Villa Carlotta – Botanical Garden and Residence on the shores of Lake Como
The facility has over 300 years of history. Originally it belonged to the Clerici family. The last descendant of this family sold the villa to Giovanni Sommariva, who gathered sculptures of, for example, Antonio Canova and Berthel Thorvaldsen. Villa Carlotta, however, took its name from another owner, prematurely deceased Carlotta (Carolina). The villa was bought and given to her by her mother, Princess Marianna of the Netherlands, on the occasion of her marriage. Carlotta’s chosen one was Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Currently, the villa is owned by the state.
Villa Carlotta – attractions
It will take you 3 hours to pass the villa and gardens quite smoothly. There are toilets and a café on the premises. If you have your own eatables, you can use a specially prepared picnic area. You can rest on one of the many benches. Often with a wonderful panoramic view of Lake Como. If you plan to stay there with the whole family and don’t want to hurry, the visit may take most of the day. There is a souvenir shop at the ticket offices. When you buy a ticket, you will receive a map of the park. You can explore it on your own or by using one of the two designated sightseeing routes. Short, blue (45 minutes) and longer, red (90 minutes).
The garden looks most magnificent in spring. Then a beautiful collection of azaleas and rhododendrons, magnolia, wisteria blooms. This does not mean, however, that it is not worth visiting the botanical garden at any other time. The impression is made, among others, by a bamboo grove, a beautiful fountain, magnificent palm trees, a collection of cacti or a tunnel with citrus. Dogs are allowed, but only on a leash. There are also two elevators that allow access to the higher levels of the garden.
Practical information
You can get to Villa Carlotta by ferry, which stops at its gates. The stop is called „Villa Carlotta”. Most of the ferries run in the so-called middle of the lake, which is the area most explored by tourists. Alternatively, check out the ferries to and from the „Tremezzo” stop just 500 meters away. You can check the timetable online here. It is also available on paper at every ferry stop.
Most travelers take the train to Varenna and take ferries there to the most popular towns on Lake Como: Bellagio, Menaggio, Lenno or Bellano (the latter can also be reached by train). Varenna can be reached directly by train from Milan. Coming from Bergamo, we will have to change in Lecco. You can check the current train timetable here, or in the convenient Trenitalia app (you can buy tickets there and check which platform the train departs from).
If you plan to visit more than one place during the day, consider buying a full-day ferry ticket. It entitles you to unlimited journeys and stops along the route. For example, the price of a one-way connection from Varenna – Villa Carlotta is 4.60 euro. A day ticket from Varenna costs 15 euros. Ticket offices are open 20 minutes before ferry arrival, and close 5 minutes before arrival. Note: in some places it is possible to pay for the ticket only in cash (e.g. Bellano).
Villa Carlotta is open daily from 10am to 7pm (last admission at 6pm). The ticket costs 12 euros, discount tickets are also available. The ticket price includes visiting the garden and the villa. It is not possible to buy a ticket only to the garden. If you are planning a visit in high season, it is worth purchasing your tickets online in advance here to avoid unnecessary queuing at the box office.
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