Your view of Italy's Lake Como for less than $200,000
by Stefania Russo 
| The red roofs and pastel façades of the village of Menaggio by Lake Como, with the Alps as a backdrop. Photo courtesy of www.istockphoto.com |
Lake Como, barely half an hour from Milan, never goes out of style: In 1818, the poet Shelley said that the lake "exceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty." Now, two centuries on, there's every chance you'll agree. The pearl of the lake
Italy's third largest lake (and one of Europe's deepest), this 56-square-mile pool of calm water bordered by mountains, hills, and woods is picture-postcard material. Almost every point along its 105-mile coastline offers a stunning view. Bellagio, with its steep, cobbled streets, has one of the best views of the lake and Alps and is known as la perla del lago (the pearl of the lake). Nearby to the east lies the traditional fishing village of Varenna and the town of Cernobbio, famed for its pastel-colored houses and the Villa D'Este, a luxury hotel with Italy's only floating swimming pool. Attracting the stars
A restaurant on the lake's sole island, Comacina, shows that Lombardy's most famous site has no difficulty attracting stars such as Brad Pitt and Sylvester Stallone. Pop into Laglio and you might just bump into George Clooney, who has a $10-million villa there. It's hardly surprising that average property prices around Lake Como have risen 25% in the past two years alone. If you want your own home in this tranquil part of the world, you won't need to dig quite as deep as George did. A one- or two-bedroom apartment with views of Lake Como can be found from $180,000, while a private villa with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study, lounge, kitchen, and large garden, with a view of the lake, will cost $680,000. Fixer-uppers can be found in the area from just $65,000. [Editor's note: Stefania Russo works for The Property Organiser Ltd, an independent agency run by Italian professionals that finds buyers property in Italy without charge. You can contact her by e-mail at stefania.russo@propertyorganiser.co.uk or check the website: www.propertyorganiser.co.uk ] |
