Villa Olmo is the grand house of Como town, a neoclassical villa on the lakeshore built in 1812 for the Marquis Odescalchi and bought by the municipality in 1925. Its name is said to come from a large elm tree that a legend credits to Pliny the Younger. The park around it is laid out in the English style, with more than 800 trees including horse chestnuts, Lebanese cedars, sweetgums and planes, and nineteenth-century conservatories and a later botanical garden of historic and native plants lie within it. The park is free and open every day, and the villa itself is used for art exhibitions and cultural events. It is the easiest of the lake’s villas to visit, because it is within walking distance of the centre of Como and needs no ticket, no boat and no reservation for the grounds.
Opening and cost
The tourist board for Lombardy says the park is open every day from 7:00 to 19:00 in winter, from 1 October to 4 April, and from 7:00 to 23:00 in summer, from 5 April to 30 September, with free admission. The villa is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 and entry is described as free, though exhibitions held there can have their own tickets and hours, so check what is on before you go. Because the villa belongs to the city, it is a good fallback when the lake’s private villas are closed for the season.
The walk there
Villa Olmo sits on Via Simone Cantoni on the lake road northwest of the centre, roughly a twenty to thirty minute walk along the lakefront from the old town, and the walk is as much of the pleasure as the villa. You pass the Temple of Volta, the monument to Como’s most famous scientist, and then follow the shore beside villas and gardens.
Hotel Villa Flori is about a 14-minute walk from the villa, and the lakefront hotels in the centre are a little further. A bus along the lake road is the easier option if the weather is poor.
What to see
The facade is a good example of Lombard neoclassicism, with a central block and two wings facing the lake, and the formal garden in front of it slopes to the water. Behind the villa, the English-style park has shaded paths and old trees, the conservatories house plants in winter, and benches face the lake and the mountains. The villa is part of a cultural route that links three historic villas around Como, and a visit works well with the other two if you have a morning to spare.
Making the most of it
Come in the morning for the best light on the facade and the water, and bring a book or a picnic, because the park is a pleasant place to spend an hour or two. In summer the long evening opening hours make it a good place for a sunset walk.
Combine it with Como Cathedral and the lakefront, and you have a day on foot without needing any other transport. Dogs, bikes and large groups may have restrictions, so look for signs at the gate, and remember that exhibitions inside can shorten the villa’s visiting hours.
What to expect
The experience
A free self-guided walk through the park, with the neoclassical villa and any exhibition open Tuesday to Sunday.
Best time
Morning for the best light on the facade, or a summer evening when the park stays open late.
How long
One to two hours for the park, plus the walk from the old town.
Tips
Walk there along the lakefront, check what exhibition is on before you go and note that the park closes at 19:00 in winter.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Walkers, families and anyone who wants a free villa and garden without a boat or a ticket.
- Families
- Open lawns and shaded paths make it easy for children to burn off energy.
- Couples
- A quiet lakeside walk and a bench with a view of the water.
- Pair with
- Pair it with the Duomo, the Temple of Volta and a walk along the lakefront.
- Time needed
- Half a day including the walk from the centre.
Good questions
Is Villa Olmo free to visit?+
The park is free and open every day, and the villa is described as free to enter, though exhibitions held there can have their own tickets.
What are the park’s opening hours?+
From 7:00 to 19:00 in winter, from 1 October to 4 April, and from 7:00 to 23:00 in summer, from 5 April to 30 September.
Which days is the villa open?+
Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. Check the exhibition schedule because hours can change.
How far is Villa Olmo from the centre of Como?+
Roughly a twenty to thirty minute walk along the lakefront northwest of the old town.
Who built Villa Olmo?+
It was built in 1812 for the Marquis Odescalchi, and the municipality of Como bought it in 1925.
