Tremezzo (Tremezzina): Baroque And Neoclassical Beauty, With Its Incredible Waterfront Gardens [Infographic]
“... and then we will go to Tremezzo; I have a villa there, the sun will shine! [...] We will be happy and alone [...] It will be divine!”, the ballet star tells her lover. And, later, she confides to her maid: “Suzette, we will soon be having a holiday. A month in Tremezzo! I want to feel like a woman again. A simple life, full of peace and happiness!”
Image via Unsplash
Let’s continue our handy review of the beautiful hamlets of Tremezzina: today we bring you to Tremezzo, in the very center of Lake Como!
Tremezzo owes its name to its location, that is right halfway from the ancient Via Regina between Como and Sorico. Useless to say, from Tremezzo the view on Bellagio is just spectacular.
View on Bellagio from Teresio Olivelli park in Tremezzo - © Lakeside
View on Bellagio from Tremezzo - © Lakeside
Tremezzo - considered among the most beautiful hamlets of Italy - boasts a refined and opulent beauty. Ready to find out why?
Tremezzo harbour - © Lakeside
4 reasons to consider Tremezzo one of the most attractive villages of central Lake Como
It’s been quoted in 1932 movie Grand Hotel by Hollywood star Greta Garbo, who said that living in Tremezzo is something “divine”;
It gave its name to the “Riviera of azaleas” (Tremezzina), praised since the Middle Ages as a place of eternal spring;
It’s considered one of the richest Baroque villages in Italy, thanks to its palaces, churches and amazing period villas;
It hosts Villa Carlotta, which every year is confirmed as one of the most visited villas in Italy within the FAI portfolio.
Not bad for a 1.300 inhabitants village!
Villa Carlotta - © Lakeside
An endless parade of architectural jewels
The sensation that you’ll have walking along Tremezzo lakefront is that of witnessing a silent parade of breathtaking architectural jewels: to begin, there's Villa Carlotta her majesty, Bisbino steamer anchored there in front (directly from 1907!), Sommariva Oratory (a neoclassical jewel!).
Then further on you can see the spectacular Grand Hotel Tremezzo with its Liberty charm; and then there’s a series of various period residences with decadent allure and with Art Déco decorations on their façades (including beautiful shells and floral parapets); not to mention the picturesque Portici Sampietro full of delightful little restaurants.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo - © Lakeside
And again, continuing southwards: the wonderful botanical jewel Parco Civico Teresio Olivelli (aka Parco Meier) with its monumental staircase and the tarot from the XVIIIth cent.; Villa Meier; the neo-Gothic church of San Lorenzo.
Parco Teresio Olivelli - © Lakeside
Chiesa di San Lorenzo - © Lakeside
Not to mention the majestic 17th century Villa Mainona; the 19th cent. tower of Hotel Villa Marie; and finally the extraordinary Villa Sola Cabiati with its Italian garden that looks like an old painting!
Villa Sola Cabiati - Image via Mr & Mrs Smith
It’s undeniable: Tremezzo is really a feast for the eyes!
The shy beauty of its old districts
Besides these architectural wonders that rise brazenly along the coast, in Tremezzo there are some hidden corners that you absolutely cannot miss.
Tremezzo iconic porches - © Lakeside
First, take your time to wander around its timeless alleys: in some points, between old arches and underpasses, you’ll have the feeling to be in Tolkien’s Hobbiville!
Alley in Tremezzo - © Lakeside
We particularly like also the long and narrow staircases leading to the lake, so charming between the faded yet colorful facades of the local townhouses!
Staircase leading to the water in Tremezzo - © Lakeside
Other gems not to be missed: the medieval tower in the village of Rogaro, first, but also the ancient hilltop villages of Volesio and Balogno, with the their cobbled alleys and the XVIIth century palaces.
Medieval tower in Rogaro. Image by Luca Gandini
… and finally: wine, craft beer, and authentic restaurants
Important footnote in case you get super hungry during your exploration of Tremezzo: don’t miss Casa Aquadulza (Via Mazzini 3), they make a crazy burger with lake fish, to be accompanied with one of their delicious craft beers! We also really like the interior of this bristrot, a beautiful example of conservative restoration as we like it (look at the original tiles of the floor!).
© Lakeside
Images via Aquadulza FB page
Cantine Follie wine shop is also delicious, perfect for tasting our genuine local products!
If you fancy a (very) abundant aperitif on a beautiful terrace facing the lake, go for Bar Roma (Piazza Roma 2/A), a few meters from Villa Sola Cabiati (the ancient faded sign of the former consumer cooperative in Tremezzo is also beautiful: a nice detail to photograph if you love this kind of nostalgic shots!).
Image by Roberto Stocco
For a refined dinner (and if you want to get there directly by boat), don't miss La Darsena: it dates back to 1900, when it was a big dock for the wooden boats of the richest noble families!
© Lakeside
The view from Villa Carlotta - © Lakeside
Looking for a property in Tremezzo or in other locations of Lake Como?