When planning a trip to the chic Lake Como with The Italian Concierge, you will be traveling with confidence knowing that you have Joyce Falcone’s decades of expertise plus an expert team of planners to plan every step. Our team will create a custom vacation package, tailored exactly to your desires.
While most people know of Lake Como already, not many know the history. The lake was conquered by the Romans in 196 BC due to its strategic positioning, and it quickly became a vital link for trade between the Po Valley in Northern Italy and the Rhine Valley in Northern Europe when the Romans built Via Regina.
In 59 BC, Julius Caesar opted to drain the marshlands that were located at the southern tip of Lake Como. He called the city Novum Comum, which is known as the city of Como today. What was once marshlands became a habitable city, and wealthy Romans saw promise in Lake Como and started building their villas on the lakeshore.
As time went on, the beauty of Lake Como persisted, and more villas were erected along the lakeshores for famous aristocrats, rulers, and celebrities. Some of the most famous villas that remain today – such as Villa d’Este, Villa del Balbianello, Villa Carlotta, and Villa Melzi – were built in the 16th-19th centuries.
While Lake Como has been a popular vacation spot since the Romans, there was a surge in popularity when George Clooney purchased a villa on the western shore in 2002, putting the lake on the map for a new wave of American travelers. The lake has also been the backdrop to many recent famous movies like Casino Royale, Ocean’s Twelve, and House of Gucci.
Lake Como is also well known for silk production. The exact timeline of when silkworms were brought to Italy isn’t historically agreed upon, but silk production increased by the 15th century. In the 1400s, the Duke of Milan – Ludovico Sforza – ordered that mulberry trees be planted along the lakeshore. Silkworms only produce silk when they consume mulberry plants, so when these trees were planted, the silkworms thrived. However, it wasn’t until the 18th and 19th centuries that silk production was industrialized around Lake Como with an increase in spinning and weaving mills. The Setificio Paolo Carcano was founded in 1869 as a school to train craftsmen to become some of Italy’s most talented silk masters, and it is still in existence today. There is even a silk museum in the city of Como called Museo della Seta Como where you can see the entire silk production process today.
The beauty of Lake Como has been evident for centuries, so why continue to wait to see it for yourself in person? The Romans had the right idea… Follow in their footsteps and plan a luxury trip to Lake Como and the rest of Italy with The Italian Concierge. Contact us today for more information!
