only about 4 km away, a charming and quaint small centre made of cobbled streets and a few restaurants abunding in hearty Italian food.

Good to know:

27 km > Como
11 km > Varenna
76 km > Milan
120 km > Bergamo
200 km > Sirmione
315 km > Venice
380 km > Florence
635 km > Rome

Recreational activities

Cultural sightseeing and active sports

Welcome to one of the hottest spots on this side of Southern Europe. The lake is nothing short of spectacular, and for such reason it has been frequented for a long time now by countless movie stars and royalty, leaving visitors and tourists alike with a certain curiosity and eagerness to join the party.

It may sound redundant to some, but tours are easily planned to take guests around the stunning villas, and why not, even peek at the residence of the Clooneys, Madonna's or Gianni Versace. The Beverly Hills of the Italian North will keep you busy with lots of knowledge and interesting historic facts and, for the active souls of the group, it comes with a rich supply of outdoors adventures.

Keep busy with:

A trip with the funicular to the mountain
Canoeing
Rock climbing
Enjoying a meal at a trattoria
Train ride to Milan

Feel like having your wedding here?

Talk to your planner now!