Villa Carlotta Museum and Garden Entry Ticket Lake Como

Villa Carlotta in Tremezzina

Villa Carlotta stands on the western shore of Lake Como in Tremezzina, facing the Bellagio promontory across the water. Marquis Giorgio Clerici had the villa built at the end of the seventeenth century, and its baroque terraces, staircases and balustrades still frame the entrance from the lake.

The estate takes its present name from Princess Charlotte of Prussia, who received it in the mid-nineteenth century as a wedding gift when she married the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. If you are wondering whether Villa Carlotta is worth visiting, the combination of a museum, a large garden and a lake view makes it one of the best half-day visits on Lake Como.

The museum, sculpture and paintings

The museum's rooms hold a well-known collection of neoclassical art gathered by the banker and politician Giovanni Battista Sommariva, who bought the villa in the early 1800s. He commissioned works from leading artists of his day, including Antonio Canova, Bertel Thorvaldsen and Francesco Hayez, and the villa still displays sculpture and painting by these masters.

On the upper floor you can visit the private apartments, which are decorated with furniture and personal objects linked to Princess Charlotte. This gives the visit a human side and helps you picture the villa as a family residence. Allow an hour or more for the interiors, and check the museum's opening hours, which change by season.

The gardens of Villa Carlotta

The gardens cover about 20 acres and are the reason many visitors return. Paths lead past terraces, fountains, statues and a valley of ferns, then through orange and camellia trees, a bamboo grove and beds of exotic plants. The villa is especially known for its azaleas and rhododendrons, which are at their best in late April and May.

Every corner offers a view over the lake, so it is a good visit for photography. The gardens have steps and slopes, so wear comfortable shoes. The best time to visit Villa Carlotta is spring, but the gardens are pleasant in early summer and autumn too. Professional photography is not allowed on the grounds.

Getting to Villa Carlotta and planning your day

Many visitors ask how to get to Villa Carlotta. From Como you can take the lakeside bus along the western shore, and from Bellagio, Menaggio or Varenna you can take a public ferry to Tremezzo, a short walk from the entrance. The ticket does not include transport or a guide.

Villa Carlotta opens for a season, usually from spring to autumn, and daily hours change during the year, so choose your date with that in mind. Combine the visit with a walk along the Tremezzo waterfront and a lunch in one of the nearby villages, and bring a passport or identity card, because it is asked for at the entrance.