Villa Melzi is the great garden of Bellagio, a lakeside park laid out in the early nineteenth century for Francesco Melzi d’Eril, a Milanese nobleman who served as vice president of Napoleon’s Italian Republic. The neoclassical villa itself stays private, but the grounds run along the water for several hundred metres and are among the most beautiful on Lake Como. Wide gravel avenues under plane trees and cedars frame views across the lake to the Grigne mountains, a pond with a Japanese-style garden lies hidden among maples and azaleas, and statues, a small chapel and a Moorish-style pavilion are set among open lawns. The tour we link to pairs the gardens with a taste of Bellagio, so you see the park and the old town on one outing rather than as two separate trips. The gardens are a seasonal sight, open in the warmer months and closed over the winter.
What the tour is
A guided food tour of Bellagio that includes a visit to the Villa Melzi gardens. The tour title names the gardens, and we link to it because there is no stand-alone garden ticket we can send you to. The route, group size, tastings and exact length are set by the operator, so read the details when you book, and expect a few hours in total.
The gardens are entered from the lakefront promenade a short walk south of the ferry landing, so the walk between the old town and the park is easy and flat.
Season
The gardens normally open at the end of March and close again in late autumn, with the azaleas and rhododendrons at their best in spring and the plane trees and maples turning in October. In winter the park is shut, so a tour that includes it only makes sense in the open season. If you travel between November and March, check that the tour is running and whether the gardens are part of it on your date, or choose the free walk through Bellagio’s old town instead.
What to look for
Start on the main avenue under the planes and walk towards the water, where a lakeside terrace gives the classic view of Bellagio’s promontory with the mountains behind. Look for the Japanese-style pond, which is the quietest corner of the park, and for the small chapel and the Moorish-style pavilion among the trees.
The paths are mostly gravel and flat, so the visit suits most walkers, and a strolling pace takes about an hour. The park is a good place to take photographs because the light on the water is softest in the morning and late afternoon.
Getting there
Ferries and hydrofoils from Como, Varenna and Menaggio call at Bellagio, and the park is about five to ten minutes on foot from the landing. If you arrive by car, parking in Bellagio is limited, so the boat is the better choice. Wear comfortable shoes for the old town’s stepped lanes, which are part of the food tour, and bring a light layer because the lakeside can be breezy even on a sunny day. Combine the tour with a ferry crossing to Varenna in the afternoon for a full day on the water.
What to expect
The experience
A guided walk and tasting tour of Bellagio that includes time in the Villa Melzi gardens, with the exact route set by the operator.
Best time
Spring for the azaleas and rhododendrons, or October for autumn colour, in the morning when the light on the water is soft.
How long
Plan on three to four hours in total, with about an hour in the park itself.
Tips
Check the tour is running on your date, wear shoes with grip for the stepped lanes and remember the gardens close in winter.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Garden lovers and food-minded visitors who want Bellagio’s old town and its best park on one outing.
- Families
- The flat gravel paths and open lawns suit children, though a tasting tour is best for older ones.
- Couples
- A lakeside terrace, a hidden pond and a table in the old town make an easy romantic day.
- Pair with
- Pair it with a ferry crossing to Varenna or a late-afternoon walk on Bellagio’s lakefront.
- Time needed
- Half a day including the walk from the ferry landing.
Good questions
Is Villa Melzi open in winter?+
No. The gardens close for the winter and normally reopen at the end of March, so tours that include them are for the open season.
Can you go inside Villa Melzi?+
The villa is private. Visitors walk the gardens, which are the main attraction.
How long do you need in the gardens?+
About an hour is enough for the main avenue, the lakeside terrace, the Japanese-style pond and the chapel.
How far is Villa Melzi from the Bellagio ferry landing?+
About five to ten minutes on foot along the lakefront promenade to the south.
Is the visit suitable for children?+
Yes, the paths are flat and the lawns are open, though the tasting part of the tour suits older children best.
